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.

@icanbewhatiwant the dog goes to a kennel near Heathrow today so he can be health checked by a vet, before flying, flys at 1pm tomorrow, 8 hour flight then once his paperwork is checked he'll be taken straight to my DH at our flat. No quarantine for him thankfully.
I'm just finishing up things here the main one being selling the car, I fly next Wednesday, I just hope they don't change the rules to line up with Scotland yet as I'm planning to stay with my sister from Sunday and she will take me to the airport, if they change the rules before then, I'll have a complicated multi taxi/train journey to get to Heathrow.
I do think they will change the rules to no households mixing, but think they might hold off for a few weeks, it's going to be tricky for everyone this winter.
I've not done any work since December and all the florists I worked for have had hardly any work either, most people who are going ahead and getting married have changed their flowers to just bridal bouquet and buttonholes, so difficult for the whole wedding/event industry.
God knows what I'm going to do in Canada, I stand no chance of getting any work, I suppose I'll just be the dog walker 😂

@Itscoldouthere a busy week or so ahead for you then. Your dog will wonder what is going on but at least it isn't for long. Good luck selling the car. I remember you were contemplating keeping it with ds1.
If they do change the rules to no visiting households, we do usually get a bit of notice, so I'm sure you'll have time.

Good luck with waving your dog off @Itscoldouthere. I'm sure you'll be fine with staying with your sister too. Unlikely that they'll announce any more restrictions this side of the weekend, I would have thought. Although, like you I think the rule will be reinstated at some point quite soon.

Ds replied today. Just like a year ago...I got a photo of dinner 😂 only this time his gf had cooked it.

I asked if he'd signed up to the covid testing. He said no...but he might do 🤷‍♀️

@Itscoldouthere I hope the dog went off ok.

The dog is gone, he looked so worried and sad, I had a bit of a cry, I'll be glad when I know he's arrived tomorrow.
Tried to have a family WhatsApp call tonight, but Norwich DS didn't pick up. He was meant to be getting the internet connected today but who knows if he did or not. I would like an update from him.
Bournemouth DS has made his room look lovely, he got coloured lighting, a new rug and plants from Ikea, I'm so pleased he's making the effort to make it feel likes it's his, he's also shown me his timetable and it looks like he's going to get 30 hours per week in the studio at uni which is great.

@Itscoldouthere I hope you hear about the dog soon. I expect he wondered what was going on.

I looked at DS's timetable for the term and can't find a single session that has any kind of (socially distanced) face-to-face interaction with tutors and his subject group - it's very disappointing - I haven't said anything to him - just encouraged him to create a support group with his subject peers - I just hope he has the motivation to keep himself going

I have one dd going into second year.At the moment she can see only 2 hours on her timetable that start next week. Everything moved to online. The other dd has just started.After sting to the kids 50/50 blended learning its now turned all online. There is no freshers really, not looking like societies either, they can only socialise with people in their own flat.Its miserable and boring :(

Same for my DD @NotSorry nothing at all with any face to face interaction on her timetable before Christmas, that's as far as she can see.

@Onesipmore yes that does sound a bit boring. Especially if people don't get on with those in their flat.

Ds doesn't say much, but he did say he had got a lab session next week. I don't know how many he has. I think it'll be the first this year...due to strikes and Covid so far this year. He's missed so much hands on stuff he should have done. Not sure how that effects the whole degree. There will be a whole chunk of things he won't have covered.

It's rained quite hard all day here in Suffolk, Ds said it's the same in Norwich. Much needed rain as we haven't had much, but we don't need it all at once!

They just said on local news that several students at UEA have now tested positive for covid and are in isolation.

I haven't heard anything more about them being tested regularly...only on here. I don't think there's a solution really. They could just get on with it and let it go through the students, but then there will be students with health problems that won't agree with that....plus the staff who won't want to catch it. But they can't all stay locked up. Our second year students will be better in their student houses off campus. I do feel for the freshers though.

@Itscoldouthere I hope the dog arrived safely.

