Oxford and Cambridge current students

[sandybayley]

Nearly filled up the old one...

I do apologise. I appear to have forgotten how to write coherent sentences.

Yes, I agree that it would make sense for them to vaccinate students at university, if they can fit two doses in - or use a one shot vaccine when that's available.

Re: D1's seven essays - it seems to be because she's doing a joint. She spoke to one of her tutors about it as the work isn't really coordinated, she has the papers for both her subjects and an interdisciplinary course too. I hope it will ease off a bit in Trinity.

Thanks for clarifying.

I must admit to being a bit jealous of the DC getting their vaccines now. Yesterday I taught 3 classes face-to-face, one of which had so many students in that there was no way to be 2m away from them unless I was outside the block. Teaching in a face covering is a nightmare. As a 50+ teacher, I am with the police, prison officers and other emergency service workers in thinking we have once again been shafted by this government. However, in my primary school today, there was a big bowl saying "staff urgent taste test sticks". It contained lots of bars of chocolate from the governors to say thank you. My freddo caramel bar was very nice!

DD has an interview tomorrow with a company she did some work experience with after her 2nd year. If she gets offered something, she said she would rather get a job than do the PhD. I am at the point of nodding, smiling and saying "ok, do as you please" because I'm not sure what else to say or do.

I am at the point of nodding, smiling and saying "ok, do as you please" because I'm not sure what else to say or do. I've perfected the art Malbec. Just smile & wave!

Lol @Hoghgyni! My late mother used to do the books for a chemists shop in a rough part of Manchester. The hard-nosed (but genuinely nice) lady who owned it used to say "smile and nod" and that has become part of our family mantra. I'm most fed up with DD because she only told me in a text this evening and it's tomorrow. I mean, I don't expect to know every last detail of their day, but an interview is a big deal isn't it?

They don't want to worry you... I do the same to my Mum.

Smile & wave is a family mantra here too. Although I am not sure smiling & nodding / waving would cut it in a chemist shop in the rough parts of Manchester these days.

DD is looking forward to coming home, we've not seen her all term! she has also filled out her forms for accommodation next year (her college provides accommodation throughout the entire course) and she's made her choices.

She's got this pile of glamorous cocktail dresses/evening gowns she hasn't been able to wear yet, hope she gets the chance next term.

She's kept up with the workload although it's tough (joint hons). She said the work is marked but not graded so she has no idea of what standard she's working at - or so she claims....I do clearly remember my essays at university being marked and graded so I'm not sure what that's about.

DD's college held their ballot 3 weeks ago & she got the room she wanted. She had her end of term reports today and the chance to glam up this evening in their households for dinner. I'm not sure when she will be home over Easter, but she definitely needs to come home for her dentist's appointment as they're like gold dust around her.

dds college has granted permission to leave over Easter (and come back if they do!) leaving their stuff there without charge.

Blimey OYBBK. Is the Master feeling ok?

It was report day here yesterday. DD is happy.

Kaptain - I look at the cocktail dresses here and wonder how many parties are going to be had when they can. There won't be enough days in the week.

Kaptain - D1's essays are commented on and discussed in tutorial but she doesn't get grades for them either. The only grades have been on termly reports.

She's sent in her last (term time) essay and has a tutorial today and that's it - end of such a strange term.

twitter.com/10DowningStreet/status/1370688692625489921?s=19

Boris's latest statement on returning to uni.

Wtf is he talking September for?

Hopefully only so that he can claim Big Success when he tells students they can go back in April, thanks to his leadership etc.

Not sure where May has suddenly come from either. Presumably he's equating students with the reopening of the inside of pubs.

"Whether or not students can come back in May.."

I won't say what I actually think so I'll just say, with heavy sarcasm, that the most important thing is to keep students and (already vaccinated) vulnerable people safe, so let's be patient, I'm sure the government knows what's it's doing

I can't understand why university students are so a low priority; they will never get this time back, or be able to emulate the student experience at any other point in their life. They have been genuinely robbed of something they spent years earning.

I am incredibly grateful that DD1 is onsite at Cambridge and and may well advise her to not take the proposed Easter trip home, just in case.

I think that students who are currently WFH should move back into their private rentals or try to get a private rental with friends for the final term. This has gone way too far now

Yes.

'Make it up' indeed

He can't.

Well six weeks (plus 2 weeks in isolation in college rooms) is all my two have had so far and if that's it for their entire first year, after working so incredibly hard to get there, trying twice and finally landing their life's dream - only to have 6 measly little weeks to enjoy student life, then that's incredibly sad for them and for all their generation.

For second years, it'll mean the loss of three full terms - an entire third of their undergraduate life, for most of them. For third years, no going back to say goodbye and do all those rites of passage activities in the last term. I know many have been able to go back but many others haven't and maybe now won't until October!

Come on Boris! I know you have a DC presently at Cambridge too and surely that must persuade you to a better decision?

May/September??

FFS, if people can go on holiday in April, then students can go back to university.

This makes me want to cry. It feels like Boris seaked in the possibility of delay/extra restriction. It beggars belief that holidays and pubs will be allowed and universities not. DS college have been strict about people coming back so very few students are back and none of his household. Boris risks alienating an entire generation.
I sometimes feel there is something we are not being told - logically I know that's unlikely (I work in healthcare) but emotionally this doesn't stack up

I'm going to stay with the idea that he wants to present returning for the Trinity Term as a massive special treat for the students, all possible because of clever him.

Nothing else makes sense.

I haven’t clicked on Boris’s interview (can’t bear listening to the man) but I am alarmed by everyone’s comments above. Students have been treated abominably throughout this shambles.

DS had a Zoom call during eighth week between him, his tutor and the master, as is normal for his college (and probably others). The master told him that he should feel very optimistic about a normal Trinity term. I am trying to take comfort from that.

Fully agree with the poster above who commented that the government risk alienating this entire generation.