UEA (2019) dealing with the unexpected and on to 2nd Year

[juicy0]

New thread for the parents of 2019 freshers. Thank you all for sticking around!
At the start of the year we never would have guessed the topics that are currently being discussed in this page but I'm grateful we still have each other to help navigate our way through this with our DC.
With the emptying of 1st year rooms seemingly on hold for many until the end of lockdown our thoughts will soon turn to 2nd year accommodation and whether term is likely to start as normal in September.

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 maybe. The road they are on is actually a fairly quiet road. The houses behind are on the main Earlham road. But hopefully will drown out some of the road noise. We moved 2 years ago from a farm on a very quiet road, we are now set back across a common on a slightly busier road. But half a mile away from a more main road. The noise isn't very loud, but it did take some getting used to. So I'm sure if there's noise he'll get used to it.

Sorry I've been offline for a while, we managed to get away to Greece for two weeks and it was blissful!
Good to hear that our DC are all moving into their second year homes, I just hope they can enjoy some sort of social life and face to face teaching this term. DD and I went to sort her room out yesterday but she's not moving in until the end of the month when her housemates return. I'm dreading her leaving, I think it will be more difficult than last year as we've all spent so much time together as a result of covid.
It's been the best of times and the worst. I got extra precious time with my family but lost my dad in May so it's been an emotional rollercoaster and I think that won't hit gone 100% until im alone in the house again.

DS has just returned to school and starts Y11 so my worry has shifted more to him and the uncertainty surrounding his GCSEs next summer. There's always something isn't there!

@juicy0 it sounds as if your holiday was much needed. Glad to hear that you had a fab time.

What's your DD's house/room like? Hope she's looking forward to going back.

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 her house is quite nice actually. There are 4 of them sharing and the house has 4 double bedrooms a large kitchen, separate living room and parking. It's a good 20 min walk from the campus (and not in a particularly nice area but very popular with students) but DD doesn't mind a walk at all. The rooms all have locks on the door which is great and it was left in good order. It's inclusive of bills so they know exactly what they're paying which helps with budgeting.

@juicy0 I thought the other day we hadn't heard from you for a while. That's good you had a holiday. Bills included is such a good idea. I'm a little worried about how the bill paying will go in ds's house.

Ds's friend finally got his covid test results back as negative. Just as well as he's been working the whole time. I think maybe Ds overreacted by not going to work incase it was positive. But never mind. He's realised how easily it can passed on unknowingly now.

Your DD's house sounds nice @juicy0 and yes good to have the bills included rather than extra.

That's good for your DS @icanbewhatiwant that his friend's result came back negative. I think it shows good sense and 'community spirit' that your DS stayed off work in case his result was positive.

This looks to be good news for a safer return to campus

www.edp24.co.uk/news/health/university-of-east-anglia-to-test-students-and-staff-for-covid-19-1-6827763

The holiday sounds like it was fab @juicy0. Testing at UEA was mentioned in the Sunday times last weekend. I think it’s a really positive and proactive approach, which seems to be UEA through and through.

Someone on the other university thread seemed to think UEA will be testing students twice a week. I've not heard that anywhere.

@juicy0, @icanbewhatiwant and @boys3 the twice a week testing bit was lifted from The Sunday Times article too. Yes, agree @boys3 that it totally fits in with their 'vibe'/ethos.

Oh and TST article did imply it would be announced this week so maybe just not yet?

I’ve got a rant. My friend phoned me last night deeply upset. Her son is due to start his 1st year and she got an email from UEA yesterday to say “sorry we can’t offer him accommodation after all” with a list of “helpful” websites she could try. They don’t know the area, he doesn’t know anyone so they’re going up there today to try and sort it. It sounds as though UEA have taken in more first years than they have halls for as others in her DS’s facebook group received the same email. She said they’ve kept her hanging on for nearly 4 weeks (she’s been chasing it) saying “oh the offer is coming next week“ to finally get told that

The accommodation offer withdrawn is part of the national A-levels algorithm ditch. Private accommodation info for UEA students. Historically the UEA Accommdtn office was very good for finding private digs.

The current plan is voluntary COVID testing (invitation to all) in week 1. Then they want to try for a sentinel strategy; say test one person per flat or per cluster of persons on a course, on a regular basis thereafter. The exact protocol is still being worked out (not by me). On-campus staff will also be encouraged to be regularly tested after week 1. We staff have very complicated procedures about entering or using buildings.

@someoneUEA

Well that haven’t helped - they just sent her some information and have left them to it. She said if she’d been told straight away she could have been sorting it but she kept chasing it to be told next week, next week and then finally got told after nearly 4 weeks of chasing - sorry we can’t help you.

@NotSorry I think a lot of places including 6th forms have taken on more than they would usually do. A bit silly really when it is recommended they stay in bubbles. Can your friend get with a group and rent a house together? It's very short notice though isn't it?!

I mean I know...not I think. As I'm sure you do. 🤷‍♀️

[quote icanbewhatiwant]@NotSorry I think a lot of places including 6th forms have taken on more than they would usually do. A bit silly really when it is recommended they stay in bubbles. Can your friend get with a group and rent a house together? It's very short notice though isn't it?![/quote]
I think you are right places have taken on more than normal and with social distancing it's making accommodation more difficult.

The problem is they don't know anyone - They've gone up there today to try and sort it. I don't think she'd have been so upset if she'd been told straight away and they had more time to sort it - it's less than 2 weeks before they are due back

@NotSorry there are a few lets available in Norwich if they can't get on campus. Some say available now.

I think that’s what they’re going to have to do - it’s such as shame as it’s going to make it so much harder for him in his first year - they’ve also not had a child go to uni before so they’re wading through all the other new stuff too

@NotSorry I can see that would be rather worrying for them, if you think back to last year we were all a bit stressed about which halls our DC were in and how they would get on.
This year has so many more complications especially for first years, I would be pretty pissed of if I'd been in her situation.
I do sympathies with UEA having to sort out out the A level cock ups, but loosing 4 weeks when they could have been looking is really unfair.
I can't help but think the uni drop out rate may be high this year.
Just been reading about the new 6 people rule, my DS is going into a house of 8, will 2 have to stay at home if they go out? Or sit on another table?
All so confusing......

I would imagine that a large student house (with more than six) would count the same as a large family @Itscoldouthere?

The lack of enough accommodation is a total pain. I wonder if they're not allowed to have students sharing the twin Zig rooms (presumably not?). That has probably impacted considerably on available university accommodation.

When I last looked at the UEA website (a week or so ago) it seemed that they still had places in a lot of subjects in Clearing so surprised that they've not got any spare capacity with accommodation?

I can't help but think the uni drop out rate may be high this year

I was exactly thinking this earlier

I know it's not UEA accommodation team's fault but an earlier notification would have helped my friend enormously

@NotSorry I'm local so if I can help your friend in any way then pls just ask.
Has she looked into Pablo Fanwue house and the new student flats at St Benedicts gate?

Thank you @juicy0, that's very kind of you

I'm sure she will let me know later how she's got on - Pablo thingy house did get mentioned but I'm not sure if she was going to see that

where are the flats at St Benedicts in relation to the uni?

There are a couple of rooms here

www.prolet.co.uk/property/?property-type=student_rooms&location=Near+UEA&bedrooms=1

Also unilodgers.com