St Andrews

[IthinkIsawahairbrushbackthere]

DD has received a very good offer from St Andrews. She loves the look of the course and is very keen to go there. Aside from the course she loves the idea of a small town, has no interest in nightlife as part of the "student experience" and loves the quirky traditions.

Does anyone have any experience of being there and the extra expenses that could be involved such as the extra cost of travel, formal dinners and the like?

We are a low income family in an economically deprived area. She is part of a very small 6th form - 12 in the Upper 6th. Her school is not in special measures but is holding on by the skin of its teeth! They are very keen for her to go to St Andrews but she is not going to be their responsibility!

We will support her as much as we possibly can but I am worried that it will be a lot more expensive than a less elite university.

Any thoughts?

@Alittlewornout I cannot see how your daughter and her bubble won’t succeed at appeal. There’s no breach of the Covid-19 health and safety guidelines. All the best to them.

Looks like the appeal should be a complete no-brainer, based on what Monkey2001 just posted. But I'm surprised to see that DD is correct that she needs to wear a mask to walk the three paces from her bedroom door to the shared shower room. Completely bonkers!

I agree Chicken. I have just realised that it means that people in catered halls are effectively not allowed to socialise in their bubbles in their halls. DS does not have a communal space, so the only way they could socialise with their bubbles was if they wheeled their chairs out into the corridor for a chat. That is no longer allowed, but they can go to a pub together and take masks off whilst drinking . There can be no impromptu chats, which are an essential part of the university experience.

I think they should get the Student Association to represent to the authorities the day-to-day consequences of these overly restrictive rules.

..... and now they can only go out for a social drink if they can be outside and it is COLD!!!!

In case you are wondering what I am talking about, the latest release from Nicola Sturgeon is that there will be no indoor drinking.

.... in hospitality venues

Thanks ladies and these latest restrictions also mean I cant visit as planned in reading week as I am in the central belt. Really fed up now as a community nurse they are happy for me to be in and out houses but I cant visit my kids staying in a hotel. Agree with you all that the uni needs to look at the bonkers rules and the effect it is having on students, they honestly dont know what is and isn't allowed as to be fair am I!!

A little - it sounds like advised not to rather than law? So if you are worried go for a short visit? It makes sense everyone not moving around just for a break but if visiting your healthy young adult at a safe distance surely fairly sensible.

I’m glad cafes etc are not affected in St. Andrews.

The restrictions are due to end on 25 so you could go after reading week? That’s when we plan to go. (At moment!)

I still can't work out if ds can come home to England during reading week. we are in medium risk area so no local lockdown etc.

In England Hercules? I think so. No restrictions here or St. Andrews on travel. Yet.

Think we will still go up as advice is confusing at best and we have already booked it. We are due to go up on the 23rd so will just keep to that, would use the supporting our dds mental health as a reason if we have to. At least in St A we can take her out for dinner not bothered about no alcohol.

thanks newgirls- even though that's staying in different household?

The way I read the scottish guidance to students, they are not supposed to travel home during term time. The guidance says "As you have formed a new household within your student accommodation, this means that you cannot stay overnight at another household." It doesn't say anything to indicate that it's fine if the household is outside Scotland.

But on the other hand, it is guidance, not law. And there is also the bit that says "A reasonable excuse might include a visit home for a family emergency, such as a bereavement, or for wellbeing reasons."

Clear as mud!

Selfishly, I'm a bit nervous that lots of students travelling home for reading week will set back plans for in-person teaching etc in the last few weeks of term and kids like mine who can't realistically go home will be disadvantaged. Even though I fully appreciate that it would be nice to have them home if they are able to .

Thats how I read it - that ds shouldn't come home. He's a mature student and wants to see his girlfriend - been together for 6 years.

Yep that's how I read it too but it is as clear as mud. I have an image now of middle aged people taking their alcohol and drinking it in the parks after dark like the teens!!

@Hercules12 you are OK - there was an exception in the intial guidance for non co-habiting partners, so he can't stay with you, but he can stay with the GF.

@Alittlewornout I watched the announcement and NS specifically said that if you have half term plans that is OK, not sure on what basis, but hopefully will clarify in the written guidance.

Girlfriend lives with her parents who are vulnerable so he was going to stay at mine with her here too. I saw that bit too about half term plans being okay...

Hmmm I think it’s about using judgement isn’t it.

I can’t see it having a huge impact on f2f purely because I see that as a political thing. They could do more f2f like schools but have decided not to because they can. Don’t get me started...!

I think the risk to f2f is if lots of students travel, which must increase the risk of bringing back infection due to increased exposure on public transport and/or close contacts in parts of the country that are worse affected than St Andrews.

Should cases rise, schools that were planning to start f2f after reading week would have to re-think.

But hopefully I'm wrong.

Yes that’s logical, yet schools carry on. Could all change next week anyway.

Looks like there has been clarification by the university today. Email to all students asking (but not actually requiring them) to stay in St Andrews for reading week.

Short version available on Mapstone Condensed (which I like very much!)

I saw that over on fb. Will be intrigued to see what the can do events will be. Not sure the big tent will be enough to keep dd home but you never know!

DS's GF asked me whether I thought it would be a good idea to visit him and hide in his room for a couple of days next week and I thought it would be a very BAD idea. Although the Scottish rules allow them to be inside together, the university rules do not and it would be so stressful worrying that you might be discovered.

So they are getting an AirBnB in Edinburgh for a couple of nights. Edinburgh is super cheap at the moment because everything is closed, so they can just snuggle up in a nice little apartment and DS said that he thinks he might take his laundry with him! I think the laundry cost saving might just about cover the AirBnB cost!

@Alittlewornout - any news on the appeal?