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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

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

982 replies

MillicentMartha · 16/09/2020 10:34

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

OP posts:
Thread gallery
19
LIZS · 26/09/2020 14:31

Potentially, but nothing official has arrived yet and noone has told them to stay in. So she and some others have ventured out to food shop and one has headed home today.

MillicentMartha · 26/09/2020 15:05

Sorry to hear that LIZS. TBH I’m waiting for DS to be locked down as cases in Manchester are particularly high and Manchester Met have already had issues.

OP posts:
oneofthegiantsisme · 26/09/2020 15:18

It's interesting to read how different the experiences are at different universities - some are clearly dealing with this year's challenges much better than others.

Glad to hear that many young people are settling OK; for those who aren't, I hope they get there soon (in particular, thesunwillout, I feel your pain).

DS didn't settle well, and wasn't coping, so he's come home for safety's sake (he has MH issues). The Welfare team have been brilliant, are completely behind him, and we're hoping that we can get him back on track and he'll feel ready to go back in a few weeks, assuming they don't shut everything down! The aim is for him to study at home in the meantime so he doesn't get left behind - given that most learning is online anyway that should be feasible in the short term.

I have a completely different question - has anyone used a courier, or SendMyBag, or anyone else, to ship extra stuff off to a student? DD (now in her third year) left several of her bags behind (groceries from last year e.g. tins of tuna), and she's also had a few mail order packages delivered here, so I'd like to get them to her.

We'd thought about driving over to deliver them, but now that DH has been down to Exeter to fetch DS, it doesn't seem a great idea to risk spreading virus from one university to another. None of us have any reason to believe that we're infected, but there have been cases at Exeter, and of course there were motorway stops on the journey, so it just seems more sensible not to go anywhere for a few days.

Swarskid2184 · 26/09/2020 16:27

My DD’s flat mates had a party in their kitchen last night (Leeds-Central Village), with many others from different flats. DD stayed in her room as she has a stinking cold, but also worried that they are so flagrantly flouting rules. A friends DD at Cardiff got fined £100 each last night (all flat mates fined even if they weren’t in the kitchen when security arrived) for a similar party.....
....so agree that all university’s seem to be dealing with things differently!

Empra123 · 26/09/2020 17:29

@oneofthegiantsisme agree with brilliant Welfare at Exeter. They were hugely supportive for DD last year both before she started and once she was there. And then worked with her when she deferred. Now they have her back again as she's restarted

oneofthegiantsisme · 26/09/2020 17:32

That's good to hear, @Empra123, thanks.

LIZS · 26/09/2020 17:36

Seems as if full lockdown is off for now leaving much confusion!

specialted · 26/09/2020 17:45

Just dropped ds off at Lancaster . Very smooth process and lovely flat. Feel happy leaving him chatting to his 12 flat mates. Nice night away with dh now in Lake District . Will probs hit me tomorrow going back to empty house .

KingscoteStaff · 26/09/2020 17:52

Well done @specialted - 12 is a perfect number. The Lakes will be lovely - lucky you.

We are steaming up the M1, passing many cars containing 2 adults, 1 teenager and a clothes airer! Staying overnight, then up early for a 9am drop off at Durham.

Was considering sending him in with a crate of beers, but I don’t want to encourage illicit partying...

Monkey2001 · 26/09/2020 17:58

@oneofthegiantsisme

It's interesting to read how different the experiences are at different universities - some are clearly dealing with this year's challenges much better than others.

Glad to hear that many young people are settling OK; for those who aren't, I hope they get there soon (in particular, thesunwillout, I feel your pain).

DS didn't settle well, and wasn't coping, so he's come home for safety's sake (he has MH issues). The Welfare team have been brilliant, are completely behind him, and we're hoping that we can get him back on track and he'll feel ready to go back in a few weeks, assuming they don't shut everything down! The aim is for him to study at home in the meantime so he doesn't get left behind - given that most learning is online anyway that should be feasible in the short term.

I have a completely different question - has anyone used a courier, or SendMyBag, or anyone else, to ship extra stuff off to a student? DD (now in her third year) left several of her bags behind (groceries from last year e.g. tins of tuna), and she's also had a few mail order packages delivered here, so I'd like to get them to her.

We'd thought about driving over to deliver them, but now that DH has been down to Exeter to fetch DS, it doesn't seem a great idea to risk spreading virus from one university to another. None of us have any reason to believe that we're infected, but there have been cases at Exeter, and of course there were motorway stops on the journey, so it just seems more sensible not to go anywhere for a few days.

I sent a parcel to DS using parcel2go - was great, for under £5 I sent a box 60x30x30 weighing 5kg and it had on line tracking.
GaribaldiGirl · 26/09/2020 18:08

@LIZS my daughter is on the train home, which has many other escapee Edinburgh students on it.

Uni2020 · 26/09/2020 18:12

Really? My dd has just arrived at Pollock Halls this afternoon. I hope not everyone is leaving..! Garibaldigirl, could I ask what house your daughter is in?

