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Original poster

Oxford / Cambridge - current students support / chat thread 2022

1000 replies

DadDadDad · 30/05/2022 13:07

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...

OP posts:
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5
Letsgoforaskip · 19/08/2022 10:17

Hello again! Sorry for my false start!
My DS has amazingly got a place at Oxford so I’m delighted to be joining you all.
We both really appreciate your encouragement and support (well he’s less aware of this but I’m sure he’ll benefit from the insider advice 😀).

goodbyestranger · 19/08/2022 10:18

Are we declaring our DC hands again? DD4 is starting her third year Classics course in Oxford and DS4 is starting the third year of his science DPhil there too. Their older siblings have now left but did Law, History or Medicine, all at different colleges to one another so as not to tread on each other’s toes. I’ve never named the colleges while any was a current student but
for the grads the colleges were Oriel, Queen’s, Wadham, Teddy Hall, Magdalen, Corpus and Hertford if anyone has a question which I may or may not be able to answer. Not much seems to change quickly in Oxford judging by the youngest’s experience (other than possibly the names of clubs in town) so I should be reasonably current.

goodbyestranger · 19/08/2022 10:19

Yes work during non term
time is definitely ok.

Greatauntdymphna · 19/08/2022 10:29

Welcome to the new people!
I have a DD who will be going into her second year reading history at Cambridge.

Malbecfan · 19/08/2022 10:33

@goodbyestranger I thought one of your DS did something postgrad at C. Maybe I dreamed it!

In case I forget, @ofteninaspin enjoy your DD's graduation.

For newbies, DD is about to start the 2nd year of a PhD. She studied NatSci at C, graduating with her Masters in 2021. She was pooled to her undergrad college but loved it there and has stayed on there for her PhD although she lives out with friends.

To the poster earlier who was concerned about not being able to drop off her DS, we like lots of other parents went to visit DD1 in the October half term holiday. I'm a teacher so it worked well for me. We took my DF so he could see when his older GD was studying and DD2 went again. DD1 had already settled in really well.

Not sure about other subjects but DD always found she didn't have time to do paid work during term times, the Christmas or Easter holidays. She did pack a lot in in terms of rowing, singing, orchestra, dance, football and something else but never more than 3 different things on the go. She is still rowing and dancing but I think has decided to leave the chapel choir (and its football team) as she has more lab work.

goodbyestranger · 19/08/2022 11:04

Yes that’s correct Malbec DS3 did an MPhil in 2020/ 2021 but it was an unusual year because of the pandemic. He was in Cambridge for the whole year but Cambridge was quiet, no tourists, lots of undergrads sent home etc, so not much of general use to pass on. Good results at school yesterday by the sound of it.

Bananabrain99 · 19/08/2022 11:10

Thanks for the advice!

beeswain · 19/08/2022 12:45

Congratulations all new starters, I remember the excitement and anticipation well!
DS is now going into his 3rd year for Maths at a big Oxford college.
@Bananabrain99 the week before term starts is 0 week snd students are expected to be there by the Thursday of 0 week at the latest. Most move in the weekend before but there is no requirement to.
DS does work in the holidays but he is very fortunate as he doesn't struggle with the term time workload but it is a very individual thing and dependent on labs and projects I imagine. This summer he has been doing an internship full time.
Exciting times ahead!

Panicmode1 · 19/08/2022 13:35

Hi everyone - take 2, as I didn't realise the convention!

New starter for engineering at Cambridge - DS is very excited, but a bit nervous now it is all a confirmed reality.

Any and all top tips appreciated as he's our eldest of 4 so this is our first rodeo.

Juja · 19/08/2022 14:58

Lovely to see new people here. I’ve posted previously and really appreciated the support.
DC1 just finished 1st year at O, (Geography) and heads back to O early September for Uni sport 4 week selection camp.

DC2 had place for MFL at O confirmed yesterday so we are v excited- deferred until 2023 - off to work in France for a year in 10 days

Flowers Congratulations to all the new arrivals on this board - it’s an exhausting process- I feel shattered

HewasH2O · 19/08/2022 15:03

Moving in seems to be relatively hassle free compared to many unis. In DD's case she was given a date & we parked up outside. She went into the Plodge (Porter's Lodge) to be told which was her room. 2nd years did most of the heavy lifting and carried things upstairs for us. We left her to settle in whilst we went back to the park & ride, then met her for lunch and had a goodbye hug.

They can buy their gown & ribbon (sub fusc) when they get there, but take a white shirt & black skirt/trousers and black shoes as it will be needed for matriculation.

DD picks up the odd day of work in College and she had a 6 week job there this summer. Christmas and Easter holidays are spent recharging then preparing for the next onslaught.

