Current Oxford/Cambridge students support/chat continued (2)

[Panicmode1]

The other thread is nearly full so I took the liberty of starting a new one...

I thought a double first was when they got a first in parts 1 & II because not all courses go as far as part III. But what do I know as I didn't go there (looking at another thread). Thanks for all the good wishes. Typically DD is more concerned with trying to get on a bloody trail run in Japan than the conference - she takes after DH in this regard!

@Malbecfan yes, that's how the term was used until a couple of years ago. Degrees at Cambridge now have an Overall Degree Classification, so for a BA that would just be a First.

@Malbecfan your DD and my DS fall either side of the change. So for her cohort, 'double first' could mean First in Part I and in Part II as you said. DS's cohort onwards have an ODC for their BA.

@Ironoaks thanks so much for the explanation. So both our DCs achieved double firsts, just by different means. All down to the most amazing mothering IMHO (tongue firmly in cheek in my case)!

Lovely to hear everyone's news. And some exciting achievements by various DC . The post uni world is clearly a challenge - we will enter that stage in June with DC1...

We are heading to O tomorrow - the plan was to watch Torpids as both DC in 1st VIIIs but that as @Inamuddle36 said above has been cancelled.

We will take Grandpa out to a posh afternoon tea for his 91st b'day and then 2x DC and GF out for supper.

DC1 would prefer to be at a college event but has grudgingly agreed to spend the evening with us. DC2 is v positive about us visiting.

Should be fun to mooch around O anyway.

Re Mods and Prelims my recollection is Mods are classified ie 1st, 2,1, 2.2 etc while Prelims are distinction, pass and fail. If you get a Distinction / 1st you used to get a scholarship and a fancy gown.

Ooh a 91st tea? There's lovely @juja. Best wishes on behalf of the city, I wonder where you'll be eating.

Lunch on Saturday at The Old Bicycle Shop in C which I hope will be nice.

We were supposed to be visiting O to watch Torpids as well. DS1 is very sad it's been cancelled.

We are going on Mother's Day though. It's also DS1's birthday. The last time the two days coincided was the day DS1 was born. The hospital made a fuss as he was the first baby born that day - 1.44am 😮

@PermanentTemporary we are heading to the Rooftop of the Ashmolean Museum - never been to their restaurant but apparently it has super views, and good food. As last autumn we thought Grandpa was not going to live till Christmas it will be a special day.

Oh that's lovely. Hope you have a great time.

Sorry to all of the frustrated rowers at O - DS is rowing in his fourth race of bumps today - they were the sandwich boat yesterday, and have bumped 3 times already, but have two more to go to get blades....and he's not sure they will make it, with the weather and the speed of the weekend's boats against them.

Have a wonderful day @Juja - what a special day. Two of my great grandmothers celebrated their 100th birthdays and spending time with them and learning from them, (as well as their 100th birthdays!) are some of my most cherished memories of my young adulthood. I remember my English great grandmother using bellows to blow out the candles on the cake.

@HoneyMobster DS is an April Fool - I was wailing at about 11.30pm on the 31st that I didn't want a 1st April baby, and the midwife said that she didn't think I was going to have a choice, but it would be close...he was born just after midnight.....!

A great day in C yesterday with an amazing amount of sunshine and zero wind on the towpath. DS had success which was lovely to see though managed to stand in the wrong place as usual so didn't actually see the bump. He seems to be enjoying his group project this term, which is reassuring as it's more like a job would be than the startling amount of hard thinking sums he does otherwise (startling to me, not him).

Really enjoyed lunch at The Old Bicycle Shop, recommended for a mixed group weighted towards veggies.

Also went to see the CU Ballet Society show as a friend's child was dancing. Unexpectedly enjoyed it as I'm not usually a dance person. Playing the music this morning (Cinderella).

Hope you had a fab time @Juja . Good stuff @PermanentTemporary . DD won blades in Lent Bumps last year. Said blade/oar is on her bedroom floor here. I'd put up a photo but there is too much identifying info for me to have to pixellate out. It is rather lovely to see her name with the letters PhD after it - the blade has initials & surname with the course they are studying. Let's hope she makes it.

