University students possibly told to stay at uni over Christmas

[WearyandBleary]

This has just been leaked and Matt Hancock has done a non-denial.

This has shocked me. Why not tell old people to stay at home over Christmas instead? The mental health of our students is going to be horrific.

My eldest was already planning on staying away. I was disappointed but they’ve a life & partner in the uni town. My second is in halls and would want some of the usual chaos but would cope fine staying I think.
I’m not sure I would be with 2 missing at once 😳 I expected years to get used to this 😳

Poppingostopping - thank you for posting so nicely. There seems to be quite a strong swell of opinion against young people currently in some quarters. My DD goes to uni for the first time next week and can't wait. She is well aware of the limitations, but is ready to be independent. She's lucky in that through social media she has virtually met her household co-residents, and met some in real life too - entirely within the rules - and is confident that they will get on. Fingers crossed! These young people need to go to uni. As for Christmas, we will see what the rules are there, and react accordingly.

My DS2 is at Bristol Uni( just returned ready for new term) he's self isolating due to a Flatmate testing positive today
It's bound to happen more, as winter approaches

As a teacher I find it all bonkers. I spend my day with 1,800 kids, v little social distancing or masks. And then I get told my children can't com home. Explain someone how this is logical. Oh except that schools are Covid safe 😂😂😂

@mumsneedwine you sound like the mother in "The Wall" by Pink Floyd. Not good. This is your adult child you are talking about right? Do they not mind you talking about them like this, my 14 would be cringing?

Let's throw young people under a bus because clearly they don't matter.

If they bring this rule in people wont follow any of the rules at all. This is outrageous.

@Porcupineinwaiting 😂😂😂 I'm a mother of an 18 year old who has moved hundreds of miles away. Living away from home for the first time ever. You might not care about yours but I do mine. Because I'm a good mother and will not be told when I can and can't see my kids.

[quote mumsneedwine]@WokesFromHome no one keeps me away from my child. I'll go to prison if they try. So that's one less teacher. How dare they lock up the students - if they were going to do this they needed to tell everyone before they started as none would. One of mine is a medic. You try telling her she can't come home.[/quote]
Absolutely agree 100% I am an NHS clinician. I have worked throughout. My work is beyond bloody awful now, and has been for months. I work in mental health. Me, and all my teenagers have followed every rule. Every last bloody ridiculous rule. But over my dead body will my dc be frocibly kept from me or their family home over Christmas or whenever they need me. And if I also end up in prison, thats one less NHS worker for you too Boris!

@mosscarpet I'll be with you all the way. Bet lots of people working from home have no idea what is going on outside their safe little worlds.

I really can't see this happening. There will just be a mass exodus from uni at the end of November/ early December and they will just go home early.

@mumsneedwine

Don't be embarrassed you haven't shamed your children. You sound like a normal mum.

@GreekOddess thanks. Couldn't really care less if I had. As most mums I'm pretty places but I'll fight to the death for my kids. Even when they are 70.

Placid. Marking in gloves makes texting a real pain 😊

I dread to think of some of the mental health issues that could arise if students are expected to pretty much self isolate over christmas .
I know christmas is overhyped and given an exaggerated image in the media etc , but in a lot of homes its a good place to be at that time of year.
I cant bear the thought of my boy alone / lonely on christmas day , if he chooses to come home wild horses wouldnt stop me .

Any student who missed the boat and didn't get home in time couldn't then come home

Mine did.

@JamieLeeCurtains and mine. And went straight to work on Covid ward for the summer.

If I was a uni student or their parent and they brought this in I would be ignoring it.

We will be if it did come in. I doubt it will though - it would be a hugely unpopular decision. And they must know most people would not comply.

If it does then we will bring Dd home as soon as possible. She'd be likely to head home and just do university online if need be.

Neither of mine can do their courses totally on line. One involves sick humans and the other sick animals. I'll just book an eye test in each of my kids cities so that should be fine. Because I'm doing what's best for my family and that's allowed.

we can't mix households at that point, then students coming from other accommodation are going to be considered as another household.

We would do the same as almost everyone else did in March. Dd would come home for the duration. She'd access her course from home.

Most students came home for the March lockdown. Very few stayed.

And even in the height of it people could change their home/living arrangement if it was longer term and not just for a short time period. For example mil moved in with us during the last lockdown once FIL moved into hospital and then hospice.

We'd do the same again - with both mil and Dd, who goes to university this weekend.

Mental health = essential care

@TawnyPippit

I would be very surprised if this happens. It is one of the inevitable parts of Christmas and will be factored into whatever Christmas lockdown variants we get. Also, I’m pretty sure most university terms finish in enough time for you to be able to come home - or do so a couple of days early - and isolate at home for 14 days before seeing your granny. This is also such a hard one to put a blanket ban on, as everyone’s situation is different. I think the restrictions are much more likely to be - no more than 6 people together @ Xmas etc.

I have a fresher DS, but I’m not really giving this one too much headspace till it actually happens.

I agree with you on this. But it's pretty hard news to swallow when you've just dropped your anxious 18 year old to a city 200 miles away not 24 hours before.

@Redolent

This is a terrible prospect in terms of its ramifications for their mental health.

Then again, it was an absurd prospect to have most students attend in person anyway (this term). Online teaching is more than feasible for many subjects. What did they think was going to happen when students return from their shared accommodation back to family homes?

This should probably have happened. Many universities do online courses so they’d have at least been better equipped than schools Id have thought

Has anyone seen the appalling Scottish government ad with the young person infecting her Grandad?

@WearyandBleary

If that happens [and I for one can see the "logic"] then to make it worthwhile teaching should go on at an amazing pace over Christmas ["the hated-dreaded-closedown"] and they get time off at some later time?