University 2020-2021 Part 11: Final Furlong For First year Freshers..........Then Freedom Follows

[sammyjoanne]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/4058013-University-2020-10-Empty-nests-warm-vests-and-covid-tests-uni-parents-2020?pg=20

This is a follow on from the previous part 10 thread.
Named because its heading into the summer term.
''Freedom follows'' as in end of year for summer break, (hopefully end of covid restrictions too)

@BCBG that's so disappointing for your dd. I was half expecting Lancaster to cancel the extravs but I'm guessing as they're seated and outside they're as safe as they can be. And everyone having to do a lft before entry. Is she coming home this weekend?

Coming home tomorrow now. She's spending the night away from campus as there is COVID in her flat now too (luckily she was with boyfriend for last few days so missed that but still, she says cases are rising and students are deleting the nhs app!

Ds had COVID pretty much as soon as he arrived at Lancaster in October so I'm hoping he still has some immunity. Their whole flat did so it's worrying how many cases are going round now, you'd think most students had it. Unless it's second and third years too

@specialted a lot of people getting the Delta variant had it back in October based on the WIWIKAU FB page.

DD got out of self isolation yesterday after testing positive, she was okay said it was just like a bad cold. The worst thing was they had the end of term ball in a marquee immediately below her bedroom window and she couldn't go!! I'm going to collect her and help move her into her new house then we're having a night in a hotel before schlepping home (too far for me to do there and back in one day). It's been a weird year for them all. I really do hope they can go back to proper lectures and seminars next year, and actually get onto campus instead of spending the whole year in a cell! I feel quite emotional for them all, it's been a tough one but they've survived!

Lots of students at Warwick have caught the virus twice too.... Its such a shame its happened at the start and finish. Fortunately dds Pcr came back negative today... I'm popping up to the uni tomorrow to pick up 12 bags of her belongings tomorrow apparently it does not include kitchen, bathroom or bedding! Fortunately only 70 to 90 mins away...

@Monkey2001 that's worrying!

DS has been home 10 days now. I’m glad he left before it got too bad with cases. All the highest MSOAs for cases seem to be at unis, Durham, Warwick, Manchester, Nottingham, Exeter, Oxford, Cambridge etc etc. He had his first jab today. Just missed the walk-ins in Manchester and we didn’t have any near us so he booked in to the nearest national centre and had a Moderna jab. Currently no symptoms beyond a sore arm.

Glad to hear those who have Covid aren’t too poorly with it.

@SusannahSophia. I heard on the radio that even one dose of Moderna was very effective on the under 40s....

Ive collected most of dds bags today.. Quite a few people moving out around 11am when I arrived. Dropped off a couple of bottles of bubbley for dd and her housemates.. She was helping one of her friends move her stuff into storage this afternoon (the girls dad unfortunately is in hospital), tomorrow she's dropping both her friends off at our local station for their onward journey to London... Its so lovely that the 3 of them have become such incredible close friends since effectively the first night on campus when they wheeled each other around campus in a shopping trolley in the early hours of the morning having had far too much to drink.

That’s lovely, Daisyway. I’m still friends with the two girls from my corridor in the first year. We lived together in a house in third year. It’s a shame my DS didn’t have the same luck with housemates. Nice enough people and no nastiness, but they weren’t on DS’s wavelength. TBH, he’s a bit socially unaware, a bit geeky and not a party person. Goodness knows why he chose Manchester! I’m hoping he has better luck next year.

Oh, and he’s feeling quite rough after his Moderna jab yesterday!

It's been an incredibly difficult year...it hasn't been all roses in dds house, there were a lot of racist issues towards the end of term1 but fortunately the one student that seemed to cause alot of conflict didn't return back to campus after Xmas and the remaining students all bonded well soon afterwards. I'm not sure Warwick was the ideal uni for dds friendship group because they are spending a fair amount of time socialising in Bham but its the right course for dd and she's adapted well.

I had a rough experience with the AZ vaccine... Took a lot of courage to have the 2nd jab (I knew I needed it because of my age which didn't help...) Awful headaches, unexplained bruising on my leg, plus blood tests show i have a slightly lower than normal CBC. I'm glad I'm all jabbed now but I know the thought of a booster jab is already stressing me out. Im just going to try and boost my immune system with healthy eating etc...

