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

Review of Scottish unis due later in the week - not much good when many will have already travelled though. Is your dd's work likely to be open now?

DD waiting to hear whether her work will remain open (she has a shift tomorrow). I suspect they will close as they did in March. She is more concerned about whether she will be paid for shifts already rostered (zero hours contact) than anything else at the moment (plans to travel this summer). I can see us having to do a quick before midnight pick up (although perhaps student travel will be exempt).

I should hope student travel would be exempt even in a lockdown. 'Moving home' I would see this as ''essential'' . With DD being on her own at the moment, shes hoping at least a couple are still going to join her. One of her housemates has got a flight pre booked from Jersey to manchester she cant change, and a prebooked train to lancaster. And another is coming from Dubai (medicine course) and one from Edinburgh, all later this week.
So hopefully they will get there, as although its nice being at uni and shes got the study space she needs, I would imagine its not much fun being on her own. Shes been out for a walk with her lab partner thats there daily and had a sultans (chippy). Shes got some DVD's she can play on her laptop for company in the flat.

Update on this afternoon though: she had her first lateral flow test and its negative. her words ''Wasn't too bad mum. Was a bit uncomfortable that can't be handled. Literally just rub it on both your tonsils and stick it up your nose and rotate a few times''

Haha re test!
Stay.where you are "wherever possible" seems to be uni guidance, excluding.some subjects.
Which.does cover quite a few reasons why it might NOT.be possible to stay where you.are.ie at home.
Ds.seems to think.going back is covered by moving house, and he has left.most of his.stuff there including his precious road.sign, dont ask.
Ds1'is determined to go back to his private acc.in another uni town.
I think.the defining factor is freedom of movement.after that, which is limited. But then it was the same last term, you werent meant.to go back and forth. Nothing new.

Ds says it is difficult to work at home because it.is so boring without.social interaction from other students. There you have it...home is dull!
However his sister is managing full.days on zoom with her college now, so it is possible, I think he is being a bit fixed in his prognosis of doom gloom and.zoom!

assets.publishing.service.go...ry_Returns.pdf This was michelles donalan letter to students. If you do not have adequate study space you can come back.
Another thing is where your DC at now. Its a vacation residence .You are technically facilitating a house move when you go back with all of your gear.
assets.publishing.service.go...wnGuidance.pdf Page 8 states this and also on page 2, your travelling for educational purposes. I suppose thats a loophole?

HWU are only charging students whilst they are there. Useful having dd2 home but I’m not sure our internet can sustain us all online at once (I have 2 video calls on at once to start with!)

DD has 1 turned up and another coming at half past 5. another is meant to be coming from Jersey and cant change the flight. Im relieved shes not on her own now :) Perhaps they can revisit williamson park or do the canal path walk to Lancaster.

There seems to have been a good number of returners to universities today. We were due to take DS back on Saturday but he was worried that the current list of reasons why students can go back to their place of study if they need to would be cut if he left it, so DH drove all the way there and back today to get him installed.

He is the 6th back in his flat of 13, with more arriving. Most seem to feel that it's easier to study and to have a bit of down time in their bubbles with their mates gives a better all round experience than trying to get by at home. As long as they get tested and stay in their bubbles this seems sensible to me.

On a personal note I am a bit shocked and sad that he scooted off so quickly. He is a very positive presence at home and will be much missed.

DH was a hero driving all the way there and back.

Here's to better times!

We had a similar thought, @WellWoman, and I took my DS back to Manchester yesterday, anticipating a further lockdown. He was keen to get back to his accommodation despite all lectures etc continuing to be online. He was the first back in his flat but more are expected today.

I have a medic and a vet so both allowed to go back this weekend. But loads of their friends going too - they have no space to work at home. They will follow all rules. But nicer to be with their own age rather than us.

Oh dear, ds2 is still here as we told him to wait till next week more in line with original guidance...of 25th Jan. But surely the moving house clause still stands, as Sammy says.
For him, now would be too soon.
He still has to sort out the disability links...so far have not yet even managed to get him to look properly at the email they sent in Dec. He is operating alternately like a slug and a whirling dervish, one minute he is becalmed in his room, the next rushing off to buy oven chips for himself "can't talk now, I'm busy" etc.
A week of online learning at home and he might calm down.
Well done everyone else for decisive action!

Has anyone’s DC even voiced the possibility of asking their university about restarting first year again in the autumn?

I think we may take ds back on Saturday. He wanted to go today but just not possible with our work commitments , plus all abit rushed. I think only a couple are back in his flat but more supposedly coming back in the next few days.

My dd has mentioned it. But she's going to wait until she gets her results from this weeks' exams to see how she's doing.
Part of her has had enough but the other part is thinking let's just get on with it now and get her degree.

@Kingscotestaff - I had not thought of this. I would think universities will need to be helpful about enabling this for some.

@WellWoman Aww I know its all so sudden. When we took DD back on the 2nd, we wondered if we made the right decision bringing her back to early after new year.
The Jersey student has held off, but 4 turned up today all in a panic, and one is going on friday, so there will be 6 by this weekend including DD.

Kingscote not really thought about restarting. I imagine there will be students who would want to do that.

specialted thats the thing, BoJo had to mention it at the start of the week. if he had done it say last friday, people could have come a little bit earlier on Sat/Sun, but majority of people cant be expected to drop work when its weekday. I hope you have a safe journey .

mumsneedwine and MillicentMartha dd keen too to go back. She spent past 3 nights on her own, so shes glad someones back there now :)

@Nettleskeins There is that clause yeah, and your travelling for 'education' too. Im also on 'the student room' and the university staff on that site have been saying the same thing :)

DS has gone back today. He’s got a lateral flow test booked on arrival, hopefully negative, as his flat had Covid back in October.
Neither hIs department nor his halls are discouraging them from returning, but obviously all exams and teaching will be online for a while yet, which is a shame as plans were in place to facilitate practicals/labs from January.

Thats true @ShaunaTheSheep they dont seem to be discouraging from going back much. Same situation, the flat had covid back in October and hers was negative, so seems to have been enough time in between for it to register properly.
Glad your son has got to uni. I cant see why they do remote learning anyway in their halls. That way they have their flat mates and friends as support and theres no chance of them passing it on to us older generations as they are with their own age group.

[quote sammyjoanne]@Nettleskeins There is that clause yeah, and your travelling for 'education' too. Im also on 'the student room' and the university staff on that site have been saying the same thing :)[/quote]
Could you please tell me where I'd find such a thread on TSR? I don't know whether to search under the uni name or if there's a general thread about 2nd/3rd year students returning to private accommodation? TSR is a new world to me!

hi @quebechouse It wasnt a thread so much, but its on the government website.
www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home?priority-taxon=774cee22-d896-44c1-a611-e3109cce8eae#history
ive took some screen shots below.

@quebechouse Im still relatively new. I type in the searches and all i get is old threads in a search engine type thing which Im not a fan of.

I found this thread from talk > all talk topics> and then clicked on education and higher education and found the latest posts that way :)

"Has anyone’s DC even voiced the possibility of asking their university about restarting first year again in the autumn?"

Interesting question - I wondered whether some would just decide throw in the towel now, maybe to start again later, maybe not. Will be interesting to see.