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)

I was on earlier threads but managed to lose you all.

DS was not allowed back into his accommodation at all this term (access is controlled via electronic keycards) so he has been learning from home since December; his spring term finishes next week. For one of his experimental subjects (Chemistry) he has not yet been inside a lab.

He is due to have 4 more weeks of teaching next term. My hope is that (a) he will be allowed to move back to university and (b) that he will have some in-person lab practicals.

At some point he needs to choose which courses to take in second year.

The good news is that he's been allocated his room for second year and he's happy with it (it's just along the corridor from his current room, so he knows exactly what he is getting).

It's hard to believe that they're at the point of making decisions for their second year when their first year hasn't really got going. DD needs to decide if she is going to stick with PPE or drop one of them.

@Hoghgyni

He seems to be putting students below non essential retail (12 April) and either in the same league as indoor hospitality (17 May) or possible below the FA Cup & Reading Festival (if he goes for September).

Yep

With warehouses full of lateral flow tests students could have been back in some small group f2f at same time as secondary kids but no. The money is in so focus is elsewhere.

DD coming home on 27th of March (week after term ends), and going back 17th April. She does have in person labs summer term (had zero labs this term just gone). So far she hasn't had a notification as to know what modules to pick for year 2,. but thinks it could be end of the year.

Thats good Ironoaks he knows what accommodation he has got, must be a good piece of mind :)

We are picking up ds next Sunday. He says the police presence on campus at Lancaster has pretty much gone which he is happy about. I think he's looking forward to home comforts and also seeing his home friends, none of whom seem to have gone back to uni at all this term. I suspect there will be a lot of outdoor reunions with them all from 29th March which he's excited about .

@specialted

I saw a post on wiwikau showing Boris saying he will Make a decision about students returning in may after Easter. Surely if the shops are opening in April they have to let students return??? I really worry he's going to write off the students till September.

I think a lot of students are planning to return straight after Easter regardless. Otherwise, they'll have been home from mid Dec right through to end of September. 4 of my son's flat (of 8) are back, and DS and the other 3 are planning to go back regardless of what Boris says. They know there'll be no face to face (there wasn't back in Oct-Dec anyway even when the Uni could have done it - none of their lecturers were even on campus (except for med/lab courses). If they can't go back until May, there's just no point in going back at all.

@Kazzyhoward agree, think most will return after Easter whatever, especially with restrictions starting to ease.

@Kazzyhoward is he in Manchester by any chance?

[quote SusannahSophia]@Kazzyhoward is he in Manchester by any chance?[/quote]
No, Lancaster

Ah, it all sounded familiar, the no f2f at all and 8 in a flat, but that’s a lot of places, I guess.

@Kazzyhoward Welcome. theres a few lancaster parents ive seen on this thread and on the past couple of threads (Parts 9 and 10). DD is in Grizedale Townhouse. She came back Jan the 2nd, and returning 27th March.

Spoke to DD this Sunday on facetime.They did pub golf this weekend and there was 4 teams of 3, and one of the bedrooms of each team was themed colour, drink plus music to that theme, plus dress in that colour.
DD's room was in yellow and they had pina colada alcoholic and non alcoholic, played yellow by coldplay, club tropicana. Picture was what was outside her door.
She got her results back from exams 3 and 4, and shes has emailed the supervisor to double check it. 3rd exam one was fine no problem, the module was easier for her and she got the results she thought she had. 4th one, she answered about 60% of the questions and they gave her 97%. Doesnt make sense. She said either everyone was not great at it and they bumped her up the grade boundaries, or they made a cock up.She thinks its the latter. Everyone hated Phys112 exam apparantly so will wait to see what they say on the check.

Ds sent me a picture of the birthday flowers I sent with a new pot plant; I said where is the jug...he said will a beer glass do?

Very busy writing an essay on indentured labour and we both started singing Sixteen tonnes... I owe my soul to the company store.

Then he asked suspiciously if the flowers were meant to last a long time, which would be a problem as he was only there another week I said, I didnt expect them to last long! The poor pot plant though....

His latest essay is a B which is a relief, and after the long delayed dyslexia assessment, which he "passed", he is getting some support...not quite sure just yet. But that is a relief to him.

Sammy, maybe no one answers ALL the questions, maybe some are unanswerable. In which case 60 percent would be in the top percentile of class..I seem to remember people saying that about.Maths gcse...40 percent meant an A Star grade.

@Nettleskeins good news about the dyslexia assessment. Ds had a similar disaster with the pot plant I sent with him in sept!

