Current Oxbridge students - continued again...!

[Panicmode1]

Think the other thread is full....!

Ds looked like the Ghost of Stress when I saw him at the weekend, though he warmed up a bit with a coffee and a toastie. Terms 1 and 2 of third year NOT fun. He's still going to apply for a 4th year though. Tbh can't wait to have him home for lasagne therapy.

@PermanentTemporary I love how you describe your DS's exhaustion, sums it up so well.

My DD is whacked - been at O since 2nd Sept due to pre season training and probably not home till 19th Dec due to post season trials. It's been a complete marathon but somehow has kept going. But academic work for her is more relaxed this term as it is an Oxford silly second year. ie no exams... She's also got to get her year abroad sorted - Oxford are completely useless on that - you are on your lonesome...

I'm nesting in anticipation of their return making Christmas Cake and Puddings. Mince Pies next. DS is facing the reality of the real world now he's graduated. three days off work 24, 25, 26...

Newbie here, DD just finished first term at C. Made lots of friends, which is a huge relief. Looking forward to having her back this weekend - I think she is indeed happy but exhausted.

Can I just ask - how does it work with internships for summer after year 1? Is there a central careers service that can advise or support? Or are they pretty much on their own in the search? Have another DD also doing a STEM degree at a top RG uni and she has had lots of careers events and networking already in term 1. Thanks.

Thank you for your kind words @Clemenc0 and you give me hope that someone just into their sixth decade isn't considered over the hill just yet despite the evidence to the contrary (lack of invitations to interview - his industry is notoriously young so he knew that if he were to be made redundant, it would be hard). I work with someone who is 75 although she has just decided that she's going to finish in the New Year....I hope I have as much energy as she does when I get there.

@SeaofTranquility DS gave up in his first year - he applied for LOADS of summer internships, but it seemed that most of them wanted at least second years who knew something, not first year engineers who thought they did but didn't 😉He ended up being a kitchen porter all summer, and doing some tutoring. For the second year, we encouraged him to be a bit more organised re deadlines, but he still missed several...they were just issued with 30 pages of companies to look at and choose which ones to apply for. I don't know whether there was more careers support/advice available and he just didn't avail himself of it, or there just isn't a huge amount of it and they are expected to be self sufficient.

Those of you with DC at Cambridge, doing humanities/social sciences - are there normally informal mock exams of any sort in January? DD just finishing first term has heard 2nd hand that a supervisor for one of her papers mentioned it but has not been told anything directly? Obviously she plans to consolidate her notes in holidays but that isn’t quite the same a revision! I’ve told her to ask but 🙄. Thanks !

@Chouffles Hopefully someone will come along soon who can shed some light.

@Panicmode1 Good luck to your DH on the job hunt. And thank you again for dropping the ski stuff off.

Dd was travelling for 24hours by coach to get to ski resort. Am now wondering whether it would have been easier flying, but I think the logistics are long and tricky which ever way you do it. I was worried that there would be issues with the ferry because of the storm/wind, but they made it across. Then the coach was stuck on the mountain road 31 minutes away from the resort 🤔. Anyway they made it, and they seem to have just collected the ski gear. I’m sure they’ll find ways to feed themselves and look after each other on the snowy mountains, I hope.

@SeaofTranquility Dd is second year NatSci. She didn’t really apply for professional summer internships, because most of them don’t consider 1st year students, she sent of a couple, didn’t get anywhere, so we concluded it was not worth investing the time and energy banging head against the AI brick wall and getting demoralised in the process. In the end, she managed to secure a barista job for the summer at one of the busiest service stations in the U.K. local to us, which worked out well, as she could save up some £ to fund skiing, got some valuable work experience and stop her being bored the summer. It was a way to have a break from the intensity of C. Change is as good as a rest.

@Daysnconfuddled Thanks so much for this, appreciate it. I had wondered if this would be the case. She slept most of yesterday afternoon and only just woken - definitely tired after a fully packed term!

@Chouffles my DC studying HSPS had no exams in January, only the summer ones. I think they did have some course work to complete over Christmas last couple of years.

@Daysnconfuddled, same my DC now on varsity ski trip, although they flew. I wonder how many of our offspring are currently in the same nightclub 😂😂

Absolute pleasure @Daysnconfuddled, glad they fit.

DS flew out too, but he's not a big clubber/party animal - he's definitely there for the skiing! Hope they all get back in one piece 🫣

Does anyone have DC racing at the boat race trials this week?

