Oxford / Cambridge - current students support / chat thread 2022

[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!)

Some of us on this thread go back to I think to late 2019 when our DCs were going through the admission process. A lot's happened since!

Over to you...

Hi @Panicmode1 . As you might recall, my DS is a Cambridge fresher engineer too. Just comparing notes! My DS says it's full on - 6/7 hours of lectures/labs most days (and obviously 'homework') but that seems to fall within a normal kind of 9-5 day, then he's back in college for catered dinner and has done plenty of formals, etc. We have zoomed with him after dinner at 7. I'm wondering why your DS is missing dinner in college each night? Is he in one that's far from the department? He must feel on a bit of a treadmill if he's getting back so late. My DS is quite central (sorry - I prefer not to specify). I also stumbled upon his actual timetable on my laptop!! He'd obviously used it over summer and left himself signed in to his Google account! When I went to add something to the diary it opened up his! 😳 Sounds like a made-up helicopter parent thing but I swear it's true! He had the Zoom call we'd arranged with him labelled as '7pm Parents'!!

Could I please ask O parents a very unimportant question compared to all of these about support etc?
I remember reading something about how Christmas happens in the colleges so that the students can enjoy it with friends - can anyone give me any more details?
(Doing a bit of advent calendar shopping and wondered if I should send ds one.)

@Toomuch999 I'm not an O parent but I believe both places are similar.

They have Oxmass or Bridgemass (sorry about the spelling but my Mac is trying to auto correct), both celebrated on 25th November. So Advent calendars are used for November instead of December.

@Malbecfan thanks, nice idea.

Hi @kitnkaboodle - great to hear from you! DS is not that geographically close to the faculty and he said that he's often not getting to have lunch until 2 due to his timetable, so he's not keen on supper at 6 as it's too early so the canteen (or whatever it's called), doesn't really work timing wise. His supervisions are at odd times (he has one at 8pm this week) so he's just finding it easier to cook for himself. He's been to several formals and is happily socialising/debating/fencing/rowing so I'm not worried about him packing things in, but he does seem to be spending a lot of time in the library after lectures. He's said he has 5 projects currently on the go. We've just arranged to go and take him out for supper over half term, so will hopefully get more intel then!

Can any Cambridge parents recommend a dog friendly venue that we could take DS to for an early evening meal?!

He wants us to bring the dog, but it is limiting options somewhat...and northern side of the city would be more convenient...!

@Panicmode1 senate house take dogs near Kings College or Browns if you sit outside allow - they have heaters!

Brilliant, thank you!

@Toomuch999 I sent my son a huge Tony Chocolonley advent calendar and he loved it - he never mentioned Oxmass but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen!

Speaking of dog friendly venues. Can someone confirm if the Turf Tavern welcomes four legged friends for lunch?

I've taken ours there but in the early evening HoneyMobster.

Thanks. Have booked for 2pm and it says dog friendly on the website. If needs be can palm him off with either the BF or GF!

How does that work? You mean tell bf or gf they can't have lunch because they're on dog duty?

It won't be a problem in reality though - it won't be very busy at 2pm

Just family lunch so other halves not coming on this occasion.

DDog definitely can't come to hear DS1 sing in chapel though!

Ah. I tend to always invite any other halves in town. Does give wriggle room with Ddog however :)

Oops DDog not Ddog.

Our DDog has certainly been into Magdalen, if that's of any use.

Not into chapel though, as he would have joined in the singing (he sang, but not in perfect tune).

Sorry DS1 rather than DD1, I misread.

Neither of mine are at Magdalen @goodbyestranger 😊

Town and Gown is very dog friendly in Cambridge

Thanks @Cliff1975 - will have to bookmark that for next time, as I now have a reservation at The Senate House - so thank you for your recommendation @Lovecatsanddogs

Sorry, only just saw I'd been @'ed.

Yes, Cambridge engineers have to do some relevant internship as a course requirement. We reckon it's to compensate somewhat for the relatively low amount of lab work relative to many other engineering departments. But we got the impression at open days elsewhere that most engineering students do internships anyway, if not a full industrial placement year.

Iirc the department has a list of companies/institutions who offer internships- all of which should be paid. I believe if a student has difficulty finding a placement then they can cover the requirement doing summer projects in the Cambridge research labs.

This isn't a negative! DD found her internships very valuable experience. She actually did far more than she needed to. The first summer she did a full 12 weeks with BT. (11 weeks... it was long enough that they had to include a week's holiday, paid). The second year she did 8 weeks with a small electronics consultancy near Cambridge- she loved that, and was able to live in college accommodation. Third year was 2020... stuck at home, she was delighted to intern for them again, we had a mini electronics lab in the spare room. Then they hired her - well, obviously that was particularly lucky, avoided all the stress of proper job interviews!

Afaik her pals found placements without too much problem, some just did one in the second summer. I believe it's easier to find places wanting to take on second rather than first years.

@ErrolTheDragon - I thought you'd be the person to ask; thank you for providing this info.