Spoke with DD today. likewise, her next door and next door but one has covid-19 too (and they had it in october). Grizedale is so bad with it at the moment. All of her housemates including herself are taking a test every day and at the moment all negative. There was a bit of a scare with one of the guys who had been in contact with someone, and she brought him chinese to his bedroom door, and after a couple of days and tests he was coming out negative the whole time. They are all being super careful right now because they all want to come home. They are very surprised none of them have had it, but DD has this theory .Because they already had covid in october, and most were vaccinated well before their age range came round (they put their names on the spare vaccines list at the health campus) and that's helping (so far)
One had left today. DD will be leaving when there's about half left in the flat.
Extravs still went ahead, but lots of seats were free because loads were self isolating. Half her flat who got tickets had their own table so didn't mingle. But for the ones who didn't get to go (dd couldnt get a ticket) they held their own Extrav in their flat (as per photo)

Hope everything goes well @daisysway, DH had an awful reaction to it first time around and he's nervous for the second one too.
@tinkywinkyshandbag same I hope they do get to have lectures too. hopefully by then most 18/19 year olds would have had the second jab by then. fingers crossed for your DS @SusannahSophia hope next year he gets to meet with people on his wavelength.
@BCBG that's lucky shes coming home tomorrow and has missed being with people that have it. True I've heard students are not reporting it either.

DD just stayed away once she heard. Only the one boy, who is now stuck isolating on his own, had it. DD is also double jabbed, although that's no guarantee but she did also have it last October. I think generally they are all being very responsible.

We are collecting ds later today. He face timed me yesterday to give me a tour of his house next year. It was surprisingly nice. It has been a tough year for all of our dc but I am amazed how much ds has matured this year and just got on with it (apart from a minor mid year wobble). I'm not sure his cooking skills have improved much but I'm so proud of how he's coped. Am making a huge chocolate cake and looking forward to watching the football with him later tonight. And having a messy house for the next few weeks!

@BCBG thats fortunate its just the one boy. DD jabbed a couple of weeks ago but just first one and shes adamant shes had it last year.
@specialted hope you had safe travels. Yeah I think they coped amazingly well given this year has been like no other. Most certainly matured. Uni is a great place for that to happen :)
If any DC went to extravs some pics are here: www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=LancasterSU&set=a.4416545018355610

Had a reasonable pick up although ds lost his room keys! Couldn't face unpacking the car to look for them so he will have to pay the £40 fine unless he finds them and posts them back within 7 days. Flat was relatively clean which was good, think they all stayed up last night cleaning it. Thanks for link for photos @sammyjoanne , ds features on a few looking rather worse for wear! I mentioned your dds name and he says he thinks he's met her once. Small world!

@specialted oh no, hope you found his room keys when you unpack. That's nice hes on the photos :) think the student union facebook page they will do a bowland/lonsdale/fylde etc on another album in the coming day or so. It is a small world, from what I gather our DC will leave nearby in September :). Her flat is also living close to her current next door but one which she's close friends with. Glad your DS is back, cant wait till DD is back as getting worried now with all this covid about spreading in the townhouses.

DD's townhouse have done a kitchen clean and just keeping it clean. As they are leaving on various dates, they agreed its not fair to leave it all to the last person in the flat.
Not seen DD flat yet, although I have walked at the front and to the rear of it. Her dad and I are not happy her having to access the entrance down an alleyway. Definitely torch is needed when it gets dark. And might even buy some solar lights they can use that can stick on the wall.

will leave* = will live.

DD posted this yesterday :)

@sammyjoanne that looks very creative! Are you collecting dd this weekend?

[quote specialted]@sammyjoanne that looks very creative! Are you collecting dd this weekend?[/quote]
Yes we have got back home now with DD. Armadillo storage (near asda) I highly recommend. We just got a 3ft squared storage and its plenty enough. So glad we did it as she's accumulated more things over the year.
Had a cheeky Sultans this afternoon, and she said good bye to 4 ladies that are still left in the flat. A couple of the guys are coming back for a weekend then moving out sometime next week. It was more tiring moving out than in, it was amazing how much dust gets into those townhouse bedrooms lol. Was emotional for her bless her.
Hope your DS is settled now and looking forward to the summer hols.
What's everyone's plans for the summer?

DD got her results today. Overall 66.9%, so she was very pleased :) Just waiting for DD2 now and her GCSE's in August. Been back home 10 days now and enjoying being back at home, and seeing her cousin for the first time (hes 8 weeks). DD1 has done some baking, and we caught up finally with the washing. Hopefully we get to go to Cornwall mid August and also have plans to go to MLE firework championships which is always a good night out and is socially distanced as well. DD plans to meet with 6th form friends and her physics friend who lives local, then DD 20th birthday coming up early September so hope to go out somewhere for that.
Hope you are all enjoying the summer everybody :)

Oh well done sammyjoanne’s DD! Excellent result and bodes well for the next two years. Still waiting for DS’s results. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks.

Well done to your dd @sammyjoanne.... Dds friends have had mixed results one having to resit a module.

I'm feeling a bit sad for my dd non of her plans seem to be happening for the summer due to covid issues etc... Sadly her school friend has also let her down too. Hopefully Reading is still on.

Weve had a long weekend away, spent far too much money on eating out...

It still seems so tough out there for our young adults.