Study in the time of COVID-19 (2019/20 intake): lockdown restrictions, relaxation of rules and repeat... And will the Grinch government cancel Christmas?

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Carrying on from our previous thread.

I believe these threads have probably been running since the summer/autumn of when our DC were about to start/in Year 13 (so 2018)?

@Benjispruce2, DS just said there are some cheap tickets come up so he’s going to book tomorrow. Hope they haven’t all gone by then

Also, he has been working all day every day on his essays and work for seminars - definitely not able to wing it this year! He was pretty stressed out earlier trying to get his essay in

The work really does ramp up in year 2 doesn't it.

Does anyone know whether parents are allowed to stay overnight in Tier 2 or 3 areas if they are picking up DC from university? Premier Inn in Newcastle ( tier 3) is closed - the nearest Tier 2 hotel is Thirsk, but even they are saying you’re only allowed to stay if you’re on business. 12 hour round trip for DH so really would be better to break the journey. Neither of us want DS on public transport because of the infection risk to his very vulnerable younger brother.

@LaBelleSauvage123 I think hotels etc open tier 2 and you can stay in your family group. But not with others. Tier 3 they are closed.

I think that's right and for some reason Premier Inn haven't updated their website. He's booked Thirsk anyway and ticked the 'business' box. He says if anyone asks he'll say he's running a long distance taxi service!

@LaBelleSauvage123 I'm sure if you've booked it'll all be clean and safe to stay anyway. I had thought of visiting my mum and staying in a hotel instead of in her house. (We are both tier 2) but I decided it's not worth the risk of me going in her house. I did wonder about the hotel being safe as the covid cases are higher where she lives in Sussex, but I'm sure it will be kept very clean.

We stayed at the Hilton in Newcastle when we dropped DS off at the end of Sept and the precautions the hotel was taking were very impressive. I’m sure all hotel chains will do the same - it’s not worth their while not to.

@LaBelleSauvage123 yes...Thanks, that's what I thought. I'm still going to give seeing my mum a miss though. It won't hurt for one Christmas. Maybe she will get a vaccine early next year.

@LaBelleSauvage123 at long distance taxi service!

DS has booked his train home on 12th - don’t think he’s going to bother with the testing. He is pretty hacked off about being tier 3 and we are tier 2 so glad to come back I think!

Did he get a good price @bigTillyMint?

£26 to London I think, which is pretty decent

DD came back last month as sick and tired of virtual lockdown since she got back (Scotland), a cold dark flat, generally struggling. She was so lucky as she could take up her Xmas job early, even though 30 hours plus weekly with uni work, and they have work until end Jan, so suspect she'll stay for that.

I'm amazed that students have jobs. There are none where we live; all are taken by the unemployed.

Hardly any round here either simbobs
DD's course is so full on that she just wouldn't have time to have a job while at university, even if she was in full health.

@bigTillyMint that’s brilliant. DD’s was £17 but getting off roughly an hour away from London.[grin
DD has been promised a few weeks work back at the supermarket she worked in during the summer.

DS is at Durham and is gutted that as it's tier 3 he can't go out for a Christmas meal or drink with his bubble before coming home. Durham is an 8 hour round trip so he'll be getting the train home.

We're in tier 2 so difficult to think that he can only go to the pub with his household; he won't want to go with me and DH! Very frustrating that there are no separate rules for people who've already had the virus. I consider him to be completely safe for at least 90 days, as per the Government website. I know that he'll want to meet up with friends here who've also had the virus.

@LaBelleSauvage123

We stayed at the Hilton in Newcastle when we dropped DS off at the end of Sept and the precautions the hotel was taking were very impressive. I’m sure all hotel chains will do the same - it’s not worth their while not to.

If their precautions for covid are anything like the fire evacuation process the only time I've stayed in a Hilton you need to be very worried. Process for checking everyone was out was walking round with a megaphone in the car park calling "Adams, anyone by the name of Adams?" Two hours later (while the fire brigade were still fighting the fire) they had just about finished the A surnames and were onto the B... a number of people by then had given up and left the site (probably for the travel lodge!) If it had been a big fire with people trapped there would have been deaths. We didn't even get an apology.

But anyway! DD booked an advance ticket early in the term, so she has a good deal. She's looking forward to coming home, especially as she's going to be the only one in her flat for a few days at the end. One girl's gone home ill (not covid) and the other one is going early as she's from a country where she'll have to isolate for 14 days when she gets there, so wanted a bit more time.

Nottingham student halls party broken up by police

I know most students are totally fed up but I found that Nottingham story quite shocking.

DS has booked a covid test - probably for the experience more than anything else - but couldn't get one right at the end of the week, so is going on Thursday, despite not intending to come straight home. As he also confessed to losing motivation I suggested he come back so that I can give him one of my famous motivational speeches. Some DC seem to be back already.

Agree the Notts story is horrifying and actually at odds with how all the students I know are behaving - I wonder if first years are a) feeling the restrictions more and b) feel under greater pressure to join in than older students in houses? Nottingham have been pretty harsh over fines too tho obviously not a deterrent to all?

Yes.. not good is it .. My DS is in Nottingham but in a house in Lenton, and just staying in ! .. and amazingly working !

DS not seen anyone outside his flat since he came home for a few days 3 weeks ago, so he is pretty fed up. However, when back here he won't be able to stay over with his gf nor will she be able to stay here, and there is nowhere for him to meet his friends other than in a park. I think coming home is going to lose appeal quite quickly as he won't have the usual range of things to do.

The powers that be may have decided that 3 households can meet but we don't believe that to be safe at all, and don't plan to increase our risk when we are so close to a vaccine.

@sergeantmajormum I think you are right about the difference in approach between 1st and 2nd years. Our 2nd years had the benefit of an “ordinary” fresher experience: the parties, nightclubs, inadvisable experimentation, the lot. This year the freshers have essentially been locked in with strangers, not had the opportunity to make friends outside a very small bubble, no opportunity to do sports and other activities/hobbies/music etc. Such a disappointment it’s no wonder they are fighting against it.

My DD’s house have never been to any other house and had no-one inside theirs all term. They’ve been to the pub when allowed but are now in tier 3 so will be better off socially when they all go hone to tier 2!

@VanCleefArpels there isn't much that can be done socially in Tier 2 either, now that restrictions have been tightened. They can only go to the pub with their own household, so not their friends. A talk with my DS last night showed frustration with perceived unfairness of the Tiers, ie having lower cases than London but being in Tier 3.

Simbobs - good point although there are quite a few places where we are with outdoors eating and plenty of countryside for dog walking so plans are being made with home friends and thick coats being dusted off!!