Oxford/Cambridge - current students support/chat thread 2022 - cont

[Panicmode1]

@petitebleu - so sorry to hear about your DS. I hope that some time out over Christmas may help to give him some space and time to think about his next steps.

Champagne corks popping here at @goodbyestranger 's news

Oh my goodness, I am delighted to hear about the return of the suitcase!
When I was young, I had a bag stolen on a French train and a journal/ address book was returned many weeks later. I was amazed and hugely grateful.
I hope it contains the things that your DD values most @goodbyestranger .

@goodbyestranger so delighted to hear the combined powers of Mary Beard and St Anthony along with the police have come up trumps. Look forward to the next update on the remaining contents.

Thanks again people. Should have retrieved the case by the end of the weekend so will know then what's left in the case. Fingers crossed.

@goodbyestranger I'll be interested to hear who found her case and if everything is still in it. Hope retrieval goes well.

@SchrodingersKitty I hope your DS did get a longer extension for his work and isn't too stressed. I also hope you recover quickly from Covid and he can return home soon.

I never get to see or hear much about end of term tutor/supervisor feedback but think all seems fine for both DS2 and DS1.

Collecting DS1 from C today. In the end, I did make it to his Evensong and choir the other day, accompanied by DS2 and we enjoyed hearing him sing and then joining the choir and guests for drinks in the Fellows Dining Hall followed by the formal. The food wasn't as good as what we got at DS2's Oxford college but it was a lovely setting and there was a famous guest at the high table too.

I hope everyone enjoys having DCs home, for those of you whose DCs are actually coming home at all this vacation. For those with DCs who've had a difficult time this term, I hope that a good break and rest and recuperation will make them feel a lot better again.

Absolutely wonderful news @goodbyestranger I'm so pleased for your dd. It restores faith in humanity that someone handed it in.

Intrigued to know who handed it and why now? Fingers crossed re the contents - please update us!

I've just put some term dates into my diary and am struggling massively with the idea of ds being at home between 16 June and 3 October! I am becoming very comfortable with him being somewhere else. Just a thought for Mother's Day

@mutterphore - choral evensong and dinner sounds like my perfect evening.

@PermanentTemporary - I have got used to the ebb and flow of DS being back and forth. I'm going to miss not having him at home for the long summer vacation this year (although happy for him getting the opportunity to do something he loves).

I'm the opposite @PermanentTemporary and relish having DS1 and DS2 back at home.

DS1 is also now back home and it was brilliant having them both here again last night. Lots of holiday plans, alongside work (for me)/ revision (for them), of music concerts, opera and country walks. There is the small matter of DS1's entire dissertation too....but he says it's all in hand and as usual is very relaxed.

DS2 has another interview/ assessment day tomorrow for his career path. Fingers crossed!

@mutterphore - good luck to your DS2. These things are so competitive.

@mutterphore good luck to your DS. Your boys sound awesome.
I collected my DS from Oxford last Saturday but he’s been off with friends since then and I’ve been away with work. I’m looking forward to seeing him tonight.
He only started in October and I can’t believe how quickly two terms have flown by.
Happy Mother’s Day to all of you mums! 🥂💐☕️

Best of luck to DS2 @mutterphore .

In other news, DD went out for a walk this morning in the Italian mountains and ended up with a broken wrist. Luckily tennis camp was last week in Portugal and her finals don't start until late May.

Oh no @HewasH20 ! I hope she makes a speedy recovery.

Happy to hear re suitcase @goodbyestranger . Not posted much but DS came home and promptly went off on a trip with college friends. I am hugely relieved as making friends hasn’t come easy in the past and he does seem to have, cliche as it is, ‘found his tribe’. Happy holidays to all the students.

@HewasH20 sorry to hear about your DD's injury. Hope she recovers quickly and isn't in too much pain.

Amazing news about suitcase, @goodbyestranger!

DS (delayed at Oxford by first my covid, then train strikes, then his own illness), finally made it home yesterday after grappling with getting all his stuff into storage facility. Wasn't sure he'd manage as still feeling rotten, but he did and is feeling very pleased with himself. He's finally getting back to work on his dissertation, though will probably have to apply for yet another extension to cover another week lost to illness. It will be such a relief when he's finally finished. Lovely to have him back home.

@SchrodingersKitty - you must delighted to have DS home and all the best to him is finishing his dissertation. My DS is still in Oxford working and will come home for 10 days over Easter which will be lovely. He is off to France this week for a few days to visit DD who is an au pair on her year out and cheer her up with her miserable host family.

@goodbyestranger - great news about the suitcase. I was thinking of you on Monday night, because we had our own missing bag scenario ...

DS was travelling back to see us, had got off train at Paddington and was on the underground. At this moment he realised he'd left his large bag full of clothes (no precious course notes, fortunately) on the train and phoned me in a panic. I told him to head straight back to Paddington, while I phone the rail companies trying to get someone at the station to find the bag before it disappeared (or headed back to Oxford!).

To our great relief, his bag was waiting for him at lost luggage, so it was a short-lived crisis.

DS is ploughing his way through the admin required for his summer internship.

In order to enrol as a temporary student at the host university and apply for accommodation, he needs to provide proof of insurance (health, accident, personal liability). In order to complete the application for personal liability insurance, he needs to provide evidence of student enrolment and also a Swiss address (to which necessary forms will be posted for DS to complete).

The above process also requires student mobility forms, which have to be signed by not just DS, but both a member of staff at Cambridge and a member of staff at the host university. These forms are so incomprehensible that it doesn't actually help that there's an English language version.

@HewasH20 your poor DD! Hope wrist mends speedily and well.

@Ironoaks all that admin for an internship in Europe sounds horrendously complicated. One of DS's Cambridge engineering friends is doing an internship the States this summer. I wonder if the paperwork for the US is equally onerous?

DD was delighted to receive a prize this week for getting the highest result in Finals in her subject at her college.

DS is sufficiently recovered from shingles to contemplate a trip home for a few days over Easter. He has two essays due for a postponed supervision at the end of this week and is also catching up with missed lectures. Some of his friends are still in college so he has some company.

@ofteninaspin I'm glad he is feeling a bit better. Congratulations to your DD!

Great news @ofteninaspin

Great news @ofteninaspin

Amazing @ofteninaspin, good for your dd.

Ds's girlfriend is visiting this weekend. Just a bit excited. Trying to stay very calm.