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

@thesunwillout I’m so sorry it’s a struggle for your DD. Thought you might like to know, It’s a glorious morning here in Cardiff. The lovely outdoor spaces will be at their best. Lots of young people take socially distanced picnics to Bute Park or a wander down to the Bay and across the barrage to Penarth. Think that’s still allowed. DD spent most of the summer there, before she went off herself.

I do hope things improve for her soon. Student Services are up and running and quite good if she needs to use them or talk to someone about her worries.

@Shangrilala
Yes it was beautiful yesterday when I left.
I/we know Cardiff well.
I'll tell her about student services, she does have a mentor too.

Doesn't help that there's no heating in her halls, and noone on reception till Monday apparently.
Aberdare Halls.

Not posted but just read the whole thread!
Ds moving to Loughborough tomorrow.

Eve - hope it goes well for you and your dodgy ankle today. What hall is yr dc in? And can you direct me to the Facebook page you mentioned up thread please. I'm feeling pretty stressed - ds is SO laid back about it he hasn't even started packing yet

Sorry to hear of those who are struggling. It is a very weird time for them all.

Amid rumours of an imminent lockdown last night many have already left dd's hall of residence - to either go home, stay in a hotel overnight or bunk down with students living out for example. Some are still in isolation after arriving from overseas. Still confusion and uncertainty this morning so they can carry on as usual until formal confirmation is sent. Have advised dd to get some microwave meals in as catering for those isolating seems to sandwiches and salad. What a muddle which has backfired if the intention was to contain the virus.

@thesunwillout lots of people are struggling in the first few days, in normal times (remember those?), the first week is a social whirl. Do her lectures start on Monday? Suggesting a picnic to flatmates sounds like a great plan.

Hi there lectures start in two weeks.
Have spoken to her and she's got some sleep and has arranged to meet with a Friend.
The flat was going to go out on the town tonight but have decided against it as Cardiff will probably be rammed.
I'm very relieved that they're thinking sensibly and staying safe.
Thanks for replying x

@LIZS

What university? What's the thinking with the hotel stay?

LIZS Which uni? 😳

I've told my DS to go shopping this weekend and to stock up.

He's not loving it much, so far. Only lad in with 5 girls who have bonded over girlie nights out and Netflix...

He's quiet and a bit withdrawn and not great at making friends, but at least he says his course is okay.

I bet his Halls will empty at the first sign of lockdown! (London).

Edinburgh. I think those heading to a hotel were hoping to travel home today if the hall was locked down. There is no point giving notice as it just disperses potential infectees further, it needs to be decisive. Surely the uni should have had plans in place to avoid such chaos though. It seems the idea of locking them all down is from Public Health Scotland but the uni has to implement it.

@Miljea that is really unlucky. What were accommodation people doing putting 1 boy with lots of girls?! This year it is so important to get on with your household, I think all the universities need to accommodate swaps to make bubbles work better. They should have asked questions about things like whether people drink, what time they go to bed etc, what their interests were to match people likely to function will as bubbles

It looks like Lancaster has done better than any others on here by a significant margin so far.

Lockdown sounds so simple but I suspect that the universities have learnt from spring that the process is far from that. It's especially difficult to police when you have young adults you don't even know, who maybe haven't even registered with local health and mental health services. Covid isn't the only threat to life and well-being and students aren't the only spreaders. If people really want to flee and are willing to be fined, there's little they can do. We're not a police state. Yet.

Social restrictions are especially difficult for students who have been moved in so far in advance of the start of teaching. They can't really do any of the socialising and networking they'd have hoped to do in that sweet fortnight. It's tough. Hope they settle soon.

I think my DD is now happy she's in a female only large flat. Shared bathrooms though so if one goes down with anything contageous they'll all go.
Teaching starts on Monday. Hoping her registration is complete by then.
Book ordering online although she's been told by second years she probably won't need them.
@pasanda is it wiwikau you're looking for? www.facebook.com/groups/488235648182391/?ref=share

LIZS, my dd is on her way to Edinburgh now! She missed the past two weeks due to health reasons (not Coronavirus related!) and is really looking forward to it! Hopefully her hall won't be in lock down. Do you know which hall is affected?

Well we're in the car on our way oop north. Staying in Darlington overnight before our 10am slot at Durham tomorrow. Amazingly DS and I got everything packed into the car without arguing (although he was about to load his huge printer and I said there really isn't room and he doesn't need it!!) He has the strangest collection of stuff - I suspect t he's hoping to reinvent himself as something we won't recognise by the time he comes home at Christmas

Trying really hard not to think about lockdowns etc, I will be getting him some shopping in tomorrow when we know how much space he has in the kitchen. He has cards and games and Netflix and books so 🤞 won't be bored

It’s all packed, but will it fit in the car? Terf, DS says he’s planning to reinvent himself as a ‘shirt person’, but I notice that since I mentioned IRONING, he has packed 14 tshirts!

@Uni2020 the most recent cases are in Holland House block B and there have been others in other Pollock halls already. It has ironically meant she met more people from her corridor yesterday than in previous two weeks.

@LIZS - do you know if there is more than one case in Holland House which is why they might quarantine the whole block? My DS is in Turner and when they had a suspected case in the first couple of days, only his"household" had to quarantine - 12 of them. Luckily the test result was negative so they "released" then after 2 days. During that two day period though catering forgot to bring them food on two occasions so they went hungry 😐

Good luck Terf jnr. I'm looking forward to updates.

Think it might be 2 or 3. The "household" definition has been problematic all along. Defined originally as by pantry group but in practice there is no separation of each of these along the corridor. Even to exit the building the route is circuitous and you have to pass through others'. So isolating by pantry was never really practical. The blocks are separate, but share common room, laundry and entrance to dining. Also they have had fire alarm issues and noone has enforced social distance outside while they wait to reenter the building.

Bbc have picked it up, although not true HH is fully locked down yet

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-54307846

@LIZS Do you know if they thinking of locking down the entire Pollock Halls complex? Or just Holland House?

@KingscoteStaff

It’s all packed, but will it fit in the car? Terf, DS says he’s planning to reinvent himself as a ‘shirt person’, but I notice that since I mentioned IRONING, he has packed 14 tshirts!

Love it!

At St Andrews, in the catered halls, they have said that they will trace anybody who ate at the same time as anybody who tests positive, so initially the bubble is locked down whilst test results are awaited. If positive, they contact anybody who was in the dining hall within half an hour of the positive person scanning in for a meal. It seems to me that one positive result could result in half the hall isolating.

Spoke with DD last night. Nobody else has moved into the 3 person flat she is in, private halls yet. So she has two bathrooms and a kitchen to herself. I’m worried she will be isolated & lonely. Uni starts for her on Monday.

@Uni2020 only hh afaik

Thanks LIZS. Is your dd affected? Hope she's ok!