Current Oxford/Cambridge students support/chat continued

[Panicmode1]

New thread.....!

Enjoy your day @MiniJellyBeans . They will be well briefed as to what to do, so please don't worry.

In DD's graduation, she had to curtsey to the Master of her college. All those years of ballet lessons meant that at least she did it gracefully!

Have a great day @MiniJellyBeans and MiniMiniJellyBeans! I'm sure they have a rehearsal in college first, it'll be fine. Did not realise curtseys were required!

D1 loved being in Oxford for her bf's graduation and also was happily surprised to be given a prize from her college for getting a first.

I know what you mean about being in denial that they have finished their degrees, it doesn't seem real after all the ups and downs of the last few years.

Have a lovely day @MiniJellyBeans and congratulations to your DD!

Congratulations to your DD too @JulesJules on a college prize.

DS has been travelling since graduating almost a month ago. He is currently in the US with his girlfriend and is then travelling in Europe with college friends. He starts his grad job in September so he is trying to cram a lot into a few short months.

Have a lovely day MJB. I hope the weather holds out for you in the long queue to the Sheldonian!

DS1 graduates tomorrow. I never bothered to collect my degree so have never been to a graduation. I am unbelievably excited about this! Early start as we have to be at college by 9.30am and it's a good two hour drive.

Lovely to hear of all the happy graduations. One more year to go for DS1.

DS1 finishes his internship today and DD is back in Oxford rehearsing her show.

DS2 (the non Oxbridge DC) is about to head off to compete at the World Championships in his sport before leaving for his US university in 3 weeks ❤️

DS recently found out that 4th years aren't routinely offered accommodation in college; the college has rented some flats elsewhere in Cambridge but he hasn't been able to find a group to share with, so he was waiting and hoping the college would be able to allocate him a room in an unfilled flat.

Today he has found out that his 3rd year results qualify him for some perks including a room upgrade; there's a good chance he may be offered a room in college after all, which would be much better for him.

I suspect that some / most of his peers may have already been aware of both of the points above, but he is in his own world and doesn't really access the grapevine.

@Malbecfan I hope DS won't need to curtsey next summer; he is not the most coordinated of people at the best of times, let alone under pressure. 😂 He could hopefully manage a bow if needed.

the long queue to the Sheldonian!

The best seat I've ever had in the Sheldonian was when I was at the back of the queue not the front. You're told where to sit, so arriving early doesn't give you a choice. I think they fill up the bottom rows first then wind upwards towards the gods. On the occasion in question I arrived at 10.15 and was put next to the DPhil students: a straight view towards the graduands as they came in from the door. Definitely don't stress to get there early (also no DC will know when you join the queue as they're off somewhere else).

Just in case that's useful to other habitually late people :)

lol @Ironoaks . I think they could choose whether to bow or curtsey. DD curtsied, some of her friends bowed.

Hopefully your DS will get their room sorted. I don't have any suggestions as DD was guaranteed a room in her Masters year in college.

@ofteninaspin I hope all goes well for your DS.

@HoneyMobster it's nice to hear of another parent with a non-Oxbridge DC who is thriving elsewhere.

@Malbecfan - lots of different routes to happiness! DS2 is very different to my other two. I think he will love the US.

He's going to an Ivy and his college (yes they do also have colleges) looks suspiciously like DD's Oxford college.

Hope you have had a lovely day @MiniJellyBeans . Winderful news for you too @JulesJules

DD is up there today as her BF graduates tomorrow.

Thanks for all the good wishes folks! Have had a very enjoyable day. The graduands were briefed beforehand and they all seemed to know what to do. We end up in the gods at the Sheldonian and had a pretty good view. Weather was ideal - dry, a slight breeze, not too hot, some sunny intervals. Just had a superb meal at Pierre Victoire to round off the day!

Are they still doing live streams? Thinking of the grandparents.

Yes live stream was available today via a link sent in an email to DD1 beforehand (not available to watch after the event).
You can also buy a digital download of the whole thing for £25.

They've always offered the digital download thing afaik. Were you morning or afternoon MJB?

We were in the afternoon (1.30pm). There was a sit-down lunch in college at 11.30 (with wine!) then we started lining up to file into the Sheldonian at about 12.50pm.

Ah. DD4's college was the 10.30 ceremony. Blimey @ 11.30 lunch incl wine :)

Glad it was a lovely day!

@MiniJellyBeans - Blimey to the sit down lunch! That's a nice thing to offer.

We had coffee and pastries at 9 am then cupcakes and champagne this afternoon. DS was starving - no lunch. He's crashed out now but we're taking him for dinner in Oxford before heading home.

sun shone for photos and DS and his friends all radiantly happy.

Glad you had a lovely day @MiniJellyBeans.

DD’s graduation last September was at 1.30pm preceded by an 11.30am lunch with wine and followed by Prosecco (and formal photos) back in college afterwards. Maybe same college??

@ofteninaspin Maybe the same college - let's just say we didn't have far to walk to the Sheldonian!

The lunch was £20 a head and each graduand was allocated a maximum of two tickets for guests. DH and I had those tickets, so DD2 (17) had to kill time in Oxford while we were there, and during the ceremony (she did watch some of the live stream on her phone). DD2 has grown to love Oxford during our visits there, so was quite happy; she is planning to apply herself for 2024 entry although is very realistic about the chances of success.

@DaisyThistle Glad you had good weather and enjoyed your day yesterday.

Hello there
I've been looking at the oxford uni website's guidance on living costs. Helpfully they give a range which show £575 per month as the lower range and £1010 as the upper range (These figures are after deducting accommodation costs). My question is whether these costs are realistic? Obviously there's a big difference between the lowest and highest but I wondered if others could share their experiences of what works. I'm aware they can't work when they're at uni. But they're only at uni for 6 months. Any guidance would be very gratefully received! Thank you

We had a fabulous day at DD1’s graduation. Glorious sunshine, a lovely celebration laid on by the college, and by amazing fluke I managed to score an extra ticket for the graduation itself! We
had 3 tickets but an extra family member. I asked the bulldog if she could be squeezed in and was told no, as expected, but advised to ask in the queue if anyone had a spare ticket. I duly asked along the queue (having conquered my embarrassment) and a fairy godfather presented me with a ticket! I loved the ceremony itself which I didn’t remember anything of, not even the mere two words they had to say.

DS1 has gone back to Cambridge today for a 7-week internship, which will last until the beginning of the new term. I’m really pleased that he’s got the position but so sorry to say goodbye to him so soon — and not to have him with us on holiday. Sob.

@Crumpetty that’s very hard to answer as rents vary between and within colleges, as do meal costs and how much they eat/go out etc. My DC have tended to work over some of the summer but not in the other vacations when they are (at least theoretically) studying.

@pantjog very pleased you manages to get an extra ticket! I share your pain, DS has a 10 week internship I London this summer but we have managed to book a week away at the end.
@Crumpetty DS is at a non catered college, he manages fine on £300 per month for the months he is at University