University life for 'freshers' (2019/20) - first year campus life suspended, sitting out/surviving the pandemic and staying on top of studying [Edited by MNHQ at OP's request]

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

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We are pretty rural, but have 2 supermarkets within 5 miles. We are a 40 minute train ride from the nearest city, hence DD wanting a city based university and not a campus.

@Gingirdinner, I thought it was made clear not to do that last weekend

It does sound quite idyllic to be living in the countryside. I’ve been a city girl all my adult life, but it is quite appealing now

We are rural too and it is lovely to have the countryside on our doorstep and get out for decent walks ...... and plenty of people still selling eggs from their gate . We honestly haven't struggled to get any shopping(including our favourite wine ).

Yes it was @bigTillyMint, but, unfortunately there are some stupid people who think they know better

I am so upset about Boris, I could cry. It played on my mind so much last night, I couldn't sleep. Looks like another restless night. This is so horrible.

I wonder if this will make some of the stupid idiots think again. I hope Boris makes a speedy recovery.

I’m no Boris fan but wouldn’t wish this on him and hope he recovers quickly.

Yes, we live in very unsettling times. For which reason I decided to take DS to clear his room and hand back the keys yesterday, fearing a more stringent lock down to come. We saw nobody and scrubbed up like surgeons. I found it really sad seeing things in his room that we had bought with such excitement just 6 months ago.

I know @simbobs. When I brought back DD’s cushions and throw from her uni room, I washed them all and she’s put them in her bedroom and recreated her uni room with the same posters and fairy lights she had there.It seems such a short time ago.

It’s very sad for them - missing out on so much of what should have been a fun time. And hard losing their independence.

DS is now doing some work - so difficult to get motivated when everything has changed. Says he will have 5 timed (48 hrs?) essays to do in May which seems like quite a lot

Lots of Dd’s Uni stuff still in our hall. I have washed loads and tidied some away but I know she is stalling to completely empty the bags/tubs.

It is really sad .. DS and DH went to Nottingham a couple of weeks ago , emptied last few things from room and gave it a clean .. @blametheparents .. cleaners had done kitchen and bathrooms ... handed keys back ... I have washed all his bedding and stuff and stored it away ready for the house in September... I'm trying to keep positive and believing they will move in !!! .. If not I will worry about it nearer the time

That’s the other thing! In DD’s uni house, she’ll have a double bed so new stuff will be needed again as she had a single bed at uni. I’m sure she’ll take her posters and lights with her but that’s 6 months away!

Well done @simbobs. I should imagine that many flats in halls look quickly abandoned (and messy), as I suspect DS's will when he is allowed to return to pick up his remaining kit.

It is definitely not the first year university experience they signed up for, is it?

@Benjispruce, oh god yes, I’d forgotten that! We will definitely have to go up and sort DS out. I guess that might form part of any holiday we are able to take - if we are allowed to I doubt it’ll be international travel

@NewModdlArmyMayhem18, it’s definitely not.

It’s so sad for them all. DD2 has been home nearly 3 weeks and I think she’s finding it hard, doing a bit of work but spending lots of time in her room talking to bf and friends who are much more interesting than parents. Had hoped we’d have lots of family time together (and DD1 is noisier and expresses her boredom by doing lots of cooking, exercise and generally being loud) but I think she is so missing her new found independence......hard to know how to engage her. Or maybe that’s about my needs, not hers....

Grr our neighbours have got family members round who have driven there from a fair distance away. Sitting in the sunshine, chatting away, albeit several metres apart. I presume they may have decided to all move in together. Otherwise it’s going to ruin my day sorting out the garden.

On a different tack entirely, we are keen University Challenge watchers/armchair participants in our household (apart from DD) Things get very competitive. DF (who has been watching it virtually since it first started) asked me if I thought it had an impact on university applications when teams do really well. I think not as it's very niche and most young people wouldn't even admit to watching it, let alone wanting to be part of a team. What do you/your DC think?

DS quite fancies trying to make the UEA team but seems to have lost his confidence and doesn't think he'd be good enough (even though he has great knowledge on some subjects, including American sports, teams and results!)

There was an interesting article once in The Times I think about how UC teams are selected...

As Seagull and Monkman rather illustrate, it isn't entirely about the brains.

And the article basically outed the fact that it was far harder for females to make teams. it did rather burst my innocent bubble!

I'll see if I can find it. I may be some time...

Oo nice news Newcastle University are using Park View for NHS workers. That makes me feel better!

@Piggywaspushed that was all too evident in yesterday's semi-final. Indeed if my memory serves me correctly, of the four semi-finalists, only the Corpus Christi team has women in it. Shameful.

I am totally in total awe though at how much some of these youngsters know. As an armchair team some weeks we do really well (yesterday evening less so - think I only got three questions right in total!). BUT we (parents) have had some three more decades in which to absorb facts than they have!

@ZandathePanda that is good to hear. I think many of the universities that are 'cheek by jowl' with teaching hospitals are doing this - UEA seems to be.

There's this BBC article @Piggywaspushed?

I thought they might Zanda. The rooms are really nice, and the beds are really comfortable. And so handy for the RVI. They deserve the best.

That's not the same article : the one I read was more of an 'expose' but interesting nonetheless!