Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

Original poster

Should DS Come Home from Uni Now?

23 replies

StormyClouds · 22/03/2020 01:25

DS is in his final year at uni and has so far stayed in his uni city to work on his dissertation as he has access to the necessary books etc.

His uni library has reduced its hours but is so far still open. However, he is worried that we'll end up with a lockdown and he will then be stuck in his small flat with no library access and unable to come home for months- so he has a bit of a dilemma.

Would you advise him to come home now or leave it a few weeks and continue with his dissertation at uni? Or would a lockdown still allow for him to come home later should he want to?

OP posts:

DramaAlpaca · 22/03/2020 01:45

Get him home where he's safe with his family. That's the most important thing at the moment. My student DS is home. I wouldn't want him anywhere else right now.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 22/03/2020 01:46

I have a similar situation with my DS who's also in his final year. His university has shut completely including the library. He has agreed to come back next weekend and dh can pick him up on Saturday. However I talked to him yesterday and tried to persuade him to let us pick him up early, he refused.

His girlfriend is also going to come to stay with us as she is an overseas student and can't go home.

I have said tha iif a lockdown is announced we will go and get them straight away.

Genderwitched · 22/03/2020 01:51

I don't know the answer.

DD is staying in her flat as she has all her art things there and it is her final year. She has been told that she will be assessed for her degree in June as normal. She is also worried about her flatmate who is a foreign student and would possibly be all on her own in a flat for months if DD came home.

We are supporting her in this but it is hard.

Genderwitched · 22/03/2020 01:55

EmmaGrundyForPM

It's hard isn't it, we have offered to have DD's flatmate here but they both want to stay. I'm not insisting they come but I have to admit I am feeling really out of my depth. DD is very independent and I have to respect that.

AlwaysColdHands · 22/03/2020 01:56

Get them home.
My university has suspended all library fines and will do whatever possible to get students assessed remotely. If others haven’t done this yet they will need to follow suit, or there will be a massive lack of equity across the sector. We don’t want people on campus.

Genderwitched · 22/03/2020 01:59

AlwaysColdHands

DD is not on campus, she is in a rented flat, very secure, access to food a short distance away.

nachthexe · 22/03/2020 02:01

Dd is coming home next weekend. They are taking finals remotely. Her landlord is waiving April rent as the university has told them all to go, which is absolutely lovely.

Graphista · 22/03/2020 02:01

What’s he studying?

Is he under the impression he can only access his own uni’s library?

Because even when I was last at uni (early 00’s) that wasn’t the case most if not all uni’s have reciprocal arrangements with other unis regarding access to academic materials, plus secondary sources should mostly be available online including journals via his student access code.

Plus even “normal” libraries (if still open?) can request academic texts for their members

There was only one large database of journals then I’m sure there are several now.

Plus quite a few companies who normally keep such things behind a paywall have opened them up to free access in the current circumstances

So I would say get him home if that’s a better place for him to be in the event of a lockdown.

OldPodge · 22/03/2020 02:03

I was worried about my son stuck at uni, but have had him home for about a week, along with his girlfriend who was visiting from France and struggling to get back. They are besotted with one another and it’s just lovely to be around them. Hopefully it will be the same if we all get sick!

Designerenvy · 22/03/2020 02:05

I'd say get him home if at all possible and there is no one in the "at risk" categories at home .
If there is, I would have to think a bit longer about it, as I'm sure he has interacted with a lot of people in college .

GRW · 22/03/2020 02:20

I would like my final year DD to come home but she has a part time job in Asda and has been asked to do extra shifts. She has had some busy pressured times which will prepare her well for entering the workforce. I am not too concerned for her if she catches the virus as she will be low risk, but I wouldn't want her to pass it on to her grandparents so it's probably good that she is not at home.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 22/03/2020 02:20

My ds and girlfriend don't want to come home until next weekend as they are going to look at a flat on Wednesday for next academic year (gf is on a 4 year course). I have told them to forget about the flat and instead sort it out later. They wont listen.

I really want them home but am also slightly dreading it. It will mean 5 adults in our house. Dh, me and DS1 are all now wfh so ds2 and gf will be confined to ds2s bedroom during the day so as not to disturb us. Not quite sure how that will work but we will.make do.

Original poster

StormyClouds · 22/03/2020 13:08

He's studying law @Graphista, so a lot of the materials he needs are not online. His uni library is actually the closest one to our home and our local council libraries have closed.

Ideally he'd want to stay at uni for another 1.5- 2 weeks and get his dissertation written up, but he's worried a lockdown will be in place by then and he'll then be in the worst of both worlds so to speak, with no library access and confined to his small flat.

OP posts:

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 22/03/2020 13:11

Ds is home and so are all my friends' kids. Ds came home as he didn't want to get stuck by himself, most people have done the same. Very relieved he's home.

IHaveBrilloHair · 22/03/2020 13:13

My Dd is staying in her house share with her bf and his brother, that's what they all want.

memememe · 22/03/2020 13:18

if we enter lockdown, are we allowed to get in the car and go and get them? ds1 is at uni currently, he was planning on coming home but we are on day 3 of 14 day isolation. so he plans on coming at the end of that time. can i get him if we enter lock down or should he come home now and join us in isolation?

ChequerBoard · 22/03/2020 13:19

Yes bring him home now. Have had this exact conversation with SIL yesterday.

Graphista · 22/03/2020 15:31

Law is a tough one to get right materials for right enough.

I’d suggest he copy what he can (within the legislated limits of course) so that he’s only needing to read the stuff he can’t copy. Also figure out what materials are available online so he doesn't need them in hard copy.

Bit of juggling and prioritising needed.

IHaveBrilloHair · 22/03/2020 17:22

mememe
No one knows but if you want him home I'd get him asap.

Howyoualldoworkme · 22/03/2020 17:32

Is it Portsmouth?
The university library is the only building still open, most staff are working from home but the front line desk staff (my ex colleagues) cleaners and hall staff are having to go in. The library is still crowded and there's very little social distancing.
Everything he needs will be online, there's a manned chat line from 9-5. Lecturers are giving online lectures.
Tell him to come home. The students and my friends are being put at risk for the Vice Chancellors vanity.
The vast majority of academic libraries have closed. I'm rather angry about this.
The staff being told to come in are on the lowest grades too

Original poster

StormyClouds · 22/03/2020 21:53

Thanks for the advice- DS is planning to come home tomorrow or Tuesday now.

With regards to the rumours of a lockdown being announced tomorrow, does anyone know how much notice is likely to be given? Is it going to be a case of having to race to the train station as soon as it's announced or will there be a notice period?

OP posts:

EmmaGrundyForPM · 22/03/2020 22:51

I'm assuming we will get a few hours notice. ie 5pm announcement that lockdown starts from midnight.

DS is at uni 2 hours from home, but I work 40 miles from home on the route so could go and get him from work. I will.be listening to the PM statement tomorrow. I'll also make sure I have enough fuel for the round trip.

memememe · 24/03/2020 07:59

mine drove home last night straight after the announcement. he was packed already just incase. i expect he'll be here till the end of summer now.

Flip