Cambridge and Oxford - ongoing chat for those with a student currently studying there

[DadDadDad]

Some of us have found these threads helpful, so I'm starting a new one to take us through

...end-of-year exams (and parties)

...homecoming for the vacation (and hibernation aestivation for this thread?)

...return in the autumn (and more normal college life?)

Posters old and new welcome to join the discussion. Any tips for finding a summer job?

Oh, and for reference, I have a DS just completing his first year in a small humanity in a tiny college.

Awww, envious of the Cambridge Crew. Ds had a turret in yr 3. ‘‘Twas brilliant. He could dry his pants on a gargoyle outside the window!

I remember your posts about your DS last year, @beeswain - my D1 also had a major wobble after illness, many periods of iso and a term at home. I'm glad to hear he's feeling more positive - best of luck to him for this year, let's hope they all get more of a normal experience.

A Saturday returner here. I am hoping the fuel madness moderates before then.

Packing has barely started after a summer of catching up with home friends. On the plus side the boxes that came back are still packed up which will save her a job.

DS1 is returning to Oxford on Sunday. Returning to a nice flat with 3 friends by the Sports Ground. Between now and then you might see him if you're running the London Marathon. He's sending reports of 'celebs' spotted!

Tempering the C room envy; DD’s house lived in by someone notable enough to have a plaque. Residents on the lower floors run risk of being photographed by tourists. Only one of three bathrooms between 11 of them working though and someone got trapped for 2 hours yesterday and had be cut out with an angle grinder !

Hi all, I’m very behind with the thread but just popping in to say hello. DS is already back at C and DD is going back to O on Sunday. Will be quiet without them… but I am sort of getting used to the coming and going. DD2 is just gearing up to submit her UCAS form — applying for Music at O, so here we go again!

Good luck to pantjog's DD2 with her O application.

Rooms aside, I have to mention DD's broadband connection in North Oxford. I am in complete awe. Such a contrast to our connection at home. DD will never want to leave!

I do think that the quainter the room, the worse the facilities, so that it evens out a bit. Ds had absolutely no facilities in yr 3. Not even a one-ring hob (which he shared with four others in yr 2). He didn't mind but I can see that some people would find this troublesome.

Dd and I are ploughing through Gilmore Girls again at top speed before she goes. I have threatened to be Lorelai and bed down in her room on the first night and order takeaways for the whole corridor....

DH is taking DS today. I can't go with them as I'm on day 9 of self-isolation (and also feeling too unwell, despite being fully vaccinated).

I've stayed away from them since day 1, and thankfully both of them have tested negative and neither have developed symptoms. DS has a "return to Cambridge" PCR booked for tomorrow morning and then will start the asymptomatic testing programme from next week.

Sorry that you've felt so grotty Ironoaks but at least it shows that the vaccines are either making it less transmissable or you are less likely to catch it.

Pleased to hear your DS has a few days together his bearings again before the freshers arrive.

DD has thrown herself into planning various events for freshers. We're away on holiday until tomorrow, so have a rapid turnaround before she goes back on Saturday.

That's rubbish for you Ironoaks. Hope you feel better soon.

DS (double vaccinated) became unwell with a sore throat and temperature last week but tested negative. Now, a week later, I have the same symptoms but have also tested negative. (It's the first time I've had any inkling of a cold for more than two years!).

Took S2 to C today. Met up with S1, who is back in the room he had Before All This. He disclosed that he has been reunited with the yellow-sticker prawns he'd put in the freezer in March 2020...

S2 opted for an Expensive room so has an en-suite and a decent amount of space including a double bed. The gyp (between 6) should be ok - two rings and a microwave, and I think a toaster too though we only took a quick look because we were on his neighbour's key - S2's doesn't seem to open it. Originally he didn't have the right key at all and had to go back to the plodge so we've assumed they all got mixed up and he's been given the conference key by mistake.

Now sitting in Stevenage hoping we can find some petrol by Sunday

It's exciting reading about all these new rooms. Not much from me. DD matriculates tomorrow. The weather forecast is rubbish so she's going to carry her new gown and make sure she has a decent coat on. I spent a small fortune on graduation photos - they will make excellent Christmas presents for my DF so just hoping they turn up sometime soon. Good luck to everyone going this weekend.

DD promised to WhatsApp me pics of her room once unpacked. But five days later still nothing.... except word that a magnificent fat fox is on the prowl around the grounds (as a family we are extremely fond of foxes - my father used to feed all the suburban foxes daily, to the huge annoyance of the neighbours, so she knows this is an excellent diversion). I do hope she hasn't given up on trying to dig into her room and hasn't settled for the corridor.

Meanwhile DS4 up the road is staying put in the same room he had last year so a missed opportunity for some in depth scouring over the summer vacation. He has acquired a fat squirrel lodger in his room, who originally came in to nick some porridge left out on the desk, and now appears every morning for a top up (which he gets. He too is exceedingly fat).

Best of luck to all those trying to source fuel. The further south you go the madder it gets. Once you get towards Manchester travelling in a northerly direction, peace/ sense seem to prevail.

I managed to fill up on Wednesday. Dd was hopping around with anxiety as the worst-case scenario was her going on the train with a duvet strapped to her back and me following a week later when I could get some petrol.

Mind you, I think I should have rented an18-wheeler because the amount of stuff she wants to take is ridiculous. I am going to have to beard her in her den where there is a mountain range of “packing” and have A Discussion.

Good plan Dotty, arguably. I have a VW van with huge capacity so didn't really take in the scale of the problem until trolley load #2 of 4 almost failed to fit into the room. Better to do the bearding ahead of time unless, like me, you make a virtue of necessity and tell DC that the excess is not returning to home, over to them....

All this talk of nice rooms ... DS (O) is renting privately this year with friends. Not a bad location near sports ground but not much else nice about it! Carpets are sticky and of an indeterminate colour, garden, such that it is, is full of holes from some abortive construction project, and was also crammed with empty beer cans from previous occupants; no desk in room: one tiny, tiny bathroom in entire house. And it's expensive.
On the plus side there is a small sitting room with a three-piece suite.. which is upside down for some reason.

I was actually rather glad to know that he'll be having a more normal student experience! Hopefully he'll appreciate home more after this.

SnapSnap DD1, DD2, DS1 and DS2 rented in that area for a year each, similar sounding houses which oddly they all seemed to like. DS1 picked the short straw on room allocation and had to survive his fourth year with a room without a window (No, I exaggerate: he had an internal window into the kitchen, so a room with a view of sorts - usually of one particular flatmate Ben burning meals).

@goodbyestranger

Meanwhile DS4 up the road is staying put in the same room he had last year so a missed opportunity for some in depth scouring over the summer vacation. He has acquired a fat squirrel lodger in his room, who originally came in to nick some porridge left out on the desk, and now appears every morning for a top up (which he gets. He too is exceedingly fat).

I would love a squirrel lodger!

If I knew how to get photos from WhatsApp to MN I would gladly post a pic of fatty squirrel lodger mid oats OYBBK!

awww :) I'd love that!

Technical help required.