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

DD has been told to return w/c 8th February too for one subject but waiting to hear about her other subjects. She doesn't want to loose her part-time job so will come home for a week around Christmas and go back before Hogmanay as long as travel is not banned. Email from uni was an ask rather than a ban from returning so she's hoping to be okay. Also looking like not much online again next term. There seems to be a big differences between unis (and within unis) in face to face offerings (not explained by covid rates in the area)

Dd also February but knows she would work better there. She also said it didn't seem that set in stone. If she gets work shifts at the test centre (been working there this week) she will def be able to go back but as we have to coordinate taking her back with taking another relative home, that probably comes under personal circumstances too.

DS has had confirmation that he is expected to travel back on the weekend on 16/17 January. So six weeks at home.

DD hasn't had anything direct from Lancaster but the student portal has some pretty clear instructions. Looks like she needs to test w/c 18th January so back the previous weekend. Much better than we expected.

@choirmumoftwo I noticed that too.
i do have a question that ooglyboogly might be able to help with.

@OooglyBoogly Hi hope you might be able to help:) . it says on student portal she needs to book a test to resume in person teaching. DD doesnt have any in person teaching next term. The only in person she had was labs once a fortnight last term, and they are now online for the second term. Would she need to book a test? Shes planning to go back on the 9th so she can study in her room prior to exams without the distraction of all us lot at home, so its not like she will be going out anywhere. Or are the tests a compulsory thing and have to be done regardless?
many thanks

[quote sammyjoanne]@choirmumoftwo I noticed that too.
i do have a question that ooglyboogly might be able to help with.

@OooglyBoogly Hi hope you might be able to help:) . it says on student portal she needs to book a test to resume in person teaching. DD doesnt have any in person teaching next term. The only in person she had was labs once a fortnight last term, and they are now online for the second term. Would she need to book a test? Shes planning to go back on the 9th so she can study in her room prior to exams without the distraction of all us lot at home, so its not like she will be going out anywhere. Or are the tests a compulsory thing and have to be done regardless?
many thanks[/quote]
Found it on the website, Just answered my own question on the compulsory question lol:

''Asymptomatic tests are not compulsory but are strongly encouraged''
:)

@sammyjoanne yep that's right, it's all an offer and not compulsory! Return to in-person teaching is staggered, as you know, with students starting again anywhere from 11th Jan to 1st Feb depending on year group and subject. (Med students might even be the first week of Jan, but don't quote me on that.) Everyone has full teaching from 11th Jan of course, but any planned in-person sessions will be online instead.

The idea is that students return in the week before their in-person teaching restarts, and get a test or two that week, but actually they can come back whenever they like and it's up to them whether or not they get tested.

Personally I'm not fussed about whether or not students take tests before returning to class. The type of tests being used are notoriously unreliable. But I would appreciate anyone with symptoms or who have had a very, erm, 'sociable' Christmas break staying away from classrooms until they're sure they are covid-free. Somehow it's almost Christmas and despite having children in school we have not (yet) caught Covid. Don't fancy getting infected in Jan/Feb by a student!

Manchester Uni have recommended that students test via Test and Trace 3 days before they return in January, saying they can tick the box saying, "My local council or health protection team has asked me (or someone I live with) to get a test, even though I do not have symptoms.” Then they are recommended to test again once they have arrived.

@MillicentMartha, out of interest, if you are getting tested in those circumstances, i.e. no symptoms and not a known close contact, is there still the requirement for the whole household to self isolate pending the result?

In other cheery news, from Monday, the self isolation period for contacts will be reduced to 10 days (genuinelyfollowing the science for once).
www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-chief-medical-officers-statement-on-the-self-isolation-period-11-december-2020

@Cleebope2 how is your DD? Have you got her home safely yet?

@OooglyBoogly thanks :) DD in person teaching doesnt resume until April now and its all online.
Our Christmas is going to be lowkey. What with other family members forming bubbles with each other (they have young kids), and tier 3, I dont think we will be doing too much; apart from stuffing ourselves silly with food, then just doing just dance on the wii in the new year to burn it all off again lol.

@MarchingFrogs, my understanding is you don’t need to self isolate pending results in that case. That was the case when they tested to come home as well.

@MillicentMartha, thanks - I do try to keep abreast (morbid fascination, probably), but sometimes I find I am just all guidelined out, so to speak.

