University experience is awful at the moment

[Cupcakke]

DD moved into university on Saturday. The rules are very stringent, both campus bars are closed, the university library has very little capacity and the restaurant is take away only. There are virtually no freshers events in person.

Her flat mates are very shy and not very social and she is in a small flat.

Large gatherings keep occurring but the penalty for this is very severe so DD very cautious not to attend these.

She is essentially watching Netflix in her room. I fear for the loneliness. The online events she has attended are poorly attended and just very boring.

Teaching starts next week and her In person contact hours are just 4 hours a week.

Anyone else’s dc thinking this years university experience is non existent.

I am so confused by all these posts.

Surely they have set up WhatsApp groups with their subject and with the residents of their halls? If not, why not? Why haven't they arranged their own meet ups? Knocked at everyone's doors suggesting they meet?

Life is what you make it. I would be cross if my child said they were sitting in their bedroom....but cross at them not the Uni

@paprikasausage assume you don't have a first year ? Because what you suggest is against the rules at most Unis. No mixing of bubbles.

@paprikasausage

Risk of violating rules and getting a £100 fine and after two occasions of rule breaking off the course?

paprika students are being told that breaking university rules could result in fines and sanctions.

Not suggesting a full on party.
I am suggesting meeting for coffee.
Going for a drink with a couple of people.
Walking
Going to the supermarket
Playing a virtual game
Going on a zoom pub crawl
Stuff over and above sitting in their room.

Surely they have set up WhatsApp groups with their subject and with the residents of their halls? If not, why not?

I don't think you can have 200 people on a Whatsapp group - that's how many 1st years we have.

Another question - would your student children want to learn to cook as a tutor group by watching e.g. a YouTube channel?

I'm also going to highlight to them the sorts of activities that they ARE allowed to do e.g. gym, swimming pool, the kinds of clubs that may be running e.g. outdoor sports, dance.

If Matt Hancock thinks that students cannot come home for xmas he is in for a bigger financial shock for the economy because there is always attrition post xmas students not returning he is exacerbating this.

The sensible thing to do is testing students either before they leave or when they get home. I am happy to get DS tested when he gets home or he can get one before he leaves.

Personally I think covid will tear through halls, DS almost certainly had it at end of February beginning of March before lockdown as did many others.

DS is in a flat of 7 two chinese one israeli, two flats in his halls were locked down this week covid, it will spread. Reading Leeds media their figures have gone through the roof re positive tests.

Forgot to answer @mumsneedwine question - yes I do have a fresher...,who is on several WhatsApp groups. Arranged someone to train with prior to starting (daily run and they have brought their own free weights from home - similar sport).
Arranged a 'cocktail party' with the staircase for arrival day. Nibbles, drinks and getting dressed up as though they were going out .
One of the staircase has arranged a drink and meal in a local bar and booked a table.
There's also a virtual freshers fair, a virtual getting to know your course event, a zoom meet your tutor...all of which alleviate the boredom. Several societies joined even though they are currently on line.
Oh, and there's a fair bit of pre reading to be done!!
As far as I know none of this is prohibited unless I have been misinformed?
Like I say, life is what you make it.

Having just come to the end of a MSc course that went on lockdown in March and had to move to virtual I really had to learn how to make the online system work. I have just delivered eldest DD to a Uni a couple of hours away its unclear what if any learning will be offered F2F.

The things that really worked for me were tutors who could adapt to the online platform - playing music as people logged in so it had a different energy to people silently logging in. Being very explicit about expectations and understandings - so laying out if cameras are required or if there is a choice; acknowledging that this type of platform tires you in a different way so being explicit about comfort breaks and when they will happen. Encouraging the use of the Questions process and not being dismissive of anyone being brave enough to ask one - fostering a culture of safety to engage.

When using break out rooms - being more directive - ie having a set of questions people can work with; encouraging each group to nominate a facilitator (with the understanding that everyone will take these roles as the course progresses) guiding the facilitator role to keep time, invite each participant to be part of the discussion, use the questions to help shape the discussion; negotiate with the group how they are going to feed back.

Use of Whatsapp groups and email groups so that students can share reading articles and debate learning. Encourage a proactive opportunity for people to share some appropriate personal information so there is more human connection - such as hobbies when not in lock down; skills they hold and might be willing to share - recipes.

Academic skill teaching - so how to search journals; how to read articles critically; essay writing; doing research.

University has always been about learning as well as the social aspect so if we can shift the culture that all the fun is in year 1 and then the academic work happens at the end - perhaps the reframe is that developing good learning and study skills in this time of restriction means there can be more space for social development in 6-12 months time when hopefully we will be in a very different place with this pandemic.

It really is a thoroughly difficult experience for everyone but we have to be as creative as possible to find ways through it.

"Personally I think covid will tear through halls, DS almost certainly had it at end of February beginning of March before lockdown as did many others."

Precisely - we saw this in US unis when they reopened, so no surprise it's happening here already. There are currently over a thousand students in Scotland self-isolating - can they only stop when no-one in their hall tests positive?

Paprika I get what you are saying but the issue is - why would they bother to do that at uni for months on end? In small flats in many cases. At home there’s more freedom, more established friendships and doesn’t cost them accom fees. It doesn’t make sense to many. I think we will have drop outs mid-term and at Xmas. If unis don’t take more action it will have a financial impact on them too.

