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)

@sammyjoanne - well brave is a kind description re sea swimming in the UK in winter...I'm so glad you have lots of lovely things to look forward to. Professional hair intervention is much anticipated at our house, and not just by me. DS2 got DH to take our clippers to his very shaggy hair and go to 3mm all over! Luckily it grows so fast it's softened quite quickly but it was quite extreme at first.

Aus will be amazing - great goal to have at the end of your Covid tunnel.

@Kazzyhoward I'm wondering what faculty your DS is in at Lancaster ? Mine got face to face in geography in Michaelmas term, and I think quite a few other courses there did at least some teaching in person. Sorry to hear your DS didn't get this even in autumn, it really isn't good enough, I hope he's at least enjoyed some aspects of this year?

@sammyjoanne, saw this and thought of you, as they say (or rather, your DD).
thetab.com/uk/lancaster/2021/03/19/a-definitive-list-of-the-college-stereotypes-at-lancaster-university-26296
All the young people I know who were at Lancaster recently were in (apparently unremarkable) Bowland.

lol @MarchingFrogs I showed this to DD today on facetime. There is a bit of rivalry between colleges. Pendle and Grizedale tend to be at rivals, but she does love the Pendle laundrette and often uses theirs lol.
As for Grizedale still being the 'party college', she has said this year County has given them a run for their money, and security has been extra tight on Grizedallians; although she claims that Grizedale have been the best at themed flat parties this year. She has a lot of physics friends that are in Bowland (as physics dept is on on Bowlands doorstep) and plans to goes to Bowland and Grizedales Extravs in June/July.
I think some of the Lancaster parents on mums net are going this weekend to pick up their DC? How has your DC enjoyed this term @marchingfrogs?

@MarchingFrogs that's a funny article! Made me smile. Ds In grizedale is certainly a party lover, but I guess the college attracts that type of person due to its sociable nature . We collect him tomorrow, think he's looking forward to being looked after but will def be keen to get back after a couple of weeks to hopefully a bit more sociable times , albeit