Current Oxford/Cambridge students support/chat continued

[Panicmode1]

New thread.....!

Cycle lights also essential for the winter.

On the subject of bikes (Oxford), DS bought a very cheap second hand one on a university trading site - I will ask the name. I think it was about £30.

DD has managed without one for 2 years though both used Voy (? Not sure if the spelling) quite a bit.

@Teriyakieverything if your DC is lacking confidence in cycling, many local authorities offer road cycling lessons. They’re not just for children but for adults too and can be good for increasing awareness and confidence. That said, Cambridge is incredibly cycle friendly so it’s not a necessity.

for example https://www.cyclinguk.org/courses-and-training/courses-available

@pantjog my DS will be studying Music at Oxford in October. Has your DD enjoyed her first year?

@sparkles18 sent you a PM

Glad to hear your ds is all sorted for his final year, @Ironoaks . That must be a weight off his mind. I guess dd has plenty of time to find out whether her college offers assistance in finding a flat, at least.
And hi to @Teriyakieverything - another NatSci person! Hurrah! Well done to your dd. Has she gone for physical or biological?

Hello everyone, dd going to O for a humanities subject. She doesn't have her own laptop or other device, and we are thinking of getting her an iPad. Does anyone know whether this would be enough or does she need a PC/MacBook Air instead of/as well as?
Thank you

Ilovefatrascals she will definitely need her own PC an iPad wouldn't be sufficient.

@Ilovefatrascals - I would suggest it will depend on their subject. My DD is going to read modern languages. She used her large format iPad with a keyboard for A Levels and her Year out when she did a C1 course and plans to only have that at O. She is already finding the fancy draw on iPad is fantastic for marking up set texts in her pre term reading list which she has in pdf and other e-versions.

If your DC is doing a more techy subject then probably a lap top with full version of Excel and other programmes is essential.

Also different people learn and study in different ways.

Oxford’s website suggests an iPad wouldn’t be sufficient.

@Ilovefatrascals both my sons were fine just using chrome books throughout their time at O and C. So it may be that the needs for certain courses varies across subject. For thos new to this thread, DS1 (C) did English and DS2 (O) did History.

I'm way behind reading all the new posts but once again, congratulations to all those starting at O and C shortly and to all the parents who've supported them getting to that point. I hope all your DCs relish the rewards of all their hard work and enjoy themselves at O and C. The time goes so quickly and I can hardly believe my two have now graduated....well sort of....

Like some others on this thread, DS1 (C) still hasn't had his exams and dissertation marked and the latest news seems to be that this will remain the situation for the foreseeable future!

I think there may be someone else new to the thread who has a DC starting English at Cambridge. I really hope they get some supervisions and work marked this year as I think the marking boycott is also now going to include no supervisions for English students. (I have another young relative who's entering their second year for English at C and has also had none of their first year exams marked either).

@Teriyakieverything congratulations to you/your DC too.

In one of my DD's first NatSci lab sessions, the academic in charge gave them all a strong message. She explained that whilst the lab was meant to be from 2-5pm, due to the nature of the content, some weeks may finish earlier, but many more might be later. She then held up a bike helmet and bike lights and said that these were life savers. Labs would finish after it was dark and anyone stupid or arrogant enough to think they could cycle without them was not welcome in her lab. DD was stunned and impressed.

In DD's 2nd year, a lad from the year above at her school and in the same college was involved in a very nasty bike accident which involved a bus. I don't want to give more details other than to say that his helmet undoubtedly saved his life and he has made a full recovery, but it was a reminder to all of the value of helmets.

Finally, whilst I don't think DD plans to supervise any freshers this year, she will be doing demonstrations in the labs so may encounter some of your PhysNatSci DC!

Well another one from school here Malbec: I think I mentioned on this thread that last year in full daylight DS4 was cycling down a hill in Oxford and a van simply turned at speed into a park gate with no notice. Inevitably DS4 smashed into the van. He held out against wearing a helmet at home in Devon -despite massively steep hills - but fortunately he's taken to wearing one in Oxford. Could have been a very different story because his head took the force.

Trying to catch up with all of the messages - congratulations to any newbies I've missed; I've been away for 24 hours for my big 5-0 birthday.

