Current Oxford/Cambridge students support/chat continued

[Panicmode1]

New thread.....!

We have the original of a letter written by Himmler to an academic who was irritating him by intervening to ask for the release of a family member who was interned. Himmler was quite clear that she wasn't going to be released and signed off : 'I look forward to hearing from you, my dear Professor, occasionally'.

Agree about the French language. It's so much more elegant than English. I was going great guns on refreshing my French with Duolingo but it's been slipping so much lately that Lily has said she can't be bothered to send motivational reminders.

The kitchenette at my son's 'staircase' at Oxford has no microwave, or anyway to make a quick warm meal (eg not allowed sandwich maker or toaster). It only has allowed electric kettles so far. The other staircases have microwaves. Any idea what he can do? He is in his first year

Not even a hob? @Rosedozenose The only thing I can think of is salads, or cuppa soup?

Eat in hall is the obvious answer Rosedozenose. It's a good idea to do this anyhow if you're a fresher. Plenty of time for doing his own meals later on.

I imagine the college would allow a microwave if was PAT tested. Maybe your son could ask if the college would allow one if he supplied it @Rosedozenose ?

DD used to boil eggs in a kettle and make up those slightly grim instant porridge sachets.

Pot noodles, or the fancier versions, spring to mind. My DD has no cooking facilities either — except a kitchen which is shared by all the undergrads 🤯

HoneyMobster you'd have thought so but DS2 and his friends (they shared a flat within the college main site in their second year) had a PAT tested hob repeatedly removed by the authorities, returned, re-instated, removed, returned, re-instated, removed etc etc.

A bit of cheek given that their heating rarely worked so being able to cook here and there would have been esp welcome. But some colleges can be very oppressive on this sort of front.

By contrast, DD4's seems to shell out personal microwaves and mini fridges just for the asking.

I guess so. The colleges are all so different. It makes it hard to offer advice here as we might as well be taliking about different universities sometimes.

DD had not ventured into her kitchen despite the amazing facilities in there due to a horrible smell. To recent date she has coped with college food or ‘apply hot water’ from the kettle she is allowed in her room. Itzu and similar come to mind. The smell now seems to either have dissipated or got used to it and she now uses the oven and hob bit not likely to use much as she has got used to just kettle and buttery.

DD is a big fan of the 'Too good to go' app. She and her friends eat very well using it.

I guess so. The colleges are all so different. It makes it hard to offer advice here as we might as well be talking about different universities sometimes

My DC have nine colleges between them HoneyMobster and the big driver for stuff like this is the character of the Domestic Bursar rather than the college itself. Your DS and my oldest DS share a college which - when DS1 was there at least - was incredibly good with everything on the domestic front. DS2 was just over the road two seconds away where the hob wars took place. But these people move on, and then it can easily be all change.

Yes, the ITSU pot noodles are actually quite nice!

But it is worth asking for a microwave to be supplied if other staircases have one. DS did this for a fridge and it arrived eventually.

DD’s Oxford college stance on mini fridges and microwaves changed drastically during and after Covid. Mini fridges are now provided by default to every room. DD ended up with a mini stack of fridges by the time she graduated last year.

@pantjog interesting to hear about your DC use of ChatGPT. My DC1 who has challenges with 'Executive Function' uses it to summarise the contents of his reading lists each week and it helps get him started while previously he was often paralysed by the enormity of the task.

Re fridges and other electronic equipment my to DC have very different experiences. DC had a mini fridge in Yr 1 but no kitchen at all and no toaster microwave etc allowed. For Yrs 2 & 3 he is in college flats with a kitchen sous self catering. DC2 is in college on site all years - there are v small kitchens in her Yr 1 block with a 2 ring hob and a microwave- other freshers have slightly better kitchens.

Will check out that app, thanks @HoneyMobster . DD knows she is very fortunate with her kitchen facilities at her college, so she has the option of having catered meals or cooking for herself. Still, she is missing the dishwasher, and minimising the washing up is now also a key consideration when she cooks. I noticed that she was using the same fork for stirring the sauce as for eating yesterday. I hope she doesn't stoop to eating baked beans out of the saucepan....

Having been too busy during last week with freshers, department stuff and double booked schedules, she facetimed over this weekend to have a proper catch up, also to see the Cat, and asked practical questions about cooking and cycling logistics. Yesterday, she's managed to go to the sports complex in the morning, and in the afternoon, met up with the 2 others from her school who joined C last week for an ice cream at Jack's Gelato, they have arranged to go punting next Sunday. It's nice that with all the changes and new things, she is able to meet up with old friends from school. She also went to the Rubik's cube club, she is now noticing that a lot of the STEM environments are male dominated (having been to an all girls school). Still not used to her being not at home, but we plan to go up and stay over beginning November for my birthday and hope to go to dinner somewhere, if there are any recommendations for (reasonably priced) restaurants at C, that would be great!

We've been to the Senate House with DS a couple of times @Teriyakieverything after recommendations from more experienced C parents than me on here. It is dog friendly which we needed, but it's also a short walk from his college (not that anything is particularly far apart in C!)

Glad your DD is settling happily.

DS was in high dudgeon yesterday because he got up early, went to audition to speak at the Union and once there, they told him there wasn't actually a slot, let him audition anyway and said they would let him know if one of the speakers dropped out...

My D1 also a big fan of this app - and Itsu is a big favourite. I think not least because her first time in the Itsu queue, she bumped into someone she was at school with, and someone she was at Nursery with.

Results are in: 2:1 as expected for DD1.

She's very happy in Paris and enjoying her Masters.

Congratulations to mini @CinnamonJellyBeans. Hopefully @mutterphore & my own DD will get some news soon.

Great news @CinnamonJellyBeans . Congratulations to your DD.

@Teriyakieverything we don't have a dishwasher, so my DDs have always known about washing up. Your DD won't come to any harm using the same fork for stirring and for eating, honestly.

Great news @CinnamonJellyBeans - congratulations to your DS.

I swear I typed DD @cinnamonjellybeans! Sorry.