Not allowed to go home at the weekend, not allowed to mix with students outside your bubble, not allowed to have parties, maybe not allowed for Xmas?

[chomalungma]

I really feel sorry for students at Uni in Scotland.

Those students who are feeling isolated. Those who just want some fun and to experience student life.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-54285720

And break these rules and you could lose your university place

Couldn't agree more - the universities get them all in, get them committed to paying accommodation and tuition fees, then pull the rug from under them and completely change the rules. It's ridiculous when nothing the students would be doing is illegal and yet the universities are banning it. Goes way way beyond their remit in my opinion. It's starting to feel like we're living in a police state for something that is really not that dangerous - 200 deaths a day for the winter months is significantly less than the 2017/18 flu season I read today in the paper.

@Livelovebehappy

We’re all suffering in one way or another, but at different levels. Primary school DCs have lost out by not having social interaction with their peers. Teens who are at high school with have lost the freedom to hang out with friends and taking steps to an independent social life have suffered since March. It’s not a race to the bottom - we just have to get on with it and hope that this time next year the whole covid thing is consigned to history and normal life has resumed.

Some teens may be missing out on their social life. Others though are mingling freely, never mind any form of social distancing, I've seen some of the local ones passing vapes around. Pretty sure that putting the same object in everyone's mouth is bound to pass any infection around everyone.

It’s terrible, our local university has reported about 12 suicides over the last few years. I dread to think what may happen now.

@mummytothree87

I live 10 minutes away from the uni and as bad as I feel for them I've got to say they're keeping their sense of humour

I drove round that roundabout yesterday and have to admit to having a chuckle.

I'm a mature student and I wrote on here the other day (similar type of thread) how worried I was about them. I needn't have worried as apparently they have been whooping it up in the hall grounds with parties of hundreds.

Students across the UK are being vilified at the moment.

@LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett

All first year teaching should have been online. But that would have meant thousands of students would have deferred for a year, causing a hole in unis' budgets that ScotGov wasn't prepared to meet.

Most first year courses have something ridiculous like 4 hours face-to-face teaching to justify students being on campus. So students didn't really have a choice - they've been well and truly fucked over to keep the sector financially solvent and now they're being blamed for the second wave.

Yes, clearly not all of them have been obeying the rules but a % of every demographic group breaks the rules, that's real life.

I'm completely raging on their behalf, it's a total disgrace and up there with the care homes scandal.

This ^^

This is a difficult time for everyone really. KeepingPlain So when you were at Uni you didnt enjoy parties then? Clearly the youngsters were just doing what thousands of Students have done for years before! Yes they were unwise ,but why should they have to lose their hard earned places FFS! My own DS was at Uni some time ago ,and thoroughly enjoyed himself .However there was a guy in his year who took his own life .MH of students is going to suffer as well as a Covid risk here .

@RedRumTheHorse Its about shifting blame and not dealing with the very real issues with CV.
Spread in CH's is on the increase, both patients and staff, thats going to lead to deaths... yet no regular testing is available for either group, there is also no testing at all for care agency staff working in the community.
Students are not, in the main, affected by CV and locking them in Halls with shared cooking and washing facilities, will just increase spread among students.

This govt should get a 5 star rating for how it has turned us all against each other, whilst failing in every aspect of how it has dealt with CV, so, as we approach winter, we have fast rising rates that will once again see us being among the worst in europe.

**Students have to face tough restrictions because out of all groups of people in society theirs is probably the most socially active, therefore the biggest potential spreader

Let’s forget about older people (older than students) going on cruises earlier on in the year, still motor homing around Europe and still flying to Turkey etc. Not spreading Covid at all are they!!

I feel very sorry for these students as I struggled myself to make friends in first year at uni. I remember how lonely I was. It's not the experience anyone should have and for some it will be intolerable.

But seeing the bigger picture, some of the halls are in areas of multiple deprivation or with a lot of older people (eg at Glasgow: Murano Street in Maryhill, all the new private ones in Partick). Covid has already hit some of these communities hard and the universities have a social responsibility to contain outbreaks. It's also in the students' interests - if they are seen as a threat it could risk antagonism and attacks, particularly against East Asian students who are easily identifiable and "soft" targets.

That said, anyone familiar with Freshers' Flu and who shagged their way through freshers' week would know full well that the situation was predictable and clearer controls and uni-led testing should have been in place pre-arrival.

I don't feel sorry for them not being able to socialise, even though it is normal part of student life, this year is different and no socialising outside your bubble must be complied with.
I do feel sorry for those who inevitably find going to uni very hard and hate the first few weeks and may just need to go home for a weekend for a big of respite from feeling miserable. Every year there are students who really struggle and might drop out unnecessarily without parental support or whose mental health might deteriorate.