Definitely reiterate the bike light, helmet and 'battered' bike for them esp if they have late labs - it's a life saver for DS although he too has had a couple of scary near misses and has fallen off more than once on wet cobbles!!

Happy Birthday @Panicmode1 ! I hope it was a fabulous celebration.

@goodbyestranger D1's topper is currently on her bed at home and she made me get in with her to try it "Mum! It's like sleeping in a CLOUD"

Re: cycling - she has never had a bike in Oxford, walks everywhere which is eminently doable. I can't deny I've been relieved about this, there have been a number of horrible accidents involving bikes, so would just agree with pp about helmet and lights.

@Ilovefatrascals Honestly I would recommend that she gets a proper laptop. Pretty sure that D1 was sent info about minimum spec for laptops prior to starting. Hers is an HP Envy one I think.

Happy to try and help with any queries about History & Joint Schools

@Ilovefatrascals re pros and cons of lap tops and iPads - if DC already has an iPad and is doing a humanities subject why not start with that and see how they go. If you are about to make a purchase I’d go for a laptop. We are simply in a position where DD has an iPad so not making an additional investment yet.
The one area where Word for iPads are definitely inferior are managing citations - fine for footnotes but not for more complex citation management
DS has an IBM hybrid lap top tablet ie touch screen - he loves it.

Both my DC relied on cycling to get around O and C. Helmets and lights are must. DS took his decent bike from home and it was stolen (despite being locked within college grounds) so a scruffy but roadworthy bike is best.

DD finally moved to a one bedroom flat in London at the weekend. The block has secure bike storage so her bike is now London bound.

@NewSituationNewName Dd will be doing Physical Sciences NatSci, learning more towards Chemistry -she applied to Natsci at C and Chemistry for the other 4 options. Waving to all the NatSci parents on the thread, seems a number of us here, must go and RTFT, I dared not even open this until results day as I didn’t want to jinx it.

Just waiting for the College email with all the welcome/registration/joining details now….

Regarding cycling -helmets and lights -got it. Dh is just sorting all that stuff out. I’m not feeling comfortable with her cycling around the C traffic, would rather she walks even though that’s more time consuming. I’m not sure if it is because I am a rubbish cyclist and am projecting my anxiety….

@Teriyakieverything C is set up for cycling. Unlike Devon, it is really flat. There are some dedicated cycle routes. There is a cycle route from Grange Road (Newnham, Selwyn, Robinson, other college's off-site accommodation) which goes directly to West Cambridge where some of the science departments are now located. However, Chemistry itself is still fairly central because we walked past there a month ago. There are many more bikes than cars in C (and parking is really expensive). In Feb 2020, we visited DD. DH did some work on her bike so I volunteered to taxi her from her college to her department. She knew it took 8 minutes by bike. By car it took well over 12. It might be a good idea to take the bike just in case your DD has consecutive labs/lectures but spatially distanced.

DD's ex-bf went to Oxford. He had never cycled but she taught him how to ride a bike over the summer before he went and he was planning to get one there.

Can someone who understands the Cambridge system help me understand accommodation charges? We are still waiting for info from DD's college but we were looking last night and the rooms seem to have charges "per quarter". Is that per three months, and if so does she pay 4 x the quarter charge for a year? She's going to be there less than half the year!

Following in from @LaurelGrove message does anyone know when we get accommodation information?

@juicy0 and @LaurelGrove it varies by college. DD (C) won't find out about her accomodation until she turns up on the day, it is allocated and a bit pot luck, they have a room ballot system and all rooms are the same charge. She will pay per term and has the choice of a 30 week or 38 week licence but that is the only choice. Even if you pick a 38 week licence chance is you might have to move during the Christmas and Easter breaks.

Thanks. So the accommodation charge isn't the quarterly charge x 4, but some proportion of that depending on whether she picks 30 or 38 weeks?

I don't know @LaurelGrove It will depend on college so ask your DC to contact them if in doubt. A thought whether 'per quarter' doesn't mean 'each accomodation'???

Thank you @PettsWoodParadise I'll get DS to see if he can find out more I for from his college online.