University 2020 :9: And they're off, making hay while the sun shines.

[MillicentMartha]

New thread, trying to be upbeat!

Old thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/3996883-University-2020-8-Use-the-CAGs-don-t-use-the-CAGs?pg=40

@Monkey2001: Thank you I will pass on to DD who will be delighted as she has already spent her wages this week!

@specialted You can't send photos on the in box here, nor can you on TSR, If you cant see it here on the thread the link is here for next week www.facebook.com/GrizedaleCollege/posts/3340329242749217

That is such a creative response to the challenge to organise a fresher experience which meets the rules. Well done Lancaster Student Union! Looks like St Andrews may be firmly knocked out of top spot for student experience!

@sammyjoanne thank you for this!

County College have a similar take on Freshers week. It seems very well planned.

DD is day 6 in Leeds- and is feeling pretty miserable, but mainly because she has an absolutely stinking cold!
She is anxious about Leeds going into local lockdown and also the prospect of being made to stay there for Christmas (not going to happen)

@Swarskid2184 - just spoken to DS, also a bit fed up, but shrugging off the local lockdown of not visiting other households as that is how they are living anyway. I guess it would be a bigger deal if you are not a fresher and living in a house.

This whole Covid blame game being placed on students is really starting to wind me up. And don’t get me started on Christmas - I reckon that’s a classic government smoke and mirrors to distract us from something else.

@Monkey2001 yeah they have done really well , from Instagram challenges and treasure hunts, its all done covid secure :)

@choirmumoftwo I saw on the county college page on fb, it looks pretty good. quiz night, lock down legends :)

@Swarskid2184 I think all students are taking a risk of the lockdown at the moment. Ive said to daughter to always make sure shes got a few days food in thats longlife, just in case. So soups, tins and that :) So if lockdown does occur, they can order from supermarket on line and have a few days grace incase theres a back log for deliveries. Aww i'm sure once the learning part starts, it will help fill up the time a bit so shes not feeling too miserable. And hope she gets better soon :)

Challenge buy for freshers week was accepted and I felt like one of those apprentices on the episode where they have to buy weird and wacky things off a list.
So we got UV face paint, this t-shirt which is truly awful, a mesh top which is neon green. neon yellow hat, giraffe headband and tail and a red riding hood costume.

Last night tonight before move in day. Saw a video on grizedale fb page about where to collect keys and that and from that vid, learned that standard accommodation moved in today as well as ensuite today. So will be townhouses tomorrow.

Two more big uni cities now in lockdown - Swansea and Cardiff. It is really hard for these kids, as if leaving home and living with half a dozen strangers wasn't hard enough.

Ah, but it’s still better than being locked down at home with only parents or siblings for company. We’re looking on the bright side where possible. DS has been out a couple of times with his flat mates and has done some proper cooking for himself. It could be a lot worse.

I definitely agree DD is hoping that those foolish enough to break the guidelines haven't ruined it for those still to start. She will be happy to stare at 4 walls or sit in a socially distanced dining room, as long as they are different walls and she's not at home eating still eating with us. The "woe is me" attitude on some threads gives the impression that parents were expecting the usual round of toga parties and pub crawls on an alternative universe outside of the Coronavirus world we're now stuck with.

I do think it depends on the University though. Accommodation in massive halls with 12 people sharing 6 showers a small kitchen and no external cleaners and no f2f teaching and no adults in halls at all is very different to places with college communities, porters , pastoral teams and the resources to fund small group teaching .

@Peaseblossom22

I do think it depends on the University though. Accommodation in massive halls with 12 people sharing 6 showers a small kitchen and no external cleaners and no f2f teaching and no adults in halls at all is very different to places with college communities, porters , pastoral teams and the resources to fund small group teaching .

Is 12 people sharing 6 showers really a bad ratio?

It’s not great if 6 of the 12 are Covid positive and in the flat in Glasgow on the news they had 4 between 12 I think. And also not good if mixed sex and people are not cleaning properly . If you are in an Oxbridge ( or Durham or similar) College with cleaners and caterers and an in-house pastoral system then it’s not going to feel so bad and Covid might be more containable .

I’d rather they were sharing with 12 than with 3 or 4, TBH. Much more sociable. And DS is sharing a shower with 3 others quite happily.

I was just trying to demonstrate how from an infection control point of view Cramped accommodation is a nightmare . You don’t need parties just people sharing bathrooms

I know, but perhaps we can keep the doom and gloom to the other thread on a Higher Ed?

Oh I’m sorry . 🙁

Watching a good movie. Daughters choice, Planes trains and automobiles, classic :)

Car Tetris done for tomorrow morning! Then we realised we'd not packed two guitars and an amp!!! Will have to have them on my knee!!

Well it has happened someone in DS flat has tested positive so they have all been instructed to isolate for 14 days. Think he is most upset about missing face to face sessions to meet people on his course next week. Also worried about not being able to use the laundry.

@specialted oh no there's always something. We have everything in the front room at the moment, and will put in the car in the morning. We have got the boxes set up as they would be in the car, and I think I'm going to have to have her tripod in the front with me and cushions. Hubby is shaking his head, wondering how we are going to do it lol.

Having a debate with dh as to whether a fruit bowl is an essential item. It's not like it takes up a lot of room in the car!

Geog there was a bit on the news (self filmed) about a group of self isolating students. One of them was doing their laundry in the bath.

@geogteach hope ds is ok