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

@Ironoaks That is full on if its more than 4 alevels. DD did 4 and that was tough enough. She did look at Cambridge for Astrophysics and she had to do 2 years of natural sciences to get to that for 3rd year. So she did the Oxford route for physics, but got as far as the interview stage. Her friend is at Cambridge and loving it, and hopefully one day when these restrictions are lifted somewhat she will be able to visit Cambridge. :)
@Sostenueto Wow neuroscience and psychology fair play, thats amazing :)

@Sostenueto

Workload massive Dgd says. She's been working on computer code all day. ( She has never done CS but has to use computer code as part of research methods). Only just finished learning about one code in particular!! Funny how unis assume u know these things b4 u go to uni!

DD has to do that too at some point. its Matlab and Python and Atlas. She hasnt done computer studies since year 9 so its a whole new thing to take on board.

Thanks sammyjoanne. Think all our DC amazing!

Name chanted for this.
But here’s a podcast made by my son about settling into university in strange times.

audioboom.com/posts/7708044-the-student-lowdown-episode-1-settling-in

@Unimoom listened to some of this. liked when they compared themselves to being on 'take me out' lol. its great. The more information about uni and how settle in is really beneficial; some that are struggling would find that really helpful :)

Ds sent a message last week asking how to get an inhaler. He only uses one when he exercises in cold air but as he has taken up running since coming out of lockdown he found he needed one. Got it sorted today but mentioned to doctor he had a sore knee and was told to drop running so not sure he'll need the inhaler!
Ds is studying Arabic and international relations, he has no face to face sessions at the moment which is tough with a new language and he has met nobody from his course.

Oooh thats interesting geogteach, Arabic. Shame he not met anyone thats on his course. Has he made other friends doing different things like at societies and that?

Long chat with DD tonight left me feeling so sad for them, so different to my uni experience. All online lectures, only one seminar so far and that was on zoom with most students cameras off. Has literally not met one member of the law department or even been on campus to my knowledge. No common room, no gym, bar by prebooking only. Paying 9k a year for a totally substandard learning experience. Why is no one ringjng them or speaking to them one to one to see if they are okay? If they are coping? If they need any support. It's truly awful, but what's the alternative? If she was at home she'd be alone in the house all day and only her parents for company in the evening. Such a crap situation for an entire generation. I feel truly pissed off for them.

@tinkywinkyshandbag it is a rock and hard place scenario. After the 7 months off since march, shes just happy to be learning again.

@tinkywinkyshandbag that's sad to hear - which uni is your DD at? My DD is reading Law too. Has been in iso for two weeks and everything online but now she's out she's back to lectures online, a weekly seminar face to face and library sessions with others on her course...

Could she.change accommodation Tinky? I know that a large bubble (ds has 12, but even six would do) solves the socialising problem. Ds gets no individual support or advice from the academic dept, but he does like the academic work. The main thing is that he can go for walks or to a cafe with some other students, whether it is on campus or not. He is in a level 3 area but there still are ways to socialise.
But if he hadnt been in a large bubble it would have been v difficult, I agree.
No one should be forced to stay in the wrong accommodation, there are waiting lists too if nothing immediately available.

There should also be support through the pastoral side,the official student support services. Could you try on her behalf? I know that they seemed to have changed the protocols so you can report if you are concerned about someone and signpost them to right part of the pastoral care system. I know we arent meant to meddle but I think this is a.v new situation that parents and friends cannot visit, or give them a weekend away. There is no shame in finding out whether there is something thst shouldnt have been done and hasnt.

I talked earlier with ds1, in his third year, in a complete tizz about self isolating where was he going to get food etc (flatmate tested positive) no idea how to get a supermarket delivery etc, had to talk him through the page on self isolating, where to get stuff, how easy it was to get stuff etc etc. I totally understand how quickly.it all falls apart when they lose confidence, but sometimes it needs gentle prods to remind what can still be possible.

