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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@simbobs, with you on Twin and all the dramas/thrillers in that 9pm-11pm Saturday evening slot of BBC4. I am fascinated by how close to English some of the Scandi languages phrases sound and yet others are unintelligible. Know it's the Viking legacy in English!

Good to see the positives in this current situation.

Yes, I think it would be different for the DC to be going back into the second year having consciously made a decision to share with friends. Even if they are still studying virtually for a while, just better for morale to be with their friends than stuck at home.

A total PITA for those of you whose DC are still having to pay for accommodation they're no longer living in though.

Welcome @Onesipmore. DS didn't do as well in his last piece of work (done at home) as the ones he did at university. I don't think he's taking it seriously enough. Also, our house isn't very big and with four of us in it and all workings/studying from home, it's not entirely easy to get the headspace to concentrate properly - I'm certainly finding that!

I didn't get on with the Nest. Is Twin good? I'm looking forward to it. Dd doesn't really watch tv but likes films and is happy to watch anything that I say is good. We've watched pulp fiction, true romance and thelma and Louise this week, all of which she loved.

I wish my DS did have to study online as they did before Easter, but they have decided to let 1st yrs into Year 2 automatically, with no requirement to do any more work. I think he will be more than off the boil by September, and will be living with all of his mates then, so party, party, party, methinks.

I'm enjoying 'Twin' not least because it's not predictable, so we currently have no way of knowing which way this will swing!

I like The Nest because I love Martin Compston having followed his career since his debut and , also, I like seeing Glasgow and the Clyde.

It is shot otherwise!

I, too, am watching Twin and, also , Trapped. I never normally do streaming so it's all new to me!!

Obviously that shouldn't say shot. My phone is very coy.

No offence to all you English people but have you noticed how all these Scottish dramas have to have at least one, preferably two, English leads? is it so you can all understand 50% of the words? It was the same with that aforementioned Vicky McClure one, and the one about the fire with David Tennant! That even had English actors doing Scottish accents, too, as the great affront to Scottish jobless actors!!

I have nothing to add about DS who is just lolloping

Are most of the Scottish dramas made by Scottish TV companies, I wonder @Piggywaspushed? Maybe they think they would be more bankable with known English leads? It's not right but I guess it's all about making the most money possible. The same way as some quintessentially English films (thinking Emma here) seem to end up with American lead actresses?

Hello - welcome to the newcomers. It's good to have company as we try to work out what on earth is going on.

I paid DD's tuition fees for the Spring Term yesterday, having finally got an adjusted bill with room and board removed. It was $6900 for a term.

I'll be interested to see how the online classes go. So far it seems good - she's got lots to do, they have some face-to-face classes and some asynchronous, some discussion sessions.

She says the maths class is covering the same stuff she did in junior year at high school - I'd really hoped that they'd let her test straight into harder classes but oh well.

She's mostly delighted that she's fulfilled all the Chemistry requirements now, and never has to do Chem again.

Making a list of good TV to watch from this thread - thank you.

You may well be right newmodel . The BBC ahs always been a big thing in Glasgow so they should have enough local talent . In The Nest even the small part of the sister's DH is played by an English actor so it does puzzle me. Although at least he isn't trying to sound Scottish which is far far more ill advised!!

Hello and welcome @ssd I feel sure we are/have been on another thread together?

Here DS suddenly got his head down and put the burners on to write his final summative in a week. And has submitted 2 days early He can now relax for a bit as “exams” not until May.
He is really missing his mates in Durham and is very pleased that 2 of his best mates from his footy team have decided to sign up for Masters so will be back again in September.

I am barely watching any telly as we seem to be having a Zoom chat with someone/something else going on every night!

We are doing a lot of virtual pub quizzes on YouTube

Could someone with a DC taking A level French explain the structure of the course in terms of assessment over the two years of the course?

Reason I ask is to compare with the Scottish system. My DC is in Scotland taking an Advanced Higher in French (this is a one year programme taken typically in your final, sixth, year of school). 40% is on coursework (25% - speaking assessment and 15% essay on an aspect of French life) rest is on final exams.

@Piggywaspushed not sure if you’re a Line if Duty fan but ever since DH told me that DC Arnott’s character is played by a Scottish actor, it’s bothered me. Why couldn’t he just have a Scottish accent? I need full concentration to follow the ins and outs of AC12 and don’t need the distraction of trying to detect his accent!

It always distracted me because I know Martin Compston from way back! But his English accent is briefly explained in series one. Jed Mercurio now says he wishes he had written that bit out.

Massive LOD fan!

Just completed next year's student finance application.

DD still has £2k of this year's maintenance loan left! I've told her she's doing 'university' wrong as she should be in her overdraft now! :)
And that's before next term's £3k gets paid to her, which she now doesn't need to pay her rent as York has given them a 'leave of absence' and won't be charging fees for accommodation.
She gets a good rate of maintenance due to us being in Wales, hence being able to save such a large amount. She does have a pt job, but only one in our hometown during the holidays and it's closed down at present.

I should check if DS has any money left. Maintenance went on rent so any savings would be from our spending money we gave him.

Do they need to do finance soon?

@MrKlaw think it's a June deadline for doing SFE forms.

DS currently has about £600 in his bank account (and that's before his summer term SFE payment). However, I'm going to carry on giving him money (although reduced rate) just in case I find myself out of a job later on in the year...

@DrMadelineMaxwell I've had a couple of talks with DS about being a bit less frugal. There is being careful with your money and not spending a penny unnecessarily. HOWEVER, he does seem to have developed a love of Urban Outfitters which may be an expensive habit to break once they stop having non-stop sales to keep stock and income moving.

@tava63 you may be better posting your question in a new thread...

Do we reckon they finished filming LOD the new series before lockdown? Suspect not...

No, they didn't. It is delayed . Sad times.

Oh no @Piggywaspushed. GRRRR.

Oh no not LOD!!! Can’t they just show what they made so far? Please?

To my shame I once wafted a used blue toilet freshener/cleaner block over a couple of the LOD actors .

It was when the kids were smaller and we went to an Indian restaurant in my old school town. I hated my school and was nervous of seeing anyone I knew. I thought I recognised a couple on a large table as classmates so oh-so-casually said a snotty ‘Oh hello’ when I had to walk past to take a child to the restaurant loo. They graciously smiled. But then you know what it’s like in a small public toilet cubicle when you are trying to help your child - well I somehow managed in the scramble to get a blue toilet freshener thing hooked from the toilet basin onto my handbag strap. I didn’t realise and did this ‘I am soo over school’ stride back to our table, and out the corner of my eye was mortified to see the blue freshener swinging releasing juice at their feet, just at the moment I realised who they actually were. The shame . Unfortunately crawling under our table was not an option but I moved the children round so my back was to them as I was so red!

Oh the 'glamour' @ZandathePanda. A couple of years ago DSis barged out of her loo cubicle in some swanky, expensive restaurant and bowled straight into Victoria Beckham who was not amused!