Clarification on househokd mixing from the Scottish government

Ok. But if you're a single parent, or live alone, presumably the student (adult child) could be your supporting household and could then stay with you?

Personally if it gets so bad and my dc is miserable then they will come home for mental health reasons. We are very fortunate that they can if needs be have a separate bathroom and sitting room for 2 weeks. Before they come home for Christmas test them before they leave. I have never ever broken the law but I would face the consequences for the emotional health of my children. I feel those in charge have all lost the plot.

I can see that if both households are in Scotland that would be true, but surely they can't prevent students leaving the country?

I'd feel a bit panicky at a 'ban' on going home, and I'm well-settled in my university city.

Sympathies OP (and others) that such a significant time in your daughter’s life has to be so compromised. I work in a sixth form college - not the same type of life change as uni I know, but still feel conscious that our new students are having a bit of a quiet, isolated experience rather than the usual buzz.

It does seem a bit stupid to say you can't see students outside your bubble at uni when you can legally meet freely with friends outside uni (up to the maximum of 6).

So if my son lives at home, he can go and meet friends in the park.

But if he lives in halls, he can't? Very logical.

My heart breaks for the Freshers. Starting uni is challenging enough without all this.

To those saying they should have deferred, I'd probably agree to an extent but the trouble is it's not like there are many other options! It's hardly a gap year experience of travelling or internships or even a job necessarily!

@paprikasausage I'm intrigued how your child got the phone numbers for everyone on his or her course... I'm a doctoral student and at my uni that isn't allowed to be given out? It would be impossible for us to make a WhatsApp group unless we met them in person to get contact details and we wouldn't know where to find them if everyone's stuck in their halls rather than in lectures! It might be different at different unis but with data protection I'd be surprised at a uni giving students a list of every students mobile number on their course to make a WhatsApp group! Halls obviously different but if your flat only has 4 people in it, that's kind of what you're limited to! I know a lot of unis are working hard trying to make it a less dreadful experience but their hands are tied by current restrictions. Socially distanced events like outdoor cinema aren't a bad idea but won't help with meeting people. And any social mixers will never be socially distanced properly. From Monday you can't even have more than 15 at a wedding... Unis do have to follow the restrictions too!

That said, as a teacher I find it frustrating that it's apparently fine for a class of 20 A Level students to sit in a classroom together, mask free, not socially distanced, but not for students one year older at uni to do the same.... It's either safe or it's not!

University can be quite isolating at the best of times so I do fear or students' mental health. And, over winter, unhealthy eating habits is the other thing I expect to see (the fresher fourteen is notorious even in normal life!). Throwing themselves into their studies and exercise (running outdoors?) is probably how I'd try to cope in their position if didn't choose to defer. I'd be tempted to go home though... And either study from home or defer and start afresh :(

surrey
The kids are all making contact through FB groups and whatsapp and snapchat groups
its easy for them to build a group a couple of people at a time

it is INSANE that they are being prevented to socialise on campus
as that will encourage them to socialise OFF campus
which increases the risk to EVERYBODY

Surreygirl I left a zoom lecture but left it open for students to share contact details in the chat if they wished. Certainly I can't give their numbers out but I'll let them give them to each other.

Worstofbothworlds students can access film and tv for free if your uni has Learning on Screen and Mubi was doing a free student sub.

I really do encourage you all to encourage your student offspring to work out what they can do for themselves. We just don't have the staff to organise things for them socially- most unis have cut staff over the summer and redesigning things to go online is crazily time consuming. We are doing our best and most of us care hugely - but we are also human, with limits, and are exhausted. I have MA students who handed in last week and the new ones started yesterday, so I have had students all summer. If I have to choose between lecture planning and social planning I'll have to choose the lecture!

@surreygirl1987 - no it didn't work like that.
Uni Facebook page.
Led to halls page
Led to WhatsApp group (incl checking each other out on Instagrams)
Led to check in times leading to staircase

Course WhatsApp - not sure!

That is so hard and thinking back so different to what we enjoyed

@Stationclare - honestly, in your DS's situation, frustrating though it is, I'd suggest he defers again. It is tough out there for freshers this year. They are more isolated, lonely and confused than normal. There is not a lot of support in some unis (can't speak for all) because, apart from security staff there are just no bloody adults around! It's all online. He deserves a better second try than anything this year could offer him. You can do a degree at any point in your life. Now is not the time for someone trying to relaunch themselves at uni.

I'm only backing DC doing it because they are ready to leave home. They'd rather be in a poky, dim flat, sneaking illicit coffees with people from other flats and wandering the empty city streets, learning online but being independent than spend yet another lockdown year milling around with their parents for company. I admire them for that but if they change their minds, I won't blink. There's always next year. Uni shouldn't be a miserable endurance test. It should be an adventure.

Universities have been greedy and not thought about their students here. The freshers stuck in their rooms could have been at home and I could have saved a fortune in accommodation.

@MrsMcMuffins just said the same on another thread we as parents have been effectively defrauded of our hard earned money and our kids miss sold the uni experience.