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.

Thanks for that email Finallyjoinedmnet, at least that explains the health care placements.

DS1 spent 3 hours in hospital, they took his bloods did any ECG, they can't find anything wrong with him and say the symptoms that were worrying DS are probably due to Covid, his blood results will be with his doctor in 10 days.
I think he's reasured that he's OK (he can be a bit of a drama queen) he still has to isolate for another 7 days.
We managed to get DS2 on a family group call, he knew nothing about the government plans for students going home, he hadn't seen/opened the email from UEA, so currently has no idea what his flatmates are doing, I'm not surprised when I spoke to him on Monday he thought it was Sunday 😜

@Itscoldouthere I hope ds1 feels better soon. Is ds2 getting on ok with his course? I know they are in twice a week for one lecture and one labs. Ds said he has lots of work to do too.

@icanbewhatiwant unfortunately DS2 isn't getting on well with his course, he's getting some support from student services, but it's not going very well.
If he can't turn things around by Christmas, he may have to withdraw.
I really don't know how it will work out, but we are doing all we can to support him (obviously slightly restricted by being so far away) but at the end of the day it's up to him to do the work, and if he can't get motivated there's not much point in being there !
Not an idea situation by any means, but it's where he is at the moment.

@Itscoldouthere yes I guess there's not much else you can do. If he doesn't keep up with the course will he stay in Norwich and get a job. Or can he get to Canada? I think you said he couldn't do that.

Sorry to hear that your DS2 still isn't settled in his course @Itscoldouthere. I think some young people just take longer to settle to doing degrees or maybe realise that they'd prefer to do something else (is he still keen on studying military history?).

How is your DS1 doing today?

Important update on Travel, Testing and Teaching End of Term Arrangements – Please Read
From Deputy Vice-Chancellor Neil Ward

Dear Students,

Here is some important guidance and latest government information to help you with your plans for the winter break regarding:

Travel
Testing
Teaching
Support and Further Information
Travel
If you are planning to travel home for the winter break, please:
Aim to follow government advice and travel in the student travel window – 3-9 December
Try to travel before or after the weekend of 5-6 December, if at all possible, to reduce traffic congestion. If family or friends are coming to pick you up from campus you will be able to use our car park booking system for the main UEA car park which will go live next week
If you are going to use public transport, travel companies are asking that students spread travel over the 3-9 December period, if at all possible.

Testing
Students are being asked to get a rapid COVID lateral flow (LF) test, if you are travelling back for the winter break, to help protect your family and friends and reduce the overall spread of the virus.
The rapid COVID testing will be run from UEA’s Sportspark from Sunday 29 November through to Wednesday 9 December.

You should be aware that:
You should take two COVID LF tests - 3 days apart
This COVID LF test provides results within a day
The system gives you your result directly – it’s not shared with the University
You should be able to book your first and second test online via the My UEA portal from Tuesday 24 November
If any rapid COVID test is positive you may be asked to take an additional NHS COVID test. If you test positive, either from the rapid test or the NHS test, you will need to self-isolate for 10 days at the University.
More information will be provided online from Tuesday 24 November
Teaching:
We will continue to provide in-person teaching up to and including the following dates in each Faculty:

Faculty of Arts and Humanities: Face-to-face teaching on campus will continue until 4th December, except for Drama, which will finish by 9th December.
Faculty of Social Sciences: Face-to-face teaching on campus will continue until 4th December, except for EDU’s Physical Education and Sport course, which will finish on 9th December.
Faculty of Science: Face-to-face teaching on campus will finish by the evening of the 8th December, except for Maths courses, which will continue only until 4th December.
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences: Face-to-face teaching on campus will continue until 9th December

Online teaching will continue to be delivered to all students until the end of term.

International Students:
We appreciate it may be particularly concerning for international students, who may be looking to travel back for the winter break. The University is seeking specific country and airline information to help international students and this will be put onto the My UEA portal as soon as it is available. Current government information is that the rapid COVID LFT negative result is not enough proof to enable international travel.

UEA Services for students staying on campus or in Norwich:
For those students who are staying on campus or in the city UEA will continue to support you during the winter break and we will provide more detail in the coming week.

Further information:
We will be putting further information about the winter break arrangements and the rapid COVID Lateral Flow Testing on the My UEA portal and University website from Tuesday 24 November.

If you have a specific question about your course or module, please contact your academic advisor.

If you have a question about the testing facility please check the My UEA portal from Tuesday or you can contact the [email protected] or use the live chat function.

Please remember UEA is here to support you. Please take note of the government guidance and consider when you will book your first rapid COVID test at the Sportspark.

With best wishes,
Neil

Professor Neil Ward
Deputy Vice-Chancellor

@Finallyjoinedmnet thank you so much for posting.
My DS doesn't tell me anything (I'm lucky if he even answers my calls 😂) so it is so helpful to have this posted on here.
DS always says 'oh see you've been on Spynet again' !
My DS is planning to stay in Norwich till the end of term so the testing is too early for him.

@Finallyjoinedmnet I’d echo the thanks for posting the VC update. One of DS2’s flat mates is an international studen (EU nation) and has their flight home booked. DS2 has said all his contact he’s now online.

