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

@sammyjoanne I absolutely understand why your dd wants/needs to go back, and it a great the unis are being flexible like that. I just hope they don't delay f2f for too long.

Happy New Year to all on this thread and all the DC determinedly making the best of things!

Happy new year Kingscote :)

Happy New year. Good to catch up on everybody's news.
Despite being tier 4 here DS has no plans to return to Leeds before February. He has found being confined to his student room hard going. He has gone back to the job he had in his year out and is happier having something to do. He plans to drop down to 3 days a week when term starts and do his online teaching from here. The most fave to face he got to was 2 hours a fortnight and may go back if that restarts or may decide to commute if things are still locked down.
Our house will be busy as I will mostly wfh. DD and DS2 in year 11 and year 13 so delayed going back to school.
Lots of food will be required!

DS2 is going back tomorrow, he’s finding he can’t settle to study at home. He was hoping for some hours from his summer pub job but tier 4 lost him those.

He’s very despondent and like others hates on line lectures and the lack of socialising.

Happy New Year all!
DD returned to USW today, she says she cannot study at home and two flatmates are already back. Like others she had a Christmas job in a restaurant but tier 4 cut that short. Sad because she’s gone but happy that she is loving uni.

Funnily enough, ds2'finally settling in to.a routine.back home, I think he could make a success of online distance learning. However he says he wants to return on 15th. I think if he gets up in daylight, sorts his room out, has a regular walk with an old friend nearby he might feel he can balance his "two" existences. We had a good new year, with his.dsis and him.singing. now watching dr who with dbrother ds1.

It just.remains to be seen how annoying his habits are!!!

Aww happy new year to you all :)
At midnight was was out in the back garden looking at some fireworks going off in the distance. I shouted ''we made it past 2020!''.... 4 doors down a female voice shouts '''Jumanji!'' lol we thought that was rather funny, since we did hear people was going to do that at the end of the year, meaning they 'won' that level of madness that 2020 threw at them.

Still not quite packed for tomorrow. Daughters got a few more bits to pack before we head on back to Lancaster.

Jumanjii, that's brilliant
Look forward to hearing the Lancaster news tomorrow, SammyJoanne.

Happy New Year to you all!

Hope your DD settles back into Lancaster with ease @sammyjoanne.

My DS is keen to get back and get on with life in his County bubble, although he could work here, but we can't take him until next weekend as it's such a long drive which DH and I need to share - too much of a drive there and back for one to do safely. We both have some work commitments this week so it'll have to wait.

We've been swapping information with other families and there seems to be a big split between the student DC who are coping better at home and those who are better at their uni.

Best wishes for the term ahead to all, whether staying with family or heading back to college. It's going to be a bit of a grind with the continued regulations in place and the winter weather, I hope we can help them stay happy.

Thanks @Nettleskeins and @WellWoman I’ve just got back. Did not anticipate that much snow! Stoke on Trent and Chester really bad on way home, scary driving. We dropped of her things then went to Sainsbury’s. No queueing outside to get in which was nice. We got back and she put all food away. I got heating cranked up. Sultans is shut until 5pm so if you are planning for a sultan takeaway best go in the evening. So we grabbed a snack from spar. There are students about on campus; someone was in next door but one. And there was a few lights on on campus. Entrance near Cartmel end was closed so had to do the main entrance. Glad we did as there was a lovely sight seeing people sledging and one student even on skis lol. She plans to meet up with her lab partner tomorrow for a walk, and 1st of her other flat mates is back tomorrow, weather permitting.

Happy New Year all.
I'm sorry I've been a bit quiet.
DS has mock exams which will take place online on 18 January.

@sammyjoanne glad dd got settled back in ok. I love the thought of people sledging! Ds has announced he wants to go back on Friday 15 th which is a bit of a pain as I'll have to do the journey by myself.

Ds2 will be going by train as I don't drive on motorways. Frankly driving in snow would terrify me further.
Have a (non ironic) happy memory of my parents once driving two cars on a long winter journey on ungritted road, at night, (1970s)my dad was slightly ahead. When we came to an particularily icy bend my mum skidded into the verge. Only to see my father parked a little bit further down. "Oh I thought you would do that so I thought I had better wait and check "he said judiciously...

