Current Oxbridge students - new year, new thread

[TenSheds]

Fresh new thread for Oxbridge parents group therapy! With freshers moving in and existing students returning, reckoned someone ought to take the initiative so there's a home for all the news, blues and reviews.

The last continuation thread filled up before anyone set up a new one so hopefully existing and new Oxbridge parents find this one.

You could check the college handbook to see what the rules are about eg kettle/coffee maker in his room. D1 had a similar very limited "kitchen" in her first year in Oxford (actually more like a cupboard with a toaster, microwave, kettle and fridges) though she did not have any bedding supplied. She was very glad of the kettle and we sent a coffee maker as a first "4th week blues" present which she loved. Apart from that, something for the room (eg rug, cushions, blanket, lamp, picture of the cat) a good travel mug (Contigo are great) a fold up reusable shopping bag and a first aid kit I put together in a free makeup bag. A laundry bag (blue ikea bag is good for this) a small clothes horse is useful and you may need hangers.

Meant to say, d1's college allowed a kettle but it had to be on a tray!

Blu tack not allowed - so drawing pins needed for the noticeboard.

Mine had to empty their O room at the end of each term but some friends had rooms where they could leave their stuff so they stored stuff there
also, some rooms have lots of lockable storage

Hello all, glad to have found this thread, Ds will be going to Oxford in October, his main excitement seems to be related to the Varsity ski trip which he booked on this week - it has a freshers whatsapp group although no one’s really chatting on there only asking practical questions about skis/ passes etc. Having had one dc just graduate, I’m finding it strange not to go into full ‘buying all the equipment’ mode but have got mattress topper etc and he’s v minimalist which is probably just as well as it’ll have to be moved every few weeks. We’ve had lots of info from the college, I’m sure the next few weeks will fly

@balzamico- the Varsity ski trip is a lot of fun. DS really enjoyed it. I seem to recall a story about a DC on a previous trip who ended up thinking she was (maybe actually was) being followed by a wolf and messaged her mother. Not a message you want to receive as a parent 😬

@HoneyMobsterlo that might be the week I’m glad he’s pretty crap at communicating when he's not here!!! I’m delighted he’s gone ahead and booked it, he’s skied with me for years and is ready to go further and faster!! (another thing to worry about!!!)

DS had a blast every year on the Varsity ski trip....and is off to Japan this winter to work a ski season before he starts his 'proper' job. Definitely good to have a non communicative student for that week!

Congratulations to all the new starters. I have a NatSci DS at C, now going into second year. He loved his first year but definitely worked hard and much harder than his school friends at non C/O universities. He’s aware of the privilege he has with the demanding work, tiny supervision groups and big expectations but has thrived and grown into it much quicker than I expected. It’s what he wanted and he reminds himself of this when the workload seems a lot!

Moving out of rooms every term is a pain so packing light is good, but we did add a mattress topper as good sleep is so important. Probably not feasible if you don’t deliver by car! Prepare for huge traffic queue just to get into the city if the college is central - suggest arriving as early as feasible / sensible.

As others say, embrace the college parents / family if possible. They are so sweet about how seriously they take it, and it’s a lovely way for new freshers to be helped to find their feet and start making friends.

Hi all. I'm finally getting to join. Poor dd and I have had a stressful time waiting for a remark but it worked out and she's been accepted for Law with German Law at Oxford. So we're a bit behind with everything!

@Fatsnowflake this is wonderful news - so delighted for your DD and for you as well. What a stressful couple of weeks you’ve had.

My DD is heading back for her 4th year after her year abroad. Not German but she is planning to go into the Law after finals.

Hope you can now enjoy the planning for starting in early October.

I’ve dropped DD1 off at Cambridge today.

she is doing NatSci & has a 3 week bridging course. The cohort were eating in the beautiful dining hall tonight.

fantastic day 🙏🏼