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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My DD has made no effort to find work either. Normally she would go back to her old part-time job she had whilst at 6th form but it's a kind of hospitality role so of course is closed.

I think she's quite happy with the remains of her loan in her bank and living expenses free back here

DD spends an hour a week plus a bit of prep time tutoring for CTI, but otherwise is occasionally going out to meet friends at the beach /in a park and acquainting herself with years' worth of Criminal Minds, Grey's Anatomy (and my least favourite in absolutely no particular order, Veep, 30 Rock and something called Community).

Oh god yes, don't get me started on DD's binge-watching.

I remember a day, months ago, where I actually had access to a TV on which to watch things....not anymore!

I'm not sure sudden lockdown (and having all that extra cash floating around due to not having to pay their summer term rent - for the majority) has done any favours in motivating some to find paid work.

Yes, life is so hard when you're nineteen, eating your parents out of ouse and home, living the chilled life .

DD does have all her May loan but there’s July and August’s rent to pay on an empty house(we’ll pay half) and I think the job is as much to alleviate boredom as it is to earn.

DS has been looking for a job a bit, and has been doing a few jobs for his gfs dad. I think he is a bit bored now

Exactly the same here @NewModelArmyMayhem18 ... DS not looking for work .. will be living the dream when the gym re opens ... he better get some paid employment next summer !!

@Alicatz66 I said that to DS for this summer! There's still time but...

Spot on NewModel - why would any of our DC want to get a job with so much extra cash floating around and all living expenses paid for! We are making good use of DS for cooking and cleaning so can't really complain.

DS tells me he's given up looking for a job in London. He's decided to apply for jobs in Durham for when he returns in mid August. I doubt there'll be much to apply for. He's looking forward to joining a big gym in Durham city centre close to his new house.

A DS that cooks and cleans! Wanna swap? To be fair my DS cooks for himself and his gf, but not for us. He has been known to go up to his room with a vacuum cleaner but doesn't do too good a job.

DD has cooked several meals since she came home. DH and I can relax with a preprandial glass of something until dinner is served. She enjoys cooking and is an excellent cook, and baker.

Ds is an excellent baker and has been baking regularly since he came back, much to our delight. I think he is nervous of mixing with people again, he hasn’t met up with any school friends yet & was not keen when I suggested going to a local shop to get him some new clothes (birthday coming up soon).

However his older sister has had a holiday job in a local pub for a couple of years & he seemed interested when she told him they may need extra staff if they reopen over the summer...

We haven't pushed DS to even look for a job as we weren't comfortable doing that if it wasn't necessary due to COVID etc.

DS couldn't find a job immediately so set up a car wash 'business' , actually did quite well to my surprise. He's now found a job in a factory, 8am - 6pm, came home after his first day and said he'd never worked so hard in his life!! It's a four week contract and he could earn over £1600, not bad for a student and more than I earn in a month. He's more interested in getting back to his pub job that he had last summer so hopefully that might be an option soon.

What is the procedure for next years loan, should DS be sent a reminder or do we just log into the Student Finance account?

How do some teenagers even get accepted to Uni .... just looked on the Student Finance website & it clearly says 'continuing students need to apply by 30th June' !!

@Ragwort The reminders probably are sent by email. Ime teenagers don’t look at their emails regularly unless promoted!

Decorhate you are quite right, I asked my DS if he'd had a reminder and he looked and said 'oh yes, in May' , all those weeks when he was doing nothing studying on line and I was furloughed we would have had plenty of time to do it ..... grrrrrrr !!

Got further confirmation about NTU going back, which was reassuring as my DS is desperate to go back. He is looking hard for work, but not finding anything, so grateful for any suggestions for jobs in London.

Congrats Rags on your DS's excellent business skills.

We did this ages ago but only because I saw something about next year's student finance on the earlier version of this thread. My DS gets such a lot of rubbish on his email that anything important is quickly buried. I am worried about this term's rent, though, that he was told he would have to pay and still hasn't, as we were disputing it. I hope he hasn't spent it all.

Thanks Mine - good business skills but no common sense .

No job here either (plenty of last terms loan remaining!) but starting studying as Liverpool first year exams deferred till September which she is not chuffed about just as lockdown easing! And no idea how they will deal with any required retakes.....

@Ragwort, good on your DS getting a job in a factory. That will be a good bit of RL learning!
My DS has landed a days garden labouring. In this heat and has his DBS through so is hoping he might be able to get some TA work at some point. He sometimes cooks, but the kitchen is a bomb site after

Student Finance form completed ... took all of 10 minutes .

Our 2 did the student finance forms last week and we also finally got approved as gaurentors for DS1 2nd year house.
We had to fill in forms about our earning etc, and the company contacted my husbands work to get references, for DS2 we just had to sign a form, no proof of earning or references needed.
Anyway glad it’s all sorted.
It looks like DS2 house has to be paid for from mid August, but they can’t move in till mid September, I presume that’s to allow landlord to sort out house after the current students leave?

It's a bit rubbish though to have to pay full rent if they can't move in until mid September @Itscoldouthere. They should try to negotiate to pay half-rent for that month. The landlord should be bearing the brunt of the upset caused by COVID-19 not the students in this case. Surely if you are paying full rent you should have the right to move in whenever you want?