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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Bengal ooo hope you realise I was moaning about Dominic Cummings. I believe he had a small child in the car - never done a journey that long with family without a wee stop!

I once did a similar journey with my cat. But had to stop at a service station temporarily regain my sanity. Never knew a cat could howl for 200 miles without taking breath.

@zanda yes did realise you were commenting on Cummings and yes you'd have a slim chance of a nonstop trip that far with a child unless it slept all the way . Took my cats to the lakes once and one yowled all the way from London to Birmingham .

@Decorhate was that mail to your DC? Not had anything direct from them. We’d moved most stuff out apart from some bits from the kitchen which I’d be happy to Chuck (petrol would cost more than they’re worth)

Finally got student loan sorted - had so many issues with virgin media but was ok yesterday

Well I have never heard one Dd and Dh laugh as much in lockdown as watching the briefing today. Apparently Boris was a more of a clown than normal. I couldn’t bear to watch but little Dd rewound it to her favourite bit - Robert Peston’s expression.

Back on topic - haven’t sorted out loan yet. Dd said the deadline is June 22. Is this correct?

Yes I think around then @zanda . I haven’t either until I know DD is definitely staying on.

Dd better be staying on as we are paying £90 a week from Sept-Sept in a private rental contract! There’s not a knuckle-gnashing emoji is there?!

@MrKlaw Yes the email was to my son (I don’t expect to ever get emails unless it’s about payments!) Maybe it depends on how you replied to earlier emails? We had said we would vacate by the end of the Easter break but obviously the guidance on collecting belongings did not allow that.

Is your DD seriously thnking of not going back Benjispruce?

DD intends going back to Newcastle. Unless it is all online then she has to go back for the practcal element.

I’m not sure. It may be just anger and frustration but if they say all online she will hit the roof and want to defer. Of course this would all depend on whether she could get out of her housing contract.

She wants the uni life more than the degree at the moment.

Dh and dd did SE to Durham and back with one stop to pick up the uni stuff and one petrol stop.

For those wondering about the 4yo, I know a fair number of people who would have put that age in a nappy anyway for a long journey to stop the "I need a wee now" as you just drive past the exit for the only service station for 50+ miles

She wants the uni life more than the degree at the moment

It sounds like she only went to university to party.

DD has a good social life at university and is missing her friends. Thank goodness for Zoom. She has been on Zoom to some uni friends for 3 hours this evening so far.

She and her friends message each other a lot as well.

She isn't the party animal that your DD is Benjispruce, but loves socialising with friends.

No not just to party actually. For the independence, the team sports, being among so many peers and of course the social side but that’s not all partying. The experience was everything.

DD can't wait to move into the year 2 house with her friends, but she has no idea when that is going to happen. She hates sport - to particiapte and to watch so she isn't missing anyhting there.

I was talking about my DD though.

I know

We have just booked our time slot for collecting my DS's stuff from NTU. I do feel a bit sad as it all came to a bit of an abrupt end, but I cant complain as we are all safe and welll.

I am looking forward to the long drive to Nottingham but I'm not looking forward to the nastiness I will find in his room. It will be grim.

DS has confessed that he left his room in a mess. I am going to chivvy him to check his emails as many universities seem to have come up with a 'kit collection' plan but to date DS hasn't indicated that UEA has done so.

Conversation about some young people embracing the whole university experience and others seemingly less so (DS is not in the partying or sport-playing camp at all), makes me think though that there is a time and a place and it's not necessarily the same for everyone. I think they mature differently and that impacts massively on what they do and when. The party-animals of today may be the 'settled' ones by mid/late twenties whereas some of today's more socially retiring students may just be hitting their stride then! A lot of it's confidence related too, don't you think?

Waves hello! Popped in to see what folks are doing about uni room clearing. DC1 is at MMU & hasn't heard directly from them. Our outline plan is to drive up, pack & clean, then I doss on the floor of her room before we load the car & drive back the following day. Other flat mates won't be there.
Would that be 'allowed'?

I am going to Lincoln on Weds to get DS's stuff. May need fumigators and a gas mask.

Anything is allowed now bring !

Just dropping in to mark my place again ... I lost you ! ... don't want to miss anew thread.. let's hope we can start posting about them all bumbling off to their houses in September

I felt bad about collecting DS's stuff but not cleaning the place. I had picked him up a few weeks before and while waiting for me he had cleared all of the rubbish from the kitchen and taken it to the bin store, and it wasn't too bad. When we returned to clear his room the kitchen had evidently been well used, with overflowing bins of mouldy food. We emptied these but left the surfaces as they were, nor did I clean his room as the vacuum cleaner was also full and the objective was to get in and out as quickly as possible. I assume he will be charged for cleaning and quite rightly so.

In terms of moving into previously booked accommodation DD is going to live in hers even if she defers. She wants that life and independence, and as it is privately rented she can't get out of it anyway. She will have enough money saved from living at home this term, and will try to get work. I really hope she will continue, but she can be quite intractable once she has made up her mind.