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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

University life for freshers (2019/20) - Christmas backpacking (or not) and festive homecomings with all the tinseltastic trimmings!

986 replies

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 11/12/2019 17:53

Previous thread.

Crown Smile
OP posts:
Benjispruce · 03/02/2020 16:18

Oh no Durham is on the list again! It’s not fair on students. Sympathy has gone now I’m afraid.

justasking111 · 03/02/2020 17:07

These strikes will escalate they have said. Well fancy that. It really is not the students who are for a service they are not receiving

justasking111 · 03/02/2020 17:08

paying for a service, sorry..

Jano69 · 03/02/2020 17:11

This is frustrating but at least the first week of strikes correlates with our planned mini break in Durham over half term.

Benjispruce · 03/02/2020 18:11

Hmmm @Jano69 it correlates with us just leaving.Angry

Ginfordinner · 03/02/2020 18:13

Newcastle Sad

Jano69 · 03/02/2020 18:16

Oh no Benjispruce - maybe have a wiggle with the dates?

How's your DD?

DS is finally on the road to recovery after horrible GF. The GP has said he can have a couple of pints every now and then and start using the gym again. He's very relieved....

Benjispruce · 03/02/2020 19:29

She’s fine thanks @Jano69, no recurrence of the throat afaik. Can’t wiggle the dates as unfortunately we had somewhere at the end of the week, then it got booked so had to find another place and could only get the first half of the week. But limited as we will be bringing Mutley.

Benjispruce · 03/02/2020 19:30

Sorry pressed too soon. Glad your DS is out of the woods and you can’t get gf twice!

Jano69 · 03/02/2020 19:46

@Benjispruce So pleased to hear your DD is doing well. No doubt there'll be a few of us visiting our dc at their Unis this February half term.

Witchend · 03/02/2020 21:28

We're up in Durham for part of half term too! We've booked a cottage just outside.

@ZandathePanda sending get better quickly vibes and wishes.

Jano69 · 03/02/2020 22:10

@Witchend Great mumsnet minds think alike! How strange that we may pass each other in the street....

Witchend · 04/02/2020 08:17

@Jano69 it would be funny. Maybe we should agree to wear a sprig of white heather in our hats or something to recognise each other. Grin

Mind you, I think dd would die of embarrassment if we did. She would wonder what I've said-but it has been very valuable when I've been able to say others are feeling like you even if they're not showing it.

Jano69 · 04/02/2020 10:07

Oh I love that idea Witchend!

HoldMyLobster · 04/02/2020 13:26

Hmm, I was thinking about bring DD2 to the UK to look at universities, but if they are going to keep on striking then perhaps best not to. We'll take our $25k a year for fees elsewhere.

MrKlaw · 04/02/2020 15:00

its frustrating as we have DCs just starting first year and already two sets of strikes. If this keeps up we could have significantly lower contact hours and interrupted exams for at least the whole first year which is a bad start to the full degree, and possibly even rolling on into other years..

14 days is already a lot - how many days was it last year?

Benjispruce · 04/02/2020 15:19

Yes and at Durham they had strikes the previous year too. It doesn’t work because the only ones losing out are the students and the lecturers .The universities save salaries and the students won’t complain.

Benjispruce · 04/02/2020 15:20

DD lost 8 days last year.

Benjispruce · 04/02/2020 15:23

Rant alert!
You may remember me mentioning (moaning) that on DD’s floor of 10 flats, there is one bathroom with one shower and no toilet. There are two separate toilets WITHOUT hand basins. They have a basin in their rooms but I think that’s not acceptable. AIBU? So I’m already feeling value for money for accommodation is poor without loss of tuition time!
Rant over.

bigTillyMint · 04/02/2020 18:44

@Benjispruce YANBU - it’s an appalling lack of facilities.

I daren't even mention the strikes - DD is in her final year and has been badly hit twice already AngryAngryAngry

Benjispruce · 04/02/2020 19:12

Oh your DD has been badly hit then @bigTillyMint? I can’t see it changing unfortunately.

bigTillyMint · 04/02/2020 19:39

Yes / she’s at Bristol and all her lectures were cancelled both times whereas the STEM subjects and Law didn’t have any cancelled Confused

Ginfordinner · 04/02/2020 21:36

Are these strikes subject specific? DD is doing a STEM subject and only had one lecture cancelled last year. I hope she doesn't get any cancelled this time.

Benjispruce · 04/02/2020 22:06

I don’t think so @Ginfordinner . Most had some loss of contact time. I guess it says something about the types of lecturers and their values.

DitheringDan · 04/02/2020 22:16

I haven't been on here in ages - frankly felt a bit of a fraud as DS is a couple of years older than most first years and not remotely homesick - but I'd just like to have a teeeeeny brag on his behalf that he got firsts in his recent exams.

His A-levels were so-so, and he's often felt academically in the shade of an older sibling (who ironically has found university a hellish struggle) so I'm delighted for him.