Hoghgyni thanks for checking up. Yes she got back on Tuesday, a massive relief. We live in NI and the others were able to be picked up early by their parents. She was alone for 4 days.It’s still a big shock; she was his flatmate and in a bubble for practical work too with him so uni told them to take a week off from lectures. It’s all been online anyhow, only 2 f2f meetings all term. Very isolating for them . The term was delayed by a month till mid October. Also they had 2 weeks isolation when they all got Covid, then 4 weeks lockdown with all the communal areas in the halls closed. It’s been a disgrace for first year students. She says the guy who died was lovely with lots of friends but had anxiety. I hope they can get over this and return to the flat in the new year. What a waste of a beautiful young life. So horrible for his new friends too.

It's hideous. A young teacher and a school mate both committed suicide at DD's school a few weeks apart, shortly before their GCSEs. It's hard, but I hope your DD and her flatmates find the strength to go back to their flat in the New Year and face it together.

it's devastating, just utterly devastating and the ripples extend so far. I wish these young people had a true sense of how precious & irreplaceable they all are and that there is hope no matter how unbearable life may feel.

Yes so true. I know I’m in shock and I wasn’t even really involved. Tragedy like this makes us cherish our families even more. I’m sure everyone on this board already knows this but unfortunately suicide is almost normalised these days.

So so sad☹️

I’ve got daughter and boyfriend here now, both have found second year workload much heavier than first year so are doing a few hours work in the mornings then lounging around watching tv etc in the evenings. They both look knackered but improving. But it’s so lovely to have them home - and a bit earlier than planned.

She’ll go back to uni early in January as her course has skills labs and GP days, his course starts later in person, they’re considering whether he’ll stay at home or go stay with her - this depends on tier decisions and conversations with flatmates as his parents are going to be away for much of January. Two of her flatmates are not going to be back in London until February and they all get on well, and he’d chip in towards bills as he only pays rent at his uni for the weeks he’s actually there. They have an account that they all pay into monthly that covers utilities, internet, cleaning/laundry products, tea, coffee and loo rolls They pay in a bit more than they’re spending with the plan of a night out at the end of the year if there’s money left.

Today is Christmas tree day so we’ll have early mulled wine and squabbles over lights and a Christmas film on later :)

Agree with Cleebope2, we are getting too used to hearing about or experiencing suicide, especially in young people. Family friends lost their son at age 14 to suicide, a couple of years ago and it shocked us all very deeply. Since then we have perhaps become more tuned in, but we seem to hear about this far too often. It is one of our society's biggest problems, yet very little funding or research is happening to address the root causes. Very sad and troubling.

On the practical, return next term stuff: DS's course at Lancaster resumes in person ( not all classes) from 11 January. He booked a train back as soon as he heard, but we offered to drive him up as one or both of DH and I can make the dates work ... Will see if he can change ticket or get a refund but I was impressed that he'd sorted it out straight away. As others have remarked, he does seem more mature and has been an absolute pleasure to have at home, jumping up to help with house hold jobs and being very jolly. He also told DH and his brother off very nicely and with a bit of humour about leaving stuff lying around in the hall which was just great, so nice for me not to be the only one reminding everyone of the basics at home!

Btw must just add I love the sound of Christmas tree day at your place, @HostessTrolley, how lovely!

Next Friday is now (unwanted) Inset day and we have been told very firmly that we’re not to be seen out shopping...
I have therefore booked DS to get decs down from loft to be ready for our Christmas Tree Day next Saturday!

I also love the sound of a Christmas tree day! We always put ours up at the beginning of Dec but waited until both dc were home to hang the baubles in. Ds has his bday just before Christmas, we are hoping we move into tier two next week so we can at least go out for a meal

DS1 came home yesterday so it is Christmas Tree Day here too. I have cinnamon buns rising so we can have festive fare to get in the mood.

Really impressed by covid control at St Andrews. Since 1 September they have had total of 106 students and 13 staff members test positive, of which the majority caught it outside the university. In the pre-departure tests 3,351 tests with 0 positive. Unless the test is really useless, they have done so well.

Cleebope2 so glad your daughter is with you now so shes not on her own bless her. I hope she is ok and im sure she has the support she needs from you and her flatmates to get through this together :)
Our DD lost a close uncle and her grandma right before her GCSE's and it was very quick passing for both of them, so such a shock. To have her GCSE as a focus and distraction, plus us talking about it really helped :)

Aww nice to hear of the christmas trees going up, and homelife. We did our tree on the 2nd and left the upstairs to be decorated by DD1 and DD2, so their room now is covered in fairy lights. They are both in the kitchen making fajitas, listening to ABBA and singing to dancing queen right now lol.
DD1 did a mock practice exam and upload today on moodle to make sure she has no issues on the real thing come January. Shes also asked her physics lecturer about first year internship in the summer, and hes just awaiting on funding (he was awarded previous years), so fingers crossed for that :)