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.

@mutterphore all of DD's collections and mocks were marked and returned. The last one arrived yesterday.

Hope finals are going well for all those sitting them. D1 has had a paper today and texted "Horrible, but I did answer all the questions" So funny as this is what she said after nearly all her GCSEs, varied with "That's it, I've failed" I'm touching wood as I say this, but her GCSEs turned out pretty well.

She has her last exam the day before her 21st birthday and is staying in Oxford for a few days after that, waiting until some friends finish their exams so they can do trashing together (even though this is supposedly forbidden) then coming home for a few days.

@JulesJules really good luck to your DD and I'm sure she's doing very well.

Good lcuk to all other finalists too.

DS1 and DS2 don't start theirs until next week and are about to have their very last ever supervision/ tutorial. They're going to miss these as they've really enjoyed this method of teaching.

Their very kind supervisors/ tutors have been marking timed practice papers or essay questions. It looks like the exams are going ahead but I'm not sure whether they'll be marked by the usual people who'd mark them or different people because of strikes but both DCs are being reassured by their colleges that they will be marked one way or another.

There seem to be lots of 'last times' for them with DS2 (O) having more formalised college finalist events than DS1 (C) so far. Although both say they feel ready for the next step in life, post-uni, I know they'll miss academia and the whole structure of Oxbridge. I wished they'd stayed on to do Masters (obviously if they'd been able to secure a Masters, dependent on finals results) but they've said that whilst they might one day want to return and do more studying, for pleasure, they feel they need to start progressing in the working world.

I still can't believe how quickly their time at Oxford and Cambridge has gone!

Eco trashing is the way forward apparently.

I attended a webinar for Mental Health week today on anxiety & negative mental chatter. A colleague has a son doing their finals at Cambridge. Vaguely reassuring to hear someone else air the same thoughts as me.

Gosh they've started. Enormous good luck to all the finalists.

DD2 had her prelims recital today. It’s not so easy playing a wind instrument when recovering from glandular fever but she thought it went ok.

DD1’s finals start next week. She seems fairly ok thank goodness. I’m popping to Oxford on Saturday to see her and take various forgotten bits of sub fusc (and some carnations!).

DS is soldiering on. More slings and arrows which I won’t go in to. Cambridge continues to be not great for him, alas.

Good luck to all finalists and other exam takers!

I posted the infamous ribbon on Saturday

D1's carnations are being supplied by her college children, she had got theirs for prelims. The flower shop in the covered market does jamjars of them with one of each white, pink and red.

All the very best to your DD1 pantjog.

Really sorry to hear about slings and arrows :(

Good luck to all the finalists. The last three years seem to have gone really quickly in some ways, although some periods during the pandemic seemed interminable at the time.

DS's exams start on 25 May. He is fully into revision focus mode and so I've offered to take on the latest piece of summer internship admin: researching arrangements for his medication. After emailing the Home Office, the Embassy, and the host country's equivalent of the MRHA, I now have the information he needs.

Flying visit to see ds yesterday and deliver a few pre exam treats. Thankfully he is reasonably confident, feels he has done everything he can to prepare. I'm very glad he has a Masters year (results permitting) as he has only just found his feet socially. Still has nowhere to live next year though

@beeswain Good thinking. We are off on a similar errand a week on Saturday to C to take DS out for lunch and keep distraction to a minimum. First year exams though in his case. The very best of luck to yours.

Lovely to see these nice parent trips happening, you are all great... I'm only going to see ds row! Vibes to anyone who is on the C towpath on 16 June.

DS finals start in 10 days time. Each day he posts a “Guess which library today?” photo to the family group chat.
Good luck to all this year’s finalists and DC taking exams in other years.

Glorious 'parents day' at DD's Oxford college today. Looking quite splendid in the sunshine with Wisteria and flowers. Caught up with DS1 who is looking quite strained but OK - exams start in 9 days...

@HoneyMobster - that sounds like a lovely visit, good that the weather was on your side too.

Exams start on Tuesday. Gulp.

Lovely to hear everyone's updates (belatedly, want to say I was very happy to read your post @Cliff1975 - I remember your previous posts about your DS).
Good luck to all students sitting exams.My DD's finals start tomorrow and she has been working fairly consistently along with friends, in a variety of stunning libraries, but she's annoyed that beautiful weather has arrived just as the exams start. However, her exams only last 10 days then she has several weeks to enjoy her last few weeks of being an Oxford undergraduate (sob!). She is working at her college in August and September (as a resident advisor, looking after students from Japan) so has a bit more time before we go through the whole "end of an era" scenario, with which I expect she and I will both struggle, based on previous experience!
Meanwhile DD2 (year 12) is just starting the round of uni open days....

Good luck to everyone doing exams.
My DS (first year) has been enjoying life on the river, rowing and punting. I can’t believe he’s nearly a third of the way through! Every stage seems to fly by faster!
Best wishes to all of those who are finishing.

DD had two papers today… 8 to go! She felt they went ok. Phew!!

On a separate note, some restaurant recos after recentish visits. Oxford: Cuttlefish and Coconut Tree on St Clements are both nice. Cambridge: Six Brasserie on Thompson’s Lane was fab for a 21st celebration: amazing views and lovely food. And coffee/lunch in Good Numbers on Gwydir Street (off Mill Road) really good.

@pantjog - so pleased first two exams went well. Thanks for

My DS in the relaxed second year is gearing up for Eights week...

Revision affectations for first years. DS has let us know that he is now bearded. I look forward to noting his progress to a 'full set' when he see him a week on Sunday. No clue as to how this is being received by GF but as they are both closeted and revising in their respective colleges she may not have had the opportunity to notice.

So after not being at all worried DS is now worried that his exams and dissertation won't be marked and graduation may be delayed. Cambridge seem to have changed their tone about it. They really don't need this stress do they. When teachers went on strike the exam years were largely protected from it as they recognised firstly the importance and secondly that they had already been adversely affected by the covid years. Also teachers mark exams and a paid extra so obviously would not want to loose the income!

Sounds promising about the first two pantjog. So many papers for Classics.

DD's first exam is this morning. She was unable to log into the new online exam portal and has been given a paper copy of the paper and told to type it in Word.