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]

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@DominaShantotto - DS in same position and place as @Benjispruce DD. He meeting other students from quite different backgrounds. Funnily enough, the house next door to us is rented by ex Durham students (their mates in another up the road)

I don't know how I feel about annual leave. DW is furloughed and isn't therefore taking any annual leave. But should furloughed workers not be earning leave pro rata for furloughed days?

What happens to companies eg if they all open up in October/November and all their staff have 20-25 days annual leave? They'll be screwed. But likewise people aren't able to 'go' anywhere so is it fair to lose out when vacation spots open up?

I'm still working so would actually like some annual leave just to be away from work even if not going somewhere. But it is a tricky subject

@MrKlaw that was my feeling re people having accrued leave (and then needing to take six-eight months worth in a matter of the few remaining months of the leave year). It won't help get the economy back on its feet, although it might get people spending +++.

It would seem that lots of bosses haven't really thought that one through yet. It may come back to haunt them...

I am furloughed and we are strongly encouraged to take annual leave during furlough (which has to be paid at full salary), I’ve taken some and will probably take more ... staying on furlough until at least end of June.

My DH is WFH & has also been asked to take AL - I assume it’s to avoid everyone taking leave when (if) ‘things get back to normal’.

Personally it doesn’t really bother me as I am in no rush to book a ‘traditional’ holiday any time soon.

One of my clients is a big insurance company that is insisting people take their annual leave as normal rather than leaving it all till the end of the year. They are busiest at year end and don't allow leave to be taken then anyway. They're not allowing any extra leave to be carried over this year.

I'm self employed and I haven't taken any leave yet this year and I'm really feeling it. I'm going to take lots of time off this summer and do things with my kids.

My understanding is that the Govt brought in a directive that companies have to let their employees carry leave over (for up to 2yrs I think?) if they are unable to take it this year.

I am guessing it will apply to most furloughed employees (I am sure that they continue to accrue leave during furlough) but maybe not those working normally.

My company (an engineering consultancy) are operating as normal, apart from some office staff who are furloughed (all offices are closed). We can normally carry over up to 5 days, but only in exceptional circumstances and with director approval. I am hoping that ruling may be relaxed, but I am certain that there will be no leeway to carry over more days. The company wont want everyone to have excessive leave next year.

We are planning a week off in June, to have a break and hopefully do some long dog walks, then other weeks in the autumn, when we maybe can take our caravan away.

I stumbled across this:

www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12318523

I have only found out today that educational attainment and progression of school leavers was not affected by the earthquakes. In fact, against what was expected, attainment gaps narrowed.

Kind of wondering why no one is looking towards NZ who have coped with mass shutdown before and, therefore, learned!

That’s interesting @Piggywaspushed .

Just saw a news report that Cambridge are planning all lectures to be online for the whole of next year but may have smaller teaching groups in person...

Wonder what the other unis. are going to do. OH will go nuts is DS uni. does this.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-52732814

But most to be lost if you're at a university like Oxford, Cambridge or Durham , just in terms of missing out on the experience....

It's all like some dystopian nightmare....

If there’s to be a second wave (not clear whether there will be, but anyway) i do see that it could be better for it to be in summer rather than autumn when flu will be about to arrive.

Do they think announcing stuff like that in the middle of exams is helpful!!?

I’m quite shocked to hear about Cambridge, I’m now wondering if this might happen at lots of other universities. I’m beginning to wonder if it’s going to be worth it.

My DS was contacted today by his course to ask who he was living with next year (he’s at a small arts uni) he thinks they are planning to bring them into the studios in groups, so if they already live together it will be easier re social distancing.

Surely they risk losing even more money. Students will take gap years and many second years will drop out. It does say further into the article that they are getting planning ready but that if advice on distancing changes, then they would react. I’d really like to see a more proactive approach from the universities by using testing.

I think the whole country would benefit from proper testing and tracing, it seems to be working well in other countries.
However, I have lost faith in the numpties who are running the show here in the UK. I really can’t imagine what may happen next anymore.

I saw it and felt really disappointed. I sincerely hope that others do not feel they have to follow suit. Both my DC would be adversely affected. DD would try and defer her final year and I really worry about her mental health, and DS would drop out and drift. Not a good outcome. This is not life. There will always be a risk, but I think my DC would prefer to take their chances, which I would support. I understand that others don't share this view.

@simbobs I’ve already got problems with one of my DS (both first years) he’s struggled with depression (we didn’t know) so missed work. He now has to do retakes to pass the year. He’s been unmotivated since he came home. I just don’t know if it’s going to be worth it, if his mental health will cope if they have to do everything online in September.
We really don’t know what to think. It’s all gone to pot in our house ☹️

@Itscoldouthere I'm so sorry to hear that, but understand. I didn't know DD was having mh problems for a long time. She likes to keep things under wraps and under control, which makes the routine of uni work for her, but she really can't work at home. She would go back to her uni city as she needs the library. If that were not available she says that she can't continue. I'm trying not to panic.

Sorry to hear about your DC struggling. DD is coping-ish. She’s working really hard on her exams this week, has done 2, another 2 to go. I wasn’t going to mention that headline but she came to me late last night having seen it. She’s upset and angry . If Durham is all online she’s considering leaving if she can be released, too much money for so little experience especially after so much strike induced, tuition loss.

DS is doing exams - first doing them properly in the time allotted as practice, but then doing a second lass over almost as revision. But overall it feels like he is way less motivated and I don’t know how he’d react to this current situation extending for effectively a full year. And there is an argument that first year is less damaging to lose time on, but year 2 is crucial.

I hope they do allow tutorials or other small groups and it’s only lectures online / but even there DS doesn’t listen to them he just reads the slides. He must be missing some useful context and in maths not having tutorials to bounce things off people will be increasingly difficult as the course ramps up

Also bloody stupid timing - have Cambridge already finished exams so screw everyone else? They couldn’t have waited until exams had finished for other Unis?

Sorry to hear about all the difficulties dstudents are having - it has been a really unfortunate turn of events for them. Would be interesting to know how other univs in europe are going to work - though i realise its slightly different as many more live at home.

Its cold, i think i know the place you’re referring to - what i dont quite understand though is that students living together wont necessarily be doing the same Degree courses, so how would that work? Eg The textiles and fine art students would need to be in their own studio groups, even if they live together (iyswim!) Still, it is great that they are thinking about creative ways to address the problem.

My DD is medical student. It’s hard to see how her learning can be delivered completely online? Feel so very sad for them all - seems like government is prioritising infant schools over unis. This time last year she was just starting A level exams....and I thought that uncertainty was stressful 🙄😢