Snow sounds v exciting. I had better not tell ds2 or he would be jumping in a train tmw..

Volvos forever!!

@Ironoaks Happy new year :) hope you and yours are ok :)
@specialted when we was there, there are people about in the odd townhouse. In our row of 5 flat numbers 3 had lights on (including DD) but campus is pretty quiet with it being week before start of term. I've done it the once the journey on my own, but not so bad when you have tunes on for the journey home :)
@Nettleskeins I didnt go on motorways for 10 years after I passed my test. I was always scared people wouldnt let me on from the slip road. I then did one junction and then back again a few times to get used to it. I wouldnt do motorway with snow though. If I was driving on my own and it started to snow badly, I would have stayed in the townhouse as an emergency since hotels are shut. Shes on her own tonight being the first one there, but shes fine, shes loving being back :)

@sammyjoanne, good to hear you are home safe and to hear about the snow!

@nettleskeins we had to do a care related emergency journey on the M4 recently. Motorways have never been quieter. If there is a little bit of you that wants to give them a try there won't be a better time, although I can sympathise if you think it's just not for you.

DS back yesterday and got his test done - negative result.

However has no heating in his halls and his window which doesn’t close properly is still not repaired. He’s been asking for it and other repairs to be fixed since week 1 - do you think I can withhold this terms rent til fixed?

I'm a bloody mess crying again, daughter goes back tomorrow.
Both having a nap but I'm hiding in my room having a sob under the duvet.
I just don't want her to know or to feel bad. It hurts, I hate crying like this, I didn't expect to this time.
It's also my birthday mid week and although I'm not overly into my birthday it'll be the first one on my own ever.
I hate covid. I'm just so tired and lonely and lost.
I'll get over it I know, but how can four weeks have gone so fast.
😞

@thesunwillout I totally understand how you feel. The time has absolutely flown since our dc were home and now Christmas is over we're all back to the stark reality of dark miserable days with not much to look forward to. But things will get better with the vaccine heading our way. I hope you're ok. Sending big hugs and birthday wishes for next week

Hi Eve, thats bad, he needs heating in his halls. Not sure on the legal implications on holding the rent, but most certainly for the term last month he deserves some sort of refund on the rent he paid. Worth asking to see where he stands on a legal perspective. If the uni knows your looking into taking legal proceedings, it might gee them up a bit.

The sun will out, aww I know how your feeling. This Christmas came and went too quick. Its not easy with this time: its back to pretty much lockdown and not much going on and the early nights, not being able to go out for a walk in the dark. I have to keep telling myself that although our home will always be her home; for her, her home is uni now. Is she happier there studying or happier at home studying? DD did try at home but really struggled.
Saying goodbye was a little easier than the first time, seeing how happy she was, although a very subdued journey on the way home for us. I hope you still have a lovely day on your birthday, and hope she facetimes you x

Apparently Ucl has postponed f2f teaching until 22nd Feb. Any others changed advice yet?

Expecting an update from Edinburgh tomorrow (today a public holiday). DD is back in halls as she has a job but is on own in flat (and only one other person is in the entire building). She is hoping others will come back even if no F2F but with the rent rebate she expects they won't. Many gave 28-day notice when teaching ended last term (DD inherited duvet sets and kitchen ware). Others have got cheaper deals with private providers for this term as they don't police as strongly as the uni!

Lancasters said W/C 25th for F2F with my daughter, but its looking unlikely. Shes just happy to be on campus. shes on her own currently in her flat of 12, but hoping a couple of others will get the chance to join her.
So some got a rent rebate at Edinburgh @ClerkMaxwell ? If DD had to come back, then she will definitely will be writing for one.

Yes Edinburgh uni giving rent rebate between start of term and date they ask you to return (subject based). Scotland has a 28 notice period on all leases for covid reasons so many gave notice earlier to avoid paying after end of teaching at the beginning of December. There is so much space in private halls/rentals they know they can find something if they do return in late February (and hoping uni might even have them back in their accommodation).

@ClerkMaxwell Dd is hoping to return sooner than Feb - our wifi and circumstances may not be conducive to working - but Nicola is updating guidance now which may change that.