University life for freshers (2019/20) - we're hopping towards Easter with a pandemic to avoid **Title edited by MNHQ**

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I would imagine cancelling of next weeks face to face lectures at Durham next week is just caution . They wouldn’t be making any firm plans re Summer term yet as that is at least six weeks away .

I hope they clarify tomorrow.

@bengalcat has your DD heard anything about this leaked email? Your DD is at Durham isn’t she?

Trying to get hold of DD who has been working in France only since yesterday in a privately run language school. As Macron has now said that all schools are to close I can't imagine that she will be allowed to stay on there, but has paid for accommodation until the end of July. I don't know what will now happen about her accreditation for her year abroad. It was such a good placement, too.

witchend DD sent me a screenshot of the email. Doesn’t look like a hoax.

Beware screenshots of alleged emails... we had one doing the rounds at the start of the virus getting into the UK that looked very very plausible, but only existed as a "someone's sent me a screenshot of their email" format that said we had a case on campus which was a fake. Granted we have a big graphic design department who might be better on the mockup front...

Business as usual at my uni, but now with shiny disinfected doorknobs! We do have students with confirmed contact with cases as well though which we know for a fact - but uni are silent on the subject.

Oh @simbobs that’s such a shame. Hope you get hold of her soon.

There are aps that do fake screen shots. You don't need a great graphics department.

But what’s the motivation @witchend ?

No idea - the one that was doing the rounds at our uni was very very plausible looking - formatted exactly like the 9million random emails our uni send out over the course of the week and had taken in a fair few of the more naive members on our course and was circulating wildly with the IT service trying to play whack a mole on it I think.

See how far it can get?
Or someone sends it to one person expecting them to realise and they forward it.
I remember trying that as at secondary school, and that was just word of mouth.

Well they’ve caused much stress among DD and friends. She won’t accept it’s a possible hoax.

@simbobs, oh what a shame for your DD.

@Benjispruce, DS hasn’t mentioned that but I can see it could be true DU has frankly not been at all up to scratch for my DS this term.

Sorry for not contributing much lately, I've been following you all with great interest. It's a rotten time isn't it? I feel completely overwhelmed by the surge in Covid19 numbers. Can't believe DS's first year at Durham could almost be over when we feel like it's only just begun.

Benjispruce yes my DD is at Durham - all she knows is no face to face lectures next week and the university is considering delaying start of summer term for two weeks .

Where is she getting the delay of summer term from @bengalcat?

No idea , didn’t ask . Could be student rumour or overheard lecturers - your guess is as good as mine .

I just feel so disappointed for her after she has lost the maximum amount of time with both strikes. If they do this, they had better compensate them.

Benji I understand your disappointment - I’m sure it will all be ok - universities will want their students to do well . It’s just a temporary setback and I’m sure in time there will be a solution .

Thanks @bengalcat I hope so. I need an early night I think.

Think I'll join you for an early night. So grim. x

No, I heard that alcohol kills covid 29 so I'm working on that. I think DD is waiting to see her employers tomorrow and see what they say.

Northumbria and Durham are doing remote lectures according to Dd. She’s at Newcastle who are business at usual , though home at the moment. Luckily has all her books with her.
It’s going to interesting for A Levels and GCSEs if the peak is in 10-13 weeks.

It needs to be 60% simbobs

I would have thought the most reliable way to check what universities are doing is to look on their websites. Newcastle's website is full of advice of what to do to avoid coronavirus and if a student suspects they have it, but nowhere does it say anything about not attending lectures.

Northumbria, on the other hand, are telling students to watch lectures online.

Gin Dd will be watching online whilst she’s at home. The recordings are very clear. In fact the sound quality is so good Dd speeds up one of the slower talking lecturers so she gets through a lecture in 45mins

I’ve just been on the phone to my DD. She said they’ve been told to take all their belongings home this term incase they can’t come back. She’s not happy as she’s far happier at uni than home. She’s planning to stay next week and isn’t coming home til 26th. She’s had a difficult term with anxiety and is only now turning the corner do it’s a real shame. However I’ve told her the situation is changing rapidly so try not to plan anything.