@Nettleskeins after DS was struggling recently I arranged a dyslexia test for him as well and similarly positive result. Waiting for the report to send to the uni, but hopefully extra team will help him as well.

Update:DD got an email, apparently they fluffed up everyones markings on that final exam. She still got a decent mark so shes quite happy when shes worked out her average over the 4 modules.

Great news on the essay Nettleskeins :) and nice to get fresh flowers too.
fake flowers in DD's room, doesnt trust herself, even with a succulent lol.
And Eve thats good, hopefully they should be able to help him and get the support he needs :)

DS bought fake plants in his obligatory pre-uni IKEA trip. They are thriving

Hello all. @sammyjoanne, thank you for starting this new thread, lovely to keep up with everyone's news. So good to hear all the little stories and experiences - and the triumphs.

My Lancaster fresher DS (County) and some of his flatmates went in the sea at Morecambe a couple of weeks ago. I flapped a bit as it sounded risky but they planned carefully, choosing a very safe spot to go in, and a few of them stayed on the beach watching to make sure those who went in were safe. Photos were funny - they definitely had a good time.

Like your DD @sammyjoanne, my DS is staying in his flat at Lancaster for the first week of the Easter break and having a bit of time finishing off work and chilling before he comes back.

I'm also frustrated that govt have not addressed the issue of the operation of universities and getting them back to full functioning with more urgency. This cohort have really been treated badly overall. DS has been cheery and made the best of it, like many of your sons and daughters experiences as shared here... but I am sure many will have just dropped out, or suffered mental health issues.

DS is studying overseas next year so much excitement for him at the moment getting that sorted out. He's going to University of Colorado in Boulder, just outside Denver. I hope he'll have a blast there, and that they will all start to make up next year for some of the experiences they've missed out on. He is needed there from mid August, so lots for us to help sort out - so he can get his visa and everything else in order.

I'm quietly planning Easter meals and treats for when DS1 is home. And we are going to have an outdoor meet up with one small bubble of family (my brother and sister-in-law) we haven't seen for many months which is something I am really looking forward to. I hope you all have some fun ahead when your DC come back for Easter - with the slight relaxation in regulations it feels like we can think about quite a bit more.

Then at the end of the Easter break we've booked a cottage for four nights in the Ribble Valley, so all four of us will go stay there, then drop DS1 back to Bailrigg. Amazing to be able to have a trip again, I'm also planning food for that stay in my head too (hmm, I probably spend far too much time thinking about, cooking or eating food now I think about it)

Whatever you've got planned I hope you all have a lovely few weeks. Special waves to all the Lancaster mums...

@WellWoman lovely to hear from you. Sounds like all the family have some fun things planned. How exciting for ds going to Boulder! What course is he doing to incorporate that?

He's doing Geography with a year abroad.

Effectively they follow similar course of study to those staying at the uni for all three years of the course, but instead they do a year in the US, Canada, Aus or NZ - all English speaking countries. Lancaster has an agreement with several universities that enables them to swap certain numbers of students every year. DS actually wanted to go to Melbourne, but the Australian places were in really high demand so he had to take his second choice, which he is now really pleased with.

We are hoping to join him at Christmas for a family ski trip in the Rockies. Many years ago I worked for a business based in Denver and I still have a couple of contacts there. One very kind ex colleagues has really put himself out to be helpful and promises to make sure DS is ok. Lovely for me to know he has a kind local adult (and his wife) close by if needed!

sorry, should have said, that was for @sammyjoanne!

Nice to hear from you @WellWoman :) Waves back*
Wow Morecambe in the sea at this time of year.Very brave, I know I couldnt do that, not even a paddle lol
And thats great hes been accepted to colorado too, what an amazing experience. And a couple of hours drive to Breckenridge so he can nip skiing with new friends hes made. DD2 (year 11) would love to have a working placement or study abroad for 1 year in the programme for zoology.

Plans wise we have put a deposit for Riviere sands in Cornwall in a caravan for August. And we have rebooked Australia for Christmas and new year (DH, DD1 DD2 and me were all meant to go in April last year on a cruise +stay and it got cancelled). No cruise this time though, and was fortunate to get all our money back from Princess.
And DD1 flatmates are going to Amsterdam in September for 3 nights.
Easter time will consist of outdoor walks and meet ups and a hairdressers appointment. Hopefully if its anything like last year, we might get the weather for DH and my birthday and have a BBQ again. April was pretty decent 2020.