We know one of the trialists and about to watch them!

Yes - DC racing on Wednesday - subject to an injury not being a problem

Wow, good luck to your DC @Juja - I saw trials were happening this week.

DS has had a term away from rowing and seems so much happier and more 'in balance' than he has since he started at C which is lovely to see. He had "the best ski trip ever" with Varsity and has now disappeared to stay with his GF for a few days before we go on holiday on Friday.

Wishing everyone a very happy Christmas when it arrives and every best wish for 2025 - I'm hoping there is a job for DH in his Christmas stocking!!

Yes, @HoneyMobster and @Juja - I was up there yesterday... my DC trialling with C at the moment. All new for us and we had a really lovely day!

@DownTheStream - that's very exciting - the waters are a bit choppy I think at the moment - how was it yesterday. My DC is first year in the squad so all very new and injuries mean it is still debatable whether they row tomorrow. But a great opportunity to be part of the process.

@Panicmode1 fingers crossed for DH this Christmas - must be hard keeping resilient and positive.

Glad your DS is having a more balanced term... rowing can be quite brutal and endless in the commitment it requires.

@Juja Yes, v choppy - looked v smooth early on but the wind picked up!

Good luck to your dc @Juja. Ds isn't trialling ɓut pointed out Tom Lynch's YouTube channel giving the inside details of what it's like to trial these days... horrific!! I was in the women's squad decades ago, different world now.

@Panicmode1 best of luck to DH from me too.

Nothing much from me. DD frantically trying to finish things before her department shuts completely for a week over Christmas. She's getting the train home on Sunday - shame her sister has to work over Christmas & New Year so won't be joining us.

Hope you don't mind me popping on to this thread to ask a quick Q? I know there is a current 2025 Oxbridge applicant thread but I believe I might get more relevent insights from your own experiences further down the line in this process.

My DS had Oxbridge interviews recently for a Humanities subject. He was told there would be a pre-read supplied 20 minutes directly before the interview for discussion at the interview in lieu of any prior assessment test. The website says 'a short passage' but it was a 35 page complex academic document only available to read by scrolling online (couldnt print off to anotate). Needless to say he was unable to get through it in the 20 minutes and entered the interview on the back foot. He was able to answer some Qs but 'fessed up early on that he barely got half way through. They then pulled out an alternative short document which he was able engage with but his confidence was low by this point.

Has anyone heard of or experienced anything similar? I personally dont think it was realistic for any candidate to have read, absorbed, assessed and be ready to recall facts, nuances etc from 35 pages in 20 mins. But maybe thats the standard they are setting? Or was it tactic to see how a candidate reacts under pressure? Any thoughts welcomed.

Mine was sent a lot to read and study - text and passages of music. So yes it was a lot in the time allowed. 35 pages sounds crazy but I guess it was the same for them all?

Yes my DS for history at C three years ago. He said he hadn't been able to finish the document and they were fine about it. I think thry liked his honesty! Anyway he is now 3rd year at C so it wasn't an issue @TriptoTipp . Good luck to yours.

@PermanentTemporary I've just looked up the Tom Lynch videos you sign-posted - wow.

Yes the trialling is pretty brutal, you are a pawn to be chucked in and out of boats as the coach seems think. The good news is that if you row in Trial Eights you get your own stash - so that is very exciting for DC - a whole new wardrobe of OUBC branded kit.

My dad tried to persuade DD to try out for coxing the C boat as she coxed various boats for her college (and won blades a couple of years ago!) However, DD said you pretty much have to devote your life to it, so decided not to bother.

Good luck to those who are trying out!

Hello everyone.
Hope the new year has gone well for all your students. I notice today is oxford offer day, which I am sure we can all empathise with those families waiting with baited breath.
My DC has gone back early to get some work done - we are too distracting at home apparantly. I miss them a lot, but I am pleased they are happy enough to go back.
Anyone else got any news?

So glad I probably won't have to ever go through Oxbridge stress again. Having seen how hard their brother works, the rest of my children have decided they want to balance their studies with more fun and apply elsewhere.

DS has been back for a week already. He's got an internship (in C) for the summer - I think he's happy because he gets to stay during all of the graduations etc and it's an interesting sounding company, but it's not perhaps the London experience he was hoping for.

DH is still not having success with jobs, and the economic news is so relentlessly negative, it's hard to be positive, but we try!

Wishing everyone a happy term - and welcome and congratulations to their DCs if there are any parents with successful Oxford offer holders lurking!