Oxford / Cambridge - current students support / chat thread

[DadDadDad]

Continuing a thread for anyone who wants to talk about their sons' and daughters' experience being a student in Oxford or Cambridge. (Or nephews, granddaughters, sisters, uncles - or if you or they have now graduated but you want to share your thoughts - all are welcome!)

I have a DS in his second year at Oxford, studying a small humanity in a tiny college.

Over to you...

@pantjog - that's great news

@Pantjog, that's great news about your DS driving test! My DS2 (O) managed to pass his the day before he started at O last year but DS1 (C), missed out on taking his and now his passed theory test has run out.

In other news, does anyone else think that next term will have to be done from home again like last year? My heart is sinking rapidly as this was so detrimental for my DCs last year to miss the entire second term and be stuck at home. DS1 and DS2 are planning to return to college early as they're looking forward to it so much and have lots of things planned - as well as work - for next term and now who knows what will be possible.

Thanks to all for kind wishes!

@mutterphore I don’t think so. I think there is an understanding of just how detrimental it is to disrupt education now. I hope so at least. I can’t see my DS coping with more disruption.

@mutterphore
I'm also concerned about this. DS found it difficult learning from home in Lent term 2021. And online practical skills assignments are no substitute for being able to do experiments in the lab.

Fuck, no, I really hope not. DD prefers to do her lectures online, but there's no substitute for the labs and tutorials.
Congratulations on the driving test result, @pantjog. Great to get that out of the way. DD's theory test will expire shortly as well, @mutterphore. She only ever got to take one practical test, and right now I'm not inclined to fork out on getting her ready for another punt with Omicron cancellations of this, that and the other looming ominously ahead.

DD has a long lease. I deliberately didn't suggest that she should bring more stuff home with her in case she couldn't go back. They let her return last year, so can't see that they would say no this year.

I would assume that students would not comply with any such dictat. I would encourage my DC to revolt.

DD4 only has a cabin bag sized case with her.

@pantjog that's really good news.

@mutterphore I sincerely hope not, but have it on good authority that a government announcement on schools (which may or may not apply to unis) is coming out on Monday. Why Monday? Because it's the 1st bloody day of most schools' Christmas holiday, so what better time for the DfE to put guidance out? Thank goodness I'm not SLT having to give up my break for yet more contingency planning. I don't know how that would affect my DDs because DD1's work is lab based so she can't WFH. She could do her supervisions remotely. DD2 is home now until September and managing to watch lectures etc online overnight. Whilst I'm sorry DD2 is missing the student lifestyle, having seen what the freshers at her accommodation had got up to, I'm glad it's a more sedate pace of life here.

DD1 is meant to be coming home on Tuesday now. She finishes work today, is going to bf's for the weekend and they "have something planned" for Monday evening, no idea what. She is hoping to get a booster vaccination at a walk-in centre on Sunday with bf. DD2 managed a drive-through one yesterday. I am picking up DD1 but it's not as far from home as Cambridge, so do-able.

One concert for me tomorrow, DH's car is going in for a check-up on Monday, DD1 taxi on Tuesday (plus a food shop if I can), turkey collection on Wednesday and hopefully that's it. Oh and just 150 Christmas song arrangements to mark. Lucky me! Wishing everyone on here and their DC the very best for Christmas

Some potentially bad news breaking (have name-changed for this one). My DC is at one of the very small Oxford colleges and it has made an announcement that its future is uncertain. They've told current students that things should be secure for the remainder of this academic year, but the implication is that next year is in doubt - finances not looking good.

I'm hesitant to give too much detail, but I'm assuming this will become more public in the next few weeks.

Oh dear. That must be very worrying @BenedictSlumberpatch. Though if it’s the college I’m thinking of, couldn’t a former PM who is closely associated with the college bung them a few quid?!

That must be worrying for both staff and students.

Sorry to see that @BenedictSlumberpatch

@Nursia - I think the problem is that it would take a lot more than a few quid.

It is worrying, but DC doesn't seem too anxious. Perhaps naively, DC feels reassured from what they've been told that the University will look after them - might even get to experience life at a bigger college if they get redistributed. I suspect we'll have to wait for a while for any clarity.

Oh dear. Point taken @BenedictSlumberpatch. Glad DC is coping ok.

Asked D1, she said there's an article about it in Oxford Student.

Thanks, JulesJules . The story is listed here but it seems the link to the full story is broken.
www.oxfordstudent.com/category/news/collegenews/

Obviously, my username was a small clue to the college (or strictly PPH) in question.

That's worrying news @BenedictSlumberpatch but glad that DC can see the positives in potentially moving to a large college.

DD's Oxford college has sent an email anticipating the reintroduction of restrictions next term. The Biology department are also moving labs and lectures online again for the first three weeks of term.

DD was telling me about this today. Unsettling, as you would gave thought Oxford colleges would be robust.

@HewasH2O

DD was telling me about this today. Unsettling, as you would gave thought Oxford colleges would be robust.

The asserts of this PPH are way, way less than any of the others

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CollegesofftheUniversityyof_Oxford

Ouch

Thanks for the sympathy. I think the reality is settling in a bit for DC today, including awareness that some staff might lose their jobs.

As Errol mentions, PPHs don’t benefit from the cross-subsidy between colleges to help each other out. They enjoy a bit more autonomy (eg historically as religious foundations) but this is the price. As I understand it, they could go through a process to get college status but would need a sizeable endowment - anyone got £50 million?(figure according to DC). Without an endowment the subsidy system would just mean rich colleges pouring money into a bottomless pit.

How worrying @BenedictSlumberpatch - I have a friend who has a 2nd year DS at Benets reading PPE ☹️

For those worrying about returning in January, the word on the street is that Oxford is planning to make the criteria for returning so broad that it should be almost impossible not to go back. They will do whatever they can to avoid a repetition of last year.

Thanks @HewasH2O, that's reassuring. DD isn't at home (our first Christmas without her!) so I'm not getting regular updates on Oxford's plans.