PermanentTemporary · 19/08/2022 15:18

In a very overexcited way I've bought a C undergraduate gown for ds. I've already been told that the Ede and Ravenscroft ones are nicer than the Ryder and Amies ones. Guess which one I've bought. I pass this on in case it's of use to others!

pantjog · 19/08/2022 15:41

DD2 has quite a substantial amount of work to do, to be submitted in 0th week. Lots of reading too. A bit of a “gulp” moment.

goodbyestranger · 19/08/2022 15:51

pantjog I know that you’re a veteran too but my understanding is that sturdy aren’t expected to read everything on their list, not yet a long way

goodbyestranger · 19/08/2022 15:51

*students not sturdy

goodbyestranger · 19/08/2022 15:53

I’ve no idea what my phone is doing. I think the French sun has got to it. Last sentence should read not by a long way.

ofteninaspin · 19/08/2022 15:57

DS's (C) college sells gowns to fresher's on arrival via the Porter's Lodge for slightly less than buying it directly from Ede and Ravenscroft. I don't know if other colleges do this too.

goodbyestranger · 19/08/2022 15:58

Mine all bought their gown during freshers’ week. DD4 said the only ones left when she went to get hers were second hand ones but that those ones are far nicer fabric and tone than the new ones (and obviously cheaper than the nasty new ones)

cantkeepawayforever · 19/08/2022 16:01

ofteninaspin · 19/08/2022 15:57

DS's (C) college sells gowns to fresher's on arrival via the Porter's Lodge for slightly less than buying it directly from Ede and Ravenscroft. I don't know if other colleges do this too.

Dd’s did - but may of course be the same college…..

Yalz · 19/08/2022 17:53

Just pointing out that undergraduate gowns at C can vary by college.

I don’t think they do at O.

Just in case anyone was thinking of buying a secondhand one not directly from a college.

Greatauntdymphna · 19/08/2022 18:45

We dropped DD off at her college at C at a given time. We were told we had an hour in the car park which seemed very fair given how many people needed to be dropped off. We moved the car then came back to help her sort her room, took her for lunch (and bought her gown and a couple of other college bits - we went to Ryder and Ames - the gowns are fine from there and wash really well and don't crease! It was very crowded but fun to do. She got the rest of her college stash from college in the next couple of weeks - jacket and sweatshirt etc - but we really wanted to get the gown with her) and then said goodbye. The others on her staircase arrived the same day but at different times - she really wanted to spend the rest of the day with them.
It was all very easy.

Decafcoffee · 19/08/2022 19:59

Amazingly dd is has got a place at Cambridge to study music with a choral scholarship!!
hope it’s ok to join? She’s my oldest and I don’t know much about C. Any info will be helpful. Thanks!

Malbecfan · 19/08/2022 20:37

Congratulations @Decafcoffee . My best friend's daughter did that back in 2015.

We ordered DD's undergraduate gown from Ryder & Amies because my Dad wanted to buy something for DD, so he paid for that. It was delivered to home & she took it with her.

At DD's college there is some parking so I took all DD's stuff plus both DDs. DH drove his clapped out old car with her bike in the boot, parked at the park & ride and rode the bike to her college. Cambridge is so flat it only took around 10 minutes and meant he knew exactly what was needed on the bike. A bike carrier would have cost around the same amount as the fuel.

Bikes: we got DD's from the recycling centre at home. It cost £8 and is a revolting shade of pink - think strawberry milkshake. She has a nice bike at home, so takes her helmet and lights between home and C. DH put new brakes on it and bought and fitted new mudguards just before lockdown 1. We bought a really good lock from Sports Direct which cost more than the bike! In 5 years it hasn't been stolen yet. Her college put a stamp thing on it and if it is found locked up in an inappropriate place, she will be sanctioned. As she is now only in one department, home, or either of the colleges where she supervises, she should be fine. Anecdotally, the C bike shops are not cheap. It is worth looking at how far your DC will need to travel between their college and department(s) before you get a bike. DD spent most of her 3rd and 4th years at West Cambridge, which is 10 minutes by bike along designated cycle paths, 30+ minutes on foot and something in between by car.

Scrobbler · 19/08/2022 22:17

Hello all. My DC is going into their second year at Oxford, but in a different college from last year as they are another St Benets refugee. Hopefully this year will be a bit calmer after all the disruption and uncertainty of last year. waves at @BenedictSlumberpatch

Ironoaks · 19/08/2022 23:36

We ordered DS's (college-specific) gown from Ryder & Amies to be delivered to our home before he left and I took a photo of him wearing it (over his suit) in a tidyish section of the garden.
His matriculation photo was delayed by 18 months due to Covid restrictions, so I was glad we had done a DIY version.

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