Yanbu OP. There is to be no compassion shown for anyone anymore except those who catch covid (not students obv) Everyone else must suck it up.

Let’s forget about older people (older than students) going on cruises earlier on in the year god you have just reminded me of the sad-faced retired people in the media who set off on cruises after the problems with the first cruise stuck in port in Japan and after it was clear it was a very risky thing to do.

@belowradar

Exactly. We have all forgotten about the cruises still going ahead in April.

well it's going to be the same in England once unis start properly.

most courses should be online this year (if not lab-based etc) but unis are scared of losing tuition fees. most academics dont want to teach face to face. lets see how many unis will move online once the four weeks when students can withdraw and take their money with them passes.

Well, it's not particularly relevant, but people were doing crazy things in March and April. So much has happened since March that it is funny to be reminded of the stupid stuff going on (and then people expecting to be rescued).

@LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett

All first year teaching should have been online. But that would have meant thousands of students would have deferred for a year, causing a hole in unis' budgets that ScotGov wasn't prepared to meet.

Most first year courses have something ridiculous like 4 hours face-to-face teaching to justify students being on campus. So students didn't really have a choice - they've been well and truly fucked over to keep the sector financially solvent and now they're being blamed for the second wave.

Yes, clearly not all of them have been obeying the rules but a % of every demographic group breaks the rules, that's real life.

I'm completely raging on their behalf, it's a total disgrace and up there with the care homes scandal.

I agree with @LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett

@LavenderSatin

It’s so sad for them. I really feel for the loss of this experience, which is really a one time thing. They have it a lot tougher than someone like me who hasn’t really missed out on anything specific or special.

They're missing out on Freshers week - the chance to get pissed and sleep around. It last forever and is expect most universities to make a bigger thing of Freshers next year for the first and second years. If a young adult has poor mental health that's an issue that needs dealing with but there's no guarantee that being stuck at home with no job and no household mixing wouldn't have had the same effect.

I do worry about the mental health of a small proportion of students away from home for the first time and stuck in a small flat or hall corridor with a group of people they might have little in common with and not able to go home to their family. I guess unis are good with mental health but there will be drop-outs at best and the risk of much worse. If uni is what you have been working towards your entire life and you have been told your life will be a failure without it, then the prospect of enduring it if you are unhappy or dropping out will not turn out well without parental support. Some of these first years will only just have turned 18 and be emotionally very young.

I feel sorry for those who have ended up in crap, slum-of-the-future tower block style city centre accommodation. That was just about ok when you would spend very little time in it, but dreadful if you are told to isolate in, knowing no-one, unable to get food or pastoral support.

Universities needed to give a fully online option for the first semester. And raise their game now in terms of duty of care.

In my university halls, in non pandemic times, which were palatial by comparison, with lovely grounds, there were still 2 suicide attempts in the first 6 months,.

And all the "it's awful for everyone" people. It's not a barrel of laughs for anyone, I agree, but the blaming of young people for viral spread is pernicious and really unhelpful. It's clearly way more complicated than that.

I feel so sad for them. For some, that first term is a real struggle and family support is vital. They will suffer.

The clear message they're being sent is "Your general health and wellbeing is less important than other people's."

This won't end well

@PaddyF0dder

Unis have acted irresponsibly, basically forcing students into campus and into cramped accommodation. And then blaming the students when outbreaks occur.

Parties shouldn’t be happening, absolutely. But does anyone think that freshers won’t socialise, or party, or shag? Seriously? Health advice needs to be pragmatic or it won’t be effective. Shock horror, “students please don’t party” is not pragmatic advice.

Distance learning from home should have been the norm for all except the most practical or courses. And for those, unis should have ensured that accommodation was underbooked.

However, a uni is (amongst many things) a business; accommodation doubly so. So: get the students back, and blame them when the inevitable happens.

Absolutely this.

Universities actively encouraged students to attend in person knowing full well teaching would be online only, and now that's bitten them (and the government) on the arse, who is getting the blame.

Oh, the students, the vast majority of whom have been obeying the rules.

If your going to have on line tuition, then refund the student accomodation fees and reduce the tuition fee too.

My DD, starting 3rd year (medical course) signed up for her accomodation in January!

Her course is all on line until Xmas, then a placement for 12 weeks, though that is not certain at all.

Students are being fucked over.

A Christmas at uni with friends one time sounds way more fun Tbh! I don’t think it sounds bad at all!