This morning she has just run the Cambridge half marathon for Cancer Research. Although the finish line is on YouTube, we couldn't see her but the automated chip time has her managing just over 1:45 - her aim was sub 2 hours so she will hopefully be delighted. Her split times were pretty consistent too. Hope to speak to her before I go out to an orchestra rehearsal shortly.

@Malbecfan @Panicmode1 yes thank you, we had a super 26 hrs in Oxford - packed in masses including a morning swim in Hinksey Lake.

Can highly recommend the afternoon tea at the Ashmolean if you're looking for something posh. Dinner at Pierre Victoire was super as well though wouldn't go if you've lots of vegetarians or vegans as not much choice in that department.

DC2 is pleased with her second year room choice - an older building with a window seat in the bay window.

DC1 has a massive work schedule with two more extended essays due in the next couple of weeks (these count for his degree) plus final tutorial essay this week. Then it's heads down for finals....

@juja that sounds like a lovely visit

Sounds like a lovely day @Juja 😊

Having a (belated) proud moment as I have just found out DS won a college prize for best exam results in Part B exams last summer. He's not the best at sharing achievements (though can overshare many other minute details of life). I spotted it on his LinkedIn. His response was 'keeping it a small surprise for when the college yearbook comes out (by which time he will have graduated and started work.....). It was the same when he was made School Captain at Secondary school, I found out form another parent!

Great (if belated!) news @beeswain . That's lovely news.

@beeswain very well done to your DS on his college prize! What a lovely surprise for you and he sounds very modest.

Hope all those visiting O & C have had/ are having brilliant trips and I particularly love the idea of your morning swim in Hinksey Lake, @Juja - just my kind of thing too.

@Malbecfan, I'm very impressed by your DD running a half marathon. Good for her!

Well done on those bumps for your DS, @Panicmode1 and @PermanentTemporary DS too. My DS2 really misses all the rowing he did at Oxford in his time - along with just about everything else there too, so it's great to hear about others enjoying themselves still.

Very impressed with your bravery in the lake @juja. You might have seen some friends of mine there but definitely not me!

Brilliant news @beeswain. At least he was planning to tell you eventually...

@beeswain wonderful news! Congratulations!

@Malbecfan I think Dd is suffering from Burnout as she is approaching the end of 2nd term.
She was on such a high last week having won the Varsity fencing and other fencing matches against Nottingham in the same week, but she’s had to travel to Nottingham uni and Birmingham uni in the same week. She also managed to have 3 formals in 10 days , including a post Varsity match dinner with Oxford.

But she came down with a cold on Sunday, and received a very poor mark for her Physics lab report, which is a shock for her, plus she is worried as she doesn’t know how much it goes towards her final degree which adds to the worry. On top of that, she has her room ballot and is having boy drama as he did not message her when he said he would…I think it feels like everything is getting on top of her at once. I’m not sure how we could help her, don’t want to feel like she has to tough it out by herself…

@Teriyakieverything that sounds like a lot to cope with for your DD. Hopefully the vacation will give her some downtime to relax and recharge.

@beeswain Many congratulations

@Juja thanks for your kind words. She was so sad and anxious and tired when we called tonight, I think she needs to know that she doesn’t have to tough it out alone. I think she was running on adrenaline and now running on empty.

She needs to speak to the DoS to confirm if her poor lab report counts to wards the degree to put her mind at rest.

Your poor DD @Teriyakieverything - she sounds very stressed, but it's the last week of term and they are just exhausted. And they are so used to achieving easily, I think it's hard for them when sometimes, things are harder than they expect so then they spiral and are stressed about 'failing'...I'm sure her DoS will be reassuring and that once she has got home and rested, she will have some perspective, feel better and recharge.

(My DS has been in a similar state - he rowed every day for bumps, so was behind with labs and papers, he had another internship interview (which he didn't think went well), and so he is now stressed about catching up and getting everything done before the end of term...)