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

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@ginfordinner some students don't have anywhere else to go. One of DS's friends has been asked to stay away by his family as they have vulnerable members, another has parents who have moved abroad and he has no connection with the country. My DS has left some of his stuff which we will have to collect in due course. As the flat is booked through uni but not owned by them I assume he will have to pay next term's rent. If we are not allowed to go and clear the premises then technically he is still occupying them. Annoying.

If she wants/needs to come home I'd definitely go and get her. Yes we're supposed to stay at home but that is about social distancing. If you're in a car picking up a member of the family (that will then stay with you indoors for a period) I think thats perfectly reasonable.

The measures are to stop idiots going to the beach or pub in huge crowds. A journey in a car with one person would be reasonable I think

Ah yes simbobs I knew about those reasons as well. I should have made my post more specific. The uni Facebook mums (they are all mums, not dads) are upset that their DC just don't seem to take in the seriousness of it all.

All of DD's friends were going home, and the last thing she wanted or needed was to stay in her halls on her own, very isolated for several weeks. As the halls are right next to the hospital I'm pretty sure they will be requisitioned by the NHS anyway.

I'm so glad that I went for her when I did. I hope everyone here and their families stay safe.

The uni Facebook mums (they are all mums, not dads) are upset that their DC just don't seem to take in the seriousness of it all.

Perhaps all this will be a very important lesson on the importance of listening to your mum! It's not going to be much fun on a deserted campus with no one else in your halls.

Something I hadn’t considered if driving though @MrKlaw is that you might break down, have an accident etc which would encounter more people and cause extra strain on services already stretched.

I have two friends who have gone for their DC. They weren’t SI, so I think OK as a one off - Boris has told Brit Nationals to come back so same thing ish?

We are SI as DS was v hot on Sun / temp of 38.7 no cough (but bad guts), but 111online test said SI so we are.
Of course fine yesterday and today. I really don’t think think it was CV but there’s no way of knowing

Anyway there is no way we can collect his stuff now. I can’t even go to work

Some students have been self-isolating. And some overseas students could not afford flights home, or else they were having to make a difficult choice between staying put or getting home before the borders closed and then not being able to return to the UK.

My son has been unwell and so he has self-isolated and his flat have been on household isolation. That ends on Friday. They've been told that if they're out by 31st they don't have to pay next term's rent. So I'll be collecting him Friday or Saturday. My plan is to not go into his flat, just let him bring everything down. And to hope I don't break down or have an accident!

I think that is covered under caring for/helping vulnerable people - I don't think it's sensible for a 19 year old to be in an empty flat in a deserted complex of halls for 3 months.

I agree

I guess so.

And the irony is that DD wanted to go for a walk with a local friend this morning. I told her that as the friend doesn't live with us that it isn't going to happen for at least three weeks.

They just don't listen do they.

When DD came back on Saturday, she said her friend was having a party in a two weeks in his home city. I said that I didn’t think so but she was adamant. This boy’s parents are GPs so I let time pass until the inevitable on Sunday when she said ‘oh the party is cancelled.’ I do wonder sometimes how this girl is at a top university

I think it's incredibly hard for them to lose the independence they have only recently been able to enjoy.
The whole situation feels so surreal, it's understandable that they are not quite grasping the seriousness or the longevity of it. I actually worry about the long term impact on their mental health whilst accepting that it's all of our physical health that is most important right now

Yes it’s hitting DD in waves. She’s been quite upbeat but last night was very upset about everything they’ll lose. One of the highlights of her college year was to be an end of year festival. I doubt that’ll happen. Today she’s had a group FaceTime chat with her block and that’s lifted her a bit.

@MrKlaw - my DS is still down at Bath - he’s in on campus accommodation- about 5 are still in his house. At the moment he says he’s fine, library and shop still open. I think he’s thinking of coming back at Easter - he doesn’t have too much stuff - just clothes, his work and that’s about it. If he has to leave some stuff he may need to, eg kitchen stuff, he has no computer anyway (always used library).

So Bath will be on Matt Hancock’s naughty list too. Is it just Bath and Lincoln with shared facilities still open?

Lincoln shut everything today except accommodation!

Although not sure about library.

Right, I’m off out for my one exercise outing with the dog. Can’t find anything else to clean and saving my books for bad weather.

Apparently library at Bath is now shutting

York has shut the library and moved on to online learning. All exams cancelled. Or are now optional if they want feedback on them.

They will hear end of April re accommodation and any fees or refunds to be had.

he has no computer anyway (always used library)

Does he have one at home? He may need to rethink this.

I have just been out for a half hour walk in the warm spring sunshine. I stopped to look at Facebook and found loads of posts on the local community FB page with people complaining that the skate park is full of kids! Even worse, they are young children whose parents have taken them there!!!!!

And this is in an area where people have gardens, so they children do have outside spaces to play in, and lots of open countryside.

I don't think DS believes me that his exams have not been cancelled, but are going to be online. If he has subject specific information I will be wanting to see it. He is incapable of staying in, though, despite the rules. He is going to cycle up to the woods where one of his mates is camping until this is all over. I want him to get some exercise but once he is out of the house it is outside my control.

Ginfordinner - I know - I said back in Sep he needed a laptop . He hasn’t bothered, after saying he’d think about it.He has an iPad but needs to get a laptop. But all electrical shops shut now.

But all electrical shops shut now.

Stuff still available online, though.

Our town 'seems' to be sticking to the rules (except Aldi - which is crazy busy so we're going to avoid it for the duration).

DD's friends who were staying on campus have now left, and their lectures are being steadily uploaded. Still no real news on exams etc but I honestly don't think they'll be overly harsh on marking for this academic year.