@Itscoldouthere 😂 my DD is great, she forwards emails & we message & call frequently😊 I post these as my DS was exactly the same as yours! I felt we waved him off & welcomed him back 3 years later, only hearing from him when he needed money or a lift! 🤣 although your DS might not benefit from the rapid test offered, hopefully the current Uea testing will still be available when he needs it at the end of term. I’m sure there will quite a lot of students staying on, including overseas & placement students.

Thank you for the email. I am still waiting to hear what my 2 will do, I will be the last to know but they will expect a lift back!!

@boys3 You’re welcome😊

@sluj You’re welcome😊 Yes, funny how you always hear from them when they need a lift...

Mine has messaged to ask if he can come home this weekend. Last time I spoke he wanted to stay there right until Christmas. He was having a f2f lecture and a lab session each week. Those stopped 2 weeks ago. 2 house mates have gone home. So his plans have changed. He says they've been sensible and only been to the shops. So I'm hoping it's safe for him to come home. I hope he won't get stopped if he does drive home.

I'm not sure whether to let him return or wait for a test.

Yes, thanks for the update @Finallyjoinedmnet.

I'm surprised so many are leaving the house shares already (for Christmas)? If I was a student in one or the landlord, I am not sure I would be happy about leaving one unoccupied for six to eight weeks.

I misunderstood ds. He wants to come home 6th dec. he says they aren't meant to leave without having tests. But as they've all been at their houses I can't see a problem with leaving. Thousands of students descending on campus for tests isn't good surely?

My DS seems to think his flatmates are staying till the end of term, but I do sometimes wonder if he's fully aware of what's going on, he didn't seem to know anything about the university testing policy.
He is now saying that he does 100% want to stay on his course, he's got a lot to catch up on and is still finding it difficult to study at times, but he is trying to work it out, I so hope he can make it work.
He told us yesterday that they have all signed for their house again, I was a bit surprised he hadn't consulted us beforehand, but pleased that his house seem to be getting on well, I was worried 8 was too many to live together, but it seems to be working well and I think being such a big house it means they've got plenty of room to coexist easily.
My other DS in his small house of 4 has rather fallen apart (probably not helped by him staring a relationship with one of the others) so he will be moving to a bigger house of 7 next year.

@Itscoldouthere, could your DS2 buddy up with someone on his course to help keep him motivated and on track? I was lucky enough to share with some doing the same degree course and it was really helpful for bouncing ideas off each other (and it made us very competitive!). It's good that he's committed to the course and his house-share too but it sounds as if he could still do with some support with getting through work.

@Itscoldouthere ds has told me he's getting quite a few online lectures and has 2 essays to do. One due on 30th and the other 14th dec (incase you wanted to know when work is due) That's good he wants to keep up with his course.

I keep thinking about this testing. Ds seems to think they have to get tested before they can leave. But surely if they have been in their private houses and not going on campus then they are safe to come home. I feel that with thousands of students going to campus for tests then those in private accommodation will expose themselves to the virus if everyone is heading to campus. Is it just me that thinks this?

I sort of agree @icanbewhatiwant it does seem a bit crazy. My DS hasn't been on campus apart from walking around the lake, which he does quite often, so he's not that keen on queueing to get tested.
I do wish he would buddy up with someone for his coursework, he does have friends on the course but they are all in a houseshare together, the one girl in his house that is on his course has moved into the other house during lockdown to be with her boyfriend.
I think his main problem is he doesn't want to admit to them he is struggling and behind (he never told his flatmates what happened last year or that he had to retake).

@Itscoldouthere that's annoying about the girl on ds's course moving out. Mine is in a house of 6, they are all doing biology, though one is marine biology and the others are doing different modules. So not exactly the same, but often have lectures together and the lab sessions they attend together.

@icanbewhatiwant I wish he'd moved in with his biology friends, it would have made the work thing so much easier, because he would have known what was going on and I'm sure they would have helped him keep on track. They did ask him last year but I think he just stuck with his uni flat as it was easier. He gets on with his housemates but I think he has more in common with the biology lot.
That's typical of my DS he doesn't see the big picture and just does the easiest option, honestly he is so blinkered about so much stuff!
Maybe once this lockdown is over he may try and do some work with the other house, but he's also a massive rule follower so wouldn't do it now as it would be breaking the rules.
Still we have to just let them do it their own way don't we!

A pity that your DS2 isn't sharing with more biologists @Itscoldouthere as I'm sure that would be really helpful for him. We can only hope that the vaccine roll-out happens sooner rather than later so that our DC can get back to some greater normality in terms of socialising and their studies.

Have you got to the bottom of what it is about his work that is making him fall behind? Is it that it's difficult, boring or that he leaves things till the last minute then panics? Or does he find it difficult to focus on having too much to do at the same time (or he thinks he does)? Or is he a perfectionist?

Is there any way he would be up for suggesting a Zoom study session or two with his biology friends for the time being? It's possible that others are struggling too and could benefit from some 'heads together' study?

I think boys do tend to go for the easiest option - mine certainly is in that camp!

Booking has opened for rapid covid tests at UEA so that students can safely return home for Christmas.

DS has booked his as I'd like to get him home first weekend in December