Current Oxford/Cambridge students support/chat continued

[Panicmode1]

New thread.....!

Welcome all, wonderful news, delighted to hear about the gown orders!

Welcome to all the newbies. I still can't believe DD got into Oxford, and she starts her third year this autumn. It seemed like such a long shot, with so many other super bright kids applying. Hope you all enjoy the ride, and don't worry - the DC will figure out most of it themselves. And there's usually someone here who knows what you're going through if you do have any anxieties.

Hi. Ds had his place confirmed today,

& one of the best bits of Oxford and Cambridge is there is no need to worry about accommodation and fretting over options. In most cases they will turn up on their first day and get what they are given (& some rooms are beeeyoootiful)

Are gowns needed for Oxford undergraduates?

That's one of the bits I love @HewasH20

DD is just looking at her accommodation bill for her first year at Nottingham and it's about £3000 more a year BUT is catered, so can't really complain! But I also know she'll have to be looking for her second year accommodation/group by Christmas so there's so much more pressure than with DS who doesn't have any of that stress.

He's just spent 3 days in Cambridge helping with an Access to Engineering course for his college, and the set he was in for the duration was magnificent - he's now going to bid for that banding in his final year because he knows he can easily afford it, whereas poor DD is going to have to budget far more stringently!

And massive congrats to all of the newbies here who I've missed - I'm working and trying to keep up (and with all the messages for my (non-Oxbridge) successful A level DD).

The fresher's gown are readily available from 2 or 3 shops when they get there. Most people go to buy their sub fusc (gown, hat and ribbon for the girls) when they arrive. It's not pricey. (Must find that pesky ribbon again for graduation)

They will need it for Matriculation but it's also a nice thing to do together on drop off day before you wave goodbye.

Thank you

So happy find this thread and join in. DS has had his results and a confirmed place for a few months (he's British but went to High school in the US) but I still got ridiculously excited when he got a welcome email this morning!

Congratulations to all the soon-to-be freshers! I recognise quite a few names from the other threads!

Subfusc (Oxford) D1 went out with her new neighbours to get the gown, mortar board and black ribbon (sold as a set) . We had gone shopping for black trousers and white blouse before she started.

Many congratulations to all the new students and parents. This is a lovely and supportive thread so feel free to ask away!
I feel fortunate that ds has an additional year at Oxford for an integrated masters (Maths) as the pandemic made his first year so difficult. He has his undergrad degree under his belt now so I'm hoping for him he will have some of the fun he missed at the beginning.

Many congratulations to all the new Oxbridge parents - and your brilliant offspring! I well remember the anxiety and the profound relief. These threads have been so useful to many of us for sharing the joys and the tough times. My DS has just finished but hopes to be back for an MA in 2024 so I expect to be lurking around here for a while.

First stupid ques - terms starts on 8th Oct but does that mean it’s 1st week or is that 0th week? Can’t work out what weekend I need to drop DD off.

0 week is 2 October and term usually starts on the Thursday of 0 week (weird I know!). So the weekend before (so 31/1 this year)is usually moving in weekend.

Moving in days vary a bit between the central Oxford colleges to reduce the traffic congestion. When DD was a fresher, her college moving in day was on the Tuesday before term started.

Can I join pls? DS met his Cambridge offer today and is thrilled

Welcome to the new joiners anc congratulations to your students on their places

@Dingbats876 - here is a link to a downloadable calendar of weeks in Oxford lingo - I add it as an extra calendar onto my computer https://www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk/oxdates

My DD has been told she will here in the next few days when her moving in day is - last year her college was on a Tuesday

Dd is in at Oxford, so I will be following along here.

Congratulations to the newbies.

DS1 is going into 4th Year Chemistry at Oxford and DD will be 2nd Year at Oxford. DS2 is off to start at Princeton on Tuesday!

Both DS1 and DD enjoyed buying their polyester gowns in freshers week with new college friends.

@HoneyMobster hope DDS2 enjoys Princeton - a beautiful campus - an ancestor of mine was sent down for duelling there!

@Catsnap @juicy0 @BackToWhereItAllBegan @Dingbats876 @Riverpebble Congratulations and welcome to the thread...
my DC2 is starting this year - overlapping with DC1 for a year though a different college and subject

Could I get some advice on sizing? Would like to surprise DD with one of the college puffer style jackets on her birthday in a few weeks. Does anyone know if these come up particularly big or small? We’d like to get her initials on it so no chance to return if it’s not right!

DS had place at C confirmed yesterday . Have been asked about getting him a gown etc. Is this best done down at C or over Internet. Is it likely essential to at least hire one? I can not see DS as someone wanting to go to "formals" etc.