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.

I think lots will wait to see which tier Norwich will be in tomorrow. If it's tier 1 DD says many of her friends will stay beyond the 9th so they can enjoy something of a social life.

Ds has booked his second test on 5th. So he's keen to get home. A month or so ago he didn't want to come home at all. But 2 left before lockdown so perhaps the others are keen to leave too.

trouble is @juicy0 if they then test positive they have to isolate for 10 days (or whatever the latest guidance is)

@NotSorry that's the problem, but from what I'm hearing that's what many are planning. I guess it depends what their arrangements are for Christmas. Personally I hope they'll follow the advice.

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 thank you for asking and your suggestions re DS, I'm afraid I can't really answer your questions, it's become quite tricky trying to have those type of conversations with him.
I just don't know how to help him anymore, he's become very bad at answering my calls & messages, so I can't really do much.
I've been trying to be supper supportive, (I've been backpacking 😊) I arranged a food/meal delivery from Mindful Chef for him, sent the fancy biscuits for his house, send an advent calendar and Christmas jumper, but he hasn't even thanked me yet!
It's very frustrating, he is a caring, loving boy who isn't usually entitled or thoughtless, but I think he just knows I ask too many tricky questions, so he just avoids me.
Part of me thinks great, maybe he'll sort it out for himself, but I can't believe he will, honestly I don't know what's for the best anymore, I just have to let him try and work it out.

@Itscoldouthere oh dear :-(. I feel for you and your DS. I have a sibling who wasn't happy on their first degree course and failed their first year (they didn't so much as mention any issues to any family members). They have a very good (professional) job now so it all worked out in the end BUT it was quite a slog for a few years. I am just very conscious of how important time is sometimes for young people to get into the groove, and three year degree courses don't offer much 'slack' for doing so, do they?

You sound as if you've done some lovely things to raise your DS2's spirits but agree that DC (particularly boys!) often 'swerve' contact when they don't want to have to answer difficult questions.

How is your DS1 doing? Is he feeling better now?

I am not sure what to advise DS to do now re coming home. If lots of them have had COVID-19 recently but without knowing, they may all test positive but no longer be infectious. Again, this hasn't been very logically thought through...

And if they come home on public transport they could be exposed there and then bring it home with them but think they're safe (and then what would you do about bubbles?).

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 thanks for your reply, sorry I'm feeling a bit down about it all today, it's hard trying to switch it off at times.
He has just texted me to thank me for the gifts, but says he's not been motivated to cook any of the food (the box was delivered on Saturday) it really pisses me off, I mean you're got all the ingredients and a recepie card, surely it can't be that hard! OK harder than a pot noodle or a meal deal from the garage, which is what he currently lives on, but geez!
Anyway I've cancelled it so he won't get anymore.
On a happier note, it's a full on snow day today, I'm definitely going to have to put the boots on the dog to walk him, he's not going to like it 😂

@Itscoldouthere sorry to hear your son isn't doing as well as you'd like. It must be hard for you with the distance. At least he replied in the end. Mine is terrible at replying. He will message me eventually, but doesn't usually answer the things I ask. I like snow and would be excited to see it...but I know the novelty would wear off. I hope your little doggie doesn't mind the snow.

Sorry you're feeling down. Go and find your inner snow angel outside @Itscoldouthere. I think we sometimes forget to take off our parenting hats - we need to do so more often, I reckon. Hope your dog doesn't make too much of a fuss about the boots!

I've heard it's going to be a cold winter over here this year (just what we need!) but not seen much evidence of it yet.

Young people are ungrateful sometimes (and quite unnecessarily blunt). I bought DS a treat Morrisons box and got a 'it's unhealthy' comment. I would have been so pleased to get any parcel/delivery when I was a student (but came there none :-(), regardless of contents.

It feels a long time since we had proper snow here - years really. I would quite welcome a blanket of it but before we get a brief respite from lockdown!

@icanbewhatiwant yes the snow is still a novelty to us 😊
My poor DH was finding it hard to get down to work this morning as he's used to going home on a snow day and everything grinding to a hault.
Everyone just carries on here. The dog was very excited when it snowed last week, I've now bought him shoes which he hates but they are essential.
It's snowing pretty hard so it will be short walks today but it takes a while putting all necessary clothes on and as we are in an apartment we can't just shove him out in the garden anymore!

Norfolk is in tier 2

@NotSorry yes I was expecting tier 2. They said not many will go into tier 1. Where I live in mid Suffolk we have less cases than Cornwall who are in tier 1. But they take the whole of Suffolk into account. So we are tier 2 also.

I thought you’d be tier 1 tbh - makes my life easier, DS2 can stop arguing about when he’s coming home for Christmas now 😂

There's not a lot of differences between tiers 1 and 2 really. Just the meeting indoors isn't allowed and a few small things. I just asked my son if he's been not seeing his gf during this lockdown. No reply 🤣

I just looked up the list, only about 3 places in Tier 1

@Itscoldouthere yes. Only 3. They said on bbc news this week that there may not be any in tier 1.

The Guardian is saying Isle of Wight, Isles of Silly, Cornwall Tier 1, lucky Cornwall 👍
So much for all the fears about tourists over the summer, it looks like they managed to keep things under control.

Thankfully we have less cases per 100,000 in mid Suffolk than Cornwall/scilly Isles only by 1 though. I hope it stays this way. But I fear cases soaring after Christmas.

Testing at UEA just subject of an interview on the BBC news channel. 3500 bookings so far - which actually with 17000 students and 2 tests each is not much more than a 10% take up so far with the travel window opening later this week.

I’m not wholly convinced on the mass testing every student. Particularly those like all our DCs in year 2 or beyond and living off campus.

DS2’s limited f2f teaching ended a couple of weeks back and everything moved on line. His house, all the others are finalists, seem to have been really sensible about things. Beyond the occasional brief trip to library and food shopping have had no other interactions. Sounds like a house ban on bfs etc visiting has been agreed. So possibly more risk in queuing up to be tested than anything else. Different for those on campus / with any f2f classes still / with health sector placements. Although the interview suggested many of the final group have been making use of the testing that UEA have had in place since the start of term.

One lives in the next town to us and along with DS2 is mildly outraged about moving back to a very large and rural area that has been lumped into tier 3 area.

@boys3 yes I thought the same. Ds hasn't been on campus for several weeks. Then thousands of them descending on campus doesn't sound a good idea. But ds told me he's breaking the law if he's not tested. I told him he's not. He's booked weds and Saturday for his tests. Then he will come home Sunday. He has a car so will drive home.

@icanbewhatiwant, who on earth told your DS that he would be breaking the law if he didn't have the tests? I do hope that isn't the 'official line' at the University?

@MarchingFrogs goodness knows. He likes to be over dramatic. I suggested coming home without a test if they've only been at home through lockdown. He told me that he'd be breaking the law.

My year 2 DS has not even mentioned having a test. I think they have been fairly good in their house but obviously there have been trips to Aldi and the proper lockdown ends shortly so who knows what he will bring back with him. DS1 is on a hospital placement till the 18th so he will get one as a key worker. I am at the point where I just want them to come home, test or not.

I advised DS to have a test but given that he's going to be coming home on public transport, is there much point? Other than for peace of mind that he doesn't test positive and have to self-isolate. Again, he's been sensible and they've remained very much in their house-share bubble all term. He won't be coming home for another fortnight or so though.

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 I think the tests are only this week anyway. So probably no point if he's staying longer. If they aren't out socialising or going to lectures then probably no point. I said that to ds. I think my younger 2 dc's at school are more likely to bring it home.