LIZS · 26/09/2020 18:21

How so @GaribaldiGirl ? Is she ok? Dd think others will return on Monday when it all calms down. She has heard that someone due to move into the HH B block where the cases are has now been allocated a room in Chancellors instead.

DuckyMcDuck · 26/09/2020 18:45

Home from dropping DS at Warwick - 6 hour round trip so very tired.
I'm blaming tiredness for the fact I'm feeling very emotional and teary (very unlike me). I feel that I've lost him already Sad.

He seems to be having fun which is obviously the important thing so hoisting up my big girl pants!

Hope everyone else is doing better.

Monkey2001 · 26/09/2020 18:55

@LIZS

How so *@GaribaldiGirl* ? Is she ok? Dd think others will return on Monday when it all calms down. She has heard that someone due to move into the HH B block where the cases are has now been allocated a room in Chancellors instead.
Scottish students are not allowed to visit other households at the moment, they might be in trouble if they go for the weekend.

@GaribaldiGirl sorry to hear your DD needed to come home. Is she planning to try to go back soon?

GaribaldiGirl · 26/09/2020 18:58

@Uni2020 @LIZS
My daughter was in Chancellors, she’s done 2 weeks. We’re thinking maybe return when Covid restrictions have been lifted. We’re going to give up her room.
Uni2020 - does your DD know anyone there already?

LIZS · 26/09/2020 19:16

@Monkey2001 I know, but amid the chaos and confusion noone , including the warden and RAs, was stopping them leaving. Dd does not have that option for now, so has to stick it out.

LIZS · 26/09/2020 19:18

@GaribaldiGirl sorry to hear dd got so unhappy, hopefully she can return at a later point. I doubt she is the only one.

GaribaldiGirl · 26/09/2020 19:44

@LIZS - thanks. She loves the course but found the socially distanced hall environment truly awful and isolating. Hopefully back when restrictions lifted, whenever that might be....

Eve · 26/09/2020 20:02

@pasanda

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 Confused

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

DS is in Telford - his flat mates are seen very nice but quite quiet and the promised freshers events that were published yesterday don’t seem to be likely to happen.

He’s feeling a bit flat about it all.

CraftyGin · 26/09/2020 20:10

Just spoke to DD who is in Edinburgh (Economics).

She is completely chilled about the arrangements. She has one face to face seminar, and lectures are online. They had online lectures before COVID, so not a massive change. The central area is quiet, but well organised for social distancing. Everything has to be booked, but there is an app. Her big thing is that the society she is a treasurer of is not getting any new members, so she doesn’t have a lot to do.

My DD3 is a fresher at Swansea. I don’t get a lot out of her, apart to tell me she is in lockdown. According to her sister, she is very happy in her flat of 10. They watched Bake Off together, and went for a run on the on-site beach. A couple of her flat mates don’t know about washing up. Usual stuff. I think for her, freshers week started the Wednesday beforehand because of staggered check-ins, so it is almost 2 weeks before he actual start of classes.

You have to remember that homesickness is a massive part of being a fresher, Covid or not.

sammyjoanne · 26/09/2020 20:34

Dropped Daughter off today at Lancaster. Moving in really easy, although one of the fridges was not working and another had a missing shelf.
Daughter and her new next door neighbor reported, and sorted it within an hour. one not working was switched off at back, and the one without shelf had brand new fridge put in, bonus :) Couldn't quite connect her printer wirelessly as it kept registering our home address, but wired to laptop was ok. Did shopping, had a late lunch together, and left her to it :) She has got a meeting with principal via teams at dinner time, but now she should be taking part in shirt night. Few wobbles from us parents but she seemed pretty chilled about it. I just hope all those uni vlogs we been watching online for the past year has helped her to give insight to uni life and also helped her mentally prepare too :) I said before we left ''make sure you keep busy, make effort making friends in your flat, and also keep in contact with your physics friends you made on line this past few months, and go and smash it'' . Then hubby got all teary bless him :)

Oratory1 · 26/09/2020 20:42

Hearing a few on this thread and others moving into halls two weeks before lectures starting. Is that usual? Thinking that would be a long time in ‘normal times’ let alone in a pandemic.

CraftyGin · 26/09/2020 20:51

@Oratory1

Hearing a few on this thread and others moving into halls two weeks before lectures starting. Is that usual? Thinking that would be a long time in ‘normal times’ let alone in a pandemic.
Normally, they would move in the Saturday before Welcome/Freshers’ Week.

Because of COVID, arrivals in halls are staggered to avoid crowding, so most students will arrive early.

When DH took DD to Swansea, there was one student arrival per hour, so that parents did not mix.

It’s not unusual to have timed arrivals, but typically this is due to parking.

sammyjoanne · 26/09/2020 20:54

International students moved in halls (lancaster) on the 14th, and uk students 21st-26th. freshers week starts tonight,, and lessons start on the 5th of October. They did it staggered move in by each college and staggered move in slots so less people on campus.

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