Ds2 (in first year) is enjoying it, and enjoying his (online lectures). Most of the freshers I know are enjoying themselves too, new city, interesting study, new faces. So it isnt universally a substandard experience, though of course there are many many experiences ds2 is missing out on. Particularily day trips to Manchester, and theatre, football matches, having his friends visit, clubbing..

Thanks all she's actually coping pretty well and has made some friends, has a relatively large bubble so she's not as badly off as some and yes they've managed a couple of pub nights etc but she is disappointed at the academic side. Her younger sister is at a FE college and they are managing classroom sessions mixed with online, in small groups but it seems to be working well, not sure why unis can't manage it. It just all seems a bit crap for 9k a year plus 7k for accommodation.

I think the answer is that the infection rate amongst uni students, partly because the shared households are so much larger than most families back home, is inevitably higher, explosive even. Dd is at a FE college, same age (twin) as ds2, not a recluse, but there has been not the same explosion of cases as ds2 is experiencing. Household transmission is a fact, it isnt the parties or lack of distancing elsewhere. You need just one person to infect 11 others, and that 1 might be being perfectly sensible. Dd has f2f , public transport and online and time on campus but, she lives at hom with dh, me and the dog. So it is safer for the lecturers I reckon.

I did think that about lancaster. Like the faraday lecture theater can house about 200 normally, but 50-60 safely. so i cant understand why they cant do the seminar groups in there? It would be more face to face teaching, rather than just the labs. Even maybe societies use it too? They could even have a mask on.

Ds has seminars in a big lecture theatre, about 10 of them in there I think. For history. Which is great .

@specialted thats great, it gives a nice change of scenery :) DD wishes she had that, its just labs in person once a fortnight, so she goes to the library. They bagged a free Angels meal at the end of isolation next Monday. Her flat mates birthday was last friday and Angels and the flat mate follow each other on on instagram, so shes happy shes got that to look forward to. Still doing ok, not too much cabin fever. They been sitting on the patio at the back of the townhouse to make sure they get a bit of outside in.

One of the problems with F2F tutorials is that if a significant number in the group are self isolating, they can't attend. If on line, all have equal access so it is easier for the tutors to ensure everybody has been taught the content.

Hope you are all content with the mental health of your students. There was a student death in Bristol on Sunday (3rd year medic) which looks like a suicide. I had a chat with DS and he says they are well looked after at St Andrews. One of his friends knew the boy in Manchester who committed suicide 2 weeks ago and there was another in Coventry last week. It is so important to make sure our DC can contextualise any problems they are having.

Very variable experiences amongst our dc. Thankfully DS seems happy and settled. He has a big workload, 3 hrs per day lectures (on line) and another 3 or4 problem sheets or preparation for tutorials which are still face to face. He had joined a local gym and is still managing to get out most days. Its probably just a matter of time before he needs to self isolate but he hasn't had to face this yet.

Missed out that he is studying Maths!

DS has always been quite mentally resilient, but starting university is challenging at the best of times (which these aren't) so I do check in on his wellbeing and regularly reinforce the message that he should tell someone if he is struggling.

He says he feels he is managing well; thankfully he has not had to self-isolate, and he tries to get some outdoor exercise most days which he says helps. Importantly, he is aware of several sources of support if he is struggling. He also knows to be aware of how his peers are doing, and reach out to them if he is concerned.

Your right Ironoaks, It is a big thing starting uni. More independent learning, moving out of home, having to make friends, looking after yourselve more ie washing and cooking and cleaning. During the lockdown I face time DD 3 times a week, just to make sure shes ok.

@HuaShan glad your DC is settled and happy :) maths is pretty full on. DD does physics and particle physics, so her first years, half of it is maths based, so vectors and calculus matrices etc. lucky hes not in self isolation though, quite a few have DC on mumsnet that have. DD just counting the last 4 days till freedom.