University life for our soon to be Year 2 undergrads (2019 intake): social bubbles (bursting?), the new normal and hopefully no second wave

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

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placemarking

I've just posted on the old thread but i think the news re Glasgow is fake - according to their website this morning term will begin in September as usual.
www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/news/coronavirus/updatearchive/headline_725158_en.html
DD is a current student about to go into final year and is in Glasgow at the moment

So glad for those at Glasgow the January date was fake news. DD was concerned as she's at Edinburgh.

It'd be really hard for DD to live in a bubble with her course mates. As part of the course, they have to study another subject that connects to their chosen subject. Also, during the first two years, they have to study two modules from other subjects, so DD is basically studying Sustainable Development, International Relations, Music and Philosophy - I think it'd be hard to find someone doing the same subject and wanting to do the same modules in the latter two.

DD is now saying she's not going back in September if it's all online lectures (can do this at home) and a few face to face tutorials. She'll be paying extortionate rent for nothing, but can continue working in her summer job for as long as she wants.

If you read all the way down the link I posted some taught postgrad courses are offering the option of a January start date. There is no mention of "bubbles" on the Glasgow website and there hasn't been in any communciation dd has received.

Signing in!

Mines looking forward to returning to Durham in September . At present online lectures with some F2F ( face to face ) teaching is the plan .

I think it looks as if the universities are all taking a 'pick and mix' approach to how they are managing the upcoming academic year. In a way it's good that they have the autonomy to do so.

Thanks for the new thread!

Its hard to imagine how things will pan out. Ive got one going into second year and one starting. The second year one, is moving into her new flat in Leeds July 1st !

Dd also saying she doesn’t think she will return in Sept. she’s doing architecture so feels she needs studio contact time. She reckons she’s had no information about whether stuff will be online or face to face.

Thanks @NewModelArmyMayhem18 for the new thread. How is everyone? DS not really bothered either way about returning..but he WILL return! did you all get end of yr 1 results? I can't remember whether I got one back in the day. Do the students get an end of yr appraisal of some sort? DS said he had an 'optional' exam, which he did and had a load of coursework but no feedback yet.

DS was hoping to neatly segue moving his 'abandoned' kit into his year two accommodation but that's not happening. He has two months to wait until his Year 2 accommodation contract kicks in.

DS got a first in his Human Geography module but not sure about other modules yet. HG is his thing though.

Well done to your ds @New.

Thanks @Shimy. I am not convinced he will have aced the other modules of his first year though. Hopefully, once he gets more HG oriented (only a small % of his geography cohort are on the 'human' side) he will get increasingly enthused!

DD doesn't know when she will get her end of year results.

Isn't it usually the beginning of July (from my very distant past)?

July will be good. Then we'll do GCSEs next with DS2 in August.

Dd always got her results very quickly but her exams were mainly multiple choice questions which probably didn’t take too long to mark (or were marked electronically). Ds is vague about when he might get his results (which is normal for him!)

Just checking in, thanks for the new thread.

thats ok DS - just tell us at 9pm that the first rent payment is due for your private accommodation..

I hadn’t realise he’s the lead tenant so only one payment to the landlord. They’re all individual guarantors though. And with one dropping out I hope they’ll be able to get payments to him on time, and he can keep track.. I suggested he open a separate account to avoid it messing up his budgeting/living expenses

Thanks for new thread. DD has been told to expect a mix of online and F2F but no details of how. Her house tenancy begins in September and she can’t wait to escape. It’s very hard to see how bubbles could be policed for 2nd years and beyond - even if the academic timetable could be rejigged, socially and financially they are already committed to house groups and friendships outside their houses?

Hi all! I cannot see how social bubbles will work at all

@bengalcat, DS is also looking forward to returning to Durham!

I can see how they might try bubbles of students in the same course for new starters (although masses of what ifs: what if one of them can’t afford the assigned accommodation, what if there are serious problems between the students, where would they be moved to, what if one of the students needs or wants a “quiet” flat due to religious or health reasons etc etc). However for our 2nd years moving off campus to share with friends on all sorts of courses, probably going in and out of campus on buses it’s impossible, impractical and I believe totally unnecessary. All students need to be able to exercise their own common sense, observe social distancing etc within whatever the advice will be in September and get on with their lives

Let’s hope the virus soon fizzles out, because .... students...social distancing? “not gonna happen!”