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

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Back from my dog walk(about 45 mins) which I combined with picking my car up (mot yesterday) and didn’t see many people at all even though I walked through a large park. A few small family groups, a few dog walkers and that was it. Quite a few children out playing.

Leeds Beckett caved today everything shut except accommodation and we can apply for a refund. Tomorrow OH and DS driving to Leeds to collect everything. OH will sit in car while son brings everything down. Then and I have not told him this he is to strip to his underwear in the car park shove everything in a bin bag and put clean clothing on before he gets back in car.

When he gets home I will wash clothing and wash down everything which will be stored in the garage. DS until today believed everything would be back to normal in no time. I do feel sorry for him and his friends. But we offered to collect everything last week, he categorically refused, came home on train.

OH has a big operation on Friday he will be unable to do much for six weeks, then up till six months before he is fit so son will be learning the joys of gardening with me.

DS has been told no proper exams today. Essays instead

Definitely no refunds on accommodation because they can still stay there.

Piggy that is what Leeds said up until today, no change on website but DS got an e mail earlier. I suspect they have persuaded the government to pick up the tab.

@Benjispruce Dd had booked her train home for Easter just before her placements were cancelled. She decided to stay in Leeds as one of her housemates could not go home. They have both now been offered work which will be good experience but it will mean they will probably have to stay there past Easter.

Ds at Bath has just heard about end of year assessments - they will effectively be open book exams & they will have several weeks to complete them before they need to email them back.

Are you talking about refunds for 3rd term or this term. This is Easter holiday for a Durham anyway so I’m not sure when everyone else finishes.

@decorhate she sounds lush.

I think Lincoln may say eventually they will refund if rooms are cleared. They emailed to say they were 'security checking' rooms today to see who was there.

However, a 2 hour trip up the A1 to get DS's stuff feels like a non essential trip to me. must say.

Piggy his computer tower is there and all his first year work, otherwise we would not be bothering, clothes, pots and pans are not important.

DD had an online form from York today along with other info.
All assessments/exams are now cancelled or optional if they want feedback.
Returning to campus is not allowed.
All lessons will be online.
Term 3 accommodation won't be charged for and the form was to fill in an official request to have a leave of absence due to covid.

all his first year work

That definitely won't be an issue for DS!

The unis have such different approaches. Given this is lots of money, you'd think there'd be some oversight from government here.

DD had to mostly empty her room for the holiday, but was allowed to leave afew things in her top, locking cupboard and her kitchen.
She has been told that it doesn't matter that she still has stuff there and she can still declare the leave of absence to not get charged.

Dd2 had a message from her university today saying they had checked with PHE and going home from your university accommodation counts as acceptable travel. Which I thought was reassuring, at least for today!

Lincoln just emailed : not charging for accommodation next term. Don't even seem to need to clear stuff out.

What now for maintenance loans? Feels wrong to receive it.

Of course it’s not wrong. It’s a loan for a start and they still need maintaining! I hope Durham follow suit. I’m certainly not paying for catering when she’s eating at home!

I guess you are right. It just seems not long ago I paid for all his food. But he does need clothes and stuff. Not like he'll be going out!

It’ll certainly help with the summer rent on empty houses!

Good news from Lincoln @Piggywaspushed. Still not word from UEA as to what the situation is for those who left and didn't clear their rooms.

I will be livid if they do enforce contractual payment. Even TFL are offering refunds on unused weeks/months of annual travelcards.

For catering don’t you get a prepaid card? So worst case the credit would still be usable next year I think

If a few places start cancelling hopefully the rest will follow quickly. Definitely having the maintenance loan though - we have a separate savings account designed to try and cover the gaps in accommodation cost and the loan so it’ll go in there as a safety net

No prepaid card for catering. It’s included in the accommodation charge of £7600ish

Also next year DD will be living out and won’t be catered.

Little Dd swamped with 11 pieces of work sent to all Year 11 ‘which may/may not be used as supporting evidence’ for your GCSE grade. Sigh. She still has the ability it just takes her much longer and the high dose of drugs she’s on don’t help. University Dd has got an essay to write on the most gruesome book - luckily not too upsetting personally for her - as the topics are vile. Fun times!

In other news university Dd brought back 8.5 toilet rolls and an unopened hand sanitiser I gave her in September which she’d forgotten about .

Yes @zanda DD1 brought back a completely full first aid bag saying she forgot about it! Hand gel inside plus paracetamol
DD2 (yr11) has had a little science and English revision in case she wants to retake. Nothing else.

Waiting for news from Nottingham on accommodation situation. DS stuff all back but I doubt the kitchen was left in a pristine condition!!!!! ... he did come back with 3 loo rolls, anti bac spray and laundry stuff though !