Yes, hoping your dog has made a happy reunion with your DH by now @Itscoldouthere.

DS hasn't responded about the COVID-19 testing on offer at UEA, as yet.

I think it will be inevitable that there will be students at every university who are COVID-19 positive. It's inevitable, sadly.

Yes, the prospect of being stuck in a Yr 1 campus flat share with people you don't get on with would be hideous. Hopefully it won't happy to many though - but possibly not even easy to swap/move at the moment?

DS 2 is a fresher this time. He's been there a week and is having a very difficult time. He has been to football and did ok so is going out with the football people tonight if he holds his nerve. I am very worried about him being effectively grounded in Norwich indefinitely. Similar situation to others, he was promised blended learning and now it's all online apart from 1 or 2 sessions in the term, for engineering. Not sure how he will cope stuck in a room all the time doing zoom learning. DS 1 is in 3rd year elasewhere and living out so seems to be coping better, and the timetabling is providing practical as well. If it looks like DS 2 is going to be stuck there I would be just OK with losing the halls fees and letting him go down for the practicals as needed, but we're 2.5 hrs away and we were really hoping he would have a better experience. Not sure what to do but don't want to leave things too long before making arrangements to support him better. Lots of tears every time we speak so far

Hello @Thebrowndogs what subject is your DS doing? Hopefully your DS has made the first step with the people he met at football. It is really tough for the Freshers this year . I don't think we should be too surprised if there are some cases at UEA, given the numbers at UEA and indeed every other Uni it would be odd (but wonderful) if they somehow managed to remain completely Covid free.

Sent DS a message today to make sure they have plenty of food in just in case things get even more serious in his halls in Leeds. He probably rolled his eyes but I hope he does.

He's doing engineering and there is supposed to be practical included. He's been given safety boots but nothing on timetable to show when they might be needed? I will wait till this coming week to see if there's any more info

@Thebrowndogs hopefully next week things will become clearer as that's when the UEA academic year starts in earnest.

Anyone heard anything more on the covid testing at UEA? Maybe if lots of students take it up then they can keep cases low and get on with face to face stuff. But I don't know how much testing they are offering.

I thought I heard on local news there had been cases at UEA but when I listened later in the day they said university of Essex. So maybe I was wrong.

Happy to say the dog has safely arrived and DH saying people have been stopping him to day wondering what he is (probably not that many Bedlington/whippets in Canada) he seems to have jet leg, DH had to take him out at 3am so he's obviously on UK time.
Only had a brief conversation with DS as he didn't have internet and his phone signed is not good in his house, so I've no idea if everything is online for him or not but judging by what you are all saying, it sounds like it will be online which is rather disappointing.

That's good to hear @Itscoldouthere, although not about your poor DH having to take him out for walks at 3am in the morning! Presumably, a relief that you are staying with your DSis and all is well. Bon voyage for when you fly back to Canada. Not so good that you've not really managed to have a good conversation with DS2 as yet.

@Itscoldouthere that's good news about the dog. Yes I expect they will wonder what breed he is in Canada 😂 a good conversation starter to meet the locals! I should think he is jet lagged. Their body clocks much be like ours.

Ds said there are some lab time sessions on his timetable. Not sure if next week or the week after. I hope they go ahead.

Testing at UEA mentionned in the Sunday Times today (positive context, being prepared and ahead of the game).

Ds2 has his timetable, sounded a bit glum about it, being unusually taciturn.

Whilst frankly it is all a bit (understatement) crap at the moment - things can only bounce along at the bottom for so long, a tough term may be ahead and hopefully all our DCs will start to see some improvement in the current situation.

@boys3 - haven't read this week's Sunday Times so thanks for the tip re UEA mention and COVID-19 testing.

I think that this terrible time may teach our young people resilience in the face of uncertainty (I would say a good thing), although it's all rather grim and depressing at the moment. You are right that hopefully we are 'rock bottom' and things can only start to get better, albeit not necessarily immediately.