University 2020 :10: Empty nests warm vests and covid tests: uni parents 2020

[sammyjoanne]

Carry on from MilicentMartha's University 9 thead
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/a4025020-University-2020-9-And-theyre-off-making-hay-while-the-sun-shines?msgid=101075411#101075411

Newcastle University moves to online teaching for the rest of the semester: twitter.com/NewcastleUniUCU/status/1319010758622064642?s=19

@JugglingFromHereToThere what a lovely NORMAL post! Great to hear that students are making the best of things. Was interested to see that on WIWIKAU the vast majority of students would prefer to stay on campus even though it is not what it would be in normal times.

Thanks monkey
Yes, is lovely to see him for a bit, I'm very lucky.
Meanwhile DD in her final year in Swansea is quite happy to continue with all lectures online even though she was also given the option of some F2F tutorials. Good they've been given the choice I think.
She's generally taking a more cautious approach to it all than her brother. Possibly that's slightly influenced by the general approach in Wales, but mainly reflects their different personalities.

Place marking. Thanks for the new thread.
DD has been home for a few days for a medical appointment so legally travelled. She’s driving back to USW this afternoon to start their 17 day lockdown. I hope she can return for my birthday end of November. Treated her to a big Tesco shop and a tank of petrol last night. She attended her dance school while she was here and said that’s what she had missed the most.
Not her parents of course!

Checking in. There are talks of my county approaching Tier 2 so planning to visit DS for a quick lunch tomorrow. It's only time I guess before he needs to SI do pleased to have got this far!

DD had tested negative and had no symptoms, just close contact with a positive case. She is in a fully catered college in an ensuite room, so no shared facilities whatsoever. Luckily she caught wind that she may need to SI and filled up her mini fridge and room with enough food of her choice to keep her going.

Place marking.

Nice to see you @JufusMum - I think your DD is on the most interesting course of all of them!

We are in Wales and both my children are at University in Wales so I have not seen them since September. Spoken nearly every day. My son who is 1st year and i thought he may struggle a bit as he has never liked being away from home for long is coping great and loving it. He stays with his flat and only goes out to the gym which has stricken rules. His flat organises food shops.
My daughter on the other hand is 2and year and seems to meet up with her friends all the time.

Thanks @KingscoteStaff
She didn’t expect Professional Policing to be all online but there it is!

@MillicentMartha True 3 hours is a long drive for a quick walk in possibly not so great weather, and M6 is a pain. Hopefully one day when the tiers level drop a meal sounds like a good idea. Good looking brownies though. If I tried that id probably end up burning them lol, not a great baker at all.

@sammyjoanne, I cheated. I used this company www.badbrownie.co.uk/collections/brownie-cake-trays-and-boxes
I do bake a mean brownie, but getting them safely wrapped up and posted was a job too many. He had the Malteser/Biscoff/Oreo selection and said they were all nice, but the Oreo ones were the best. I ordered late Monday evening and he had them Wednesday lunchtime.

Wondered where you’d all gone.

Dd2 still seems lucky with her uni. Campus not gone over 5 positive tests so far(although they’re only testing for symptoms).

DD at Cardiff, has had a week of freedom after coming out of isolation Monday.
Thier charmer of a flatmate had had symptoms for days but had continued to go to other flats in other halls spreading it.

God there are some selfish people about.

So now there's the two week lockdown.
No Spoons. ☹️

Joining in again. I like the look of those brownies @millicentMartha will look into ordering then. Just need to how parcels and deliveries are dealt with at the university campus.

Thanks for the thread - excellent title

Sorry to hear about those DC who are finding things difficult and those with inconsiderate flatmates.

DS1 is at Lancaster in his first year of Computer Science. He’s been very fortunate in that his flat of eight all seem to get on and are being sensible. He says one lad is a bit quieter and doesn’t join in as much, so I’ve suggested they keep chatting to him but don’t nag him to join in. Lectures have all been online this week. He takes after DH and is laid back to the point of horizontal. We’re Tier 3 and he’s Tier 3 so we told him obviously we won’t be coming for another visit any time soon. His response “why would you be coming for a visit?”

@MillicentMartha aww at least you can bake. My effort is a cupcake and a bit of butter cream lol.

@LetUsPrey my ds is similar. He's not bothered about us visiting either , we were planning to pop by mid November but who knows if that will happen. He seems really happy, just tried face timing him but he's too busy apparently. Which I'm impressed with for day 10 of isolation ! Half of house of 12 have had positive tests, not sure of other half have been tested. He seems to have had just a good a time being in isolation than not. I think Lancaster being in tier three they've only been socialising with each other anyway and all get on really well .

@Thatsnotmine, I considered it a good incentive for DS to learn how to pick up a parcel. They have a nearby Amazon locker as well, but Amazon themselves don’t deliver brownies. The admin for his hall emailed him once the parcel arrived. I’m still not sure what happens with ordinary post, but I haven’t written a letter in years!

Dd has a couple of essays to submit next week. Sent her some cake earlier in the week which will hopefully keep her going!

@LIZS - your username caught my eye, because I remember we worked out a few years ago on a thread that yours is the MN username in longest continuous use, going back to the dawn around 2001 / 2002.

It's funny to think that those babies who were the first to raised by MNetters are now the ones at university.

Lovely reading this thread! My ds is at oxford Brookes and is in isolation until the 30th as flat mate tested positive. We are planning a trip up there on Sunday to deliver a food shop and some bits he wants from home. We aren’t allowed on campus but his friends in the flat above will meet us in the car park and take it to his door. It’s a 2.5 hr drive but worth it. I’ve made brownies for the flat!! It must be a common theme!
Really missing him and can’t wait for a hug whenever that may be......

[quote DadDadDad]@LIZS - your username caught my eye, because I remember we worked out a few years ago on a thread that yours is the MN username in longest continuous use, going back to the dawn around 2001 / 2002.

It's funny to think that those babies who were the first to raised by MNetters are now the ones at university. [/quote]
I joined in 2002 when Dd was a baby. As you say hard to believe they're now adults at uni.

I’m a mere newbie, only joined in 2010 when I discovered the SN board. I wish I’d found MN earlier, but better late than never.

[quote DadDadDad]@LIZS - your username caught my eye, because I remember we worked out a few years ago on a thread that yours is the MN username in longest continuous use, going back to the dawn around 2001 / 2002.

It's funny to think that those babies who were the first to raised by MNetters are now the ones at university. [/quote]
Goodness that's so weird to think of! I was here back in 2001 when DH found the site while reading high chair reviews - we already had 3 DC and had got rid of all our stuff so MN was there from the start of my pregnancy with DD I remember most of the scandal, bust ups and classics of the early years - I even remember contributing £5, and when we all decided we needed to ask for a Chat Topic because some
Crusty objected to us just nattering instead of contributing useful thoughts on all the other important topics 😂😂. I have only namechanged once since then but won't reveal my original user name as had to change it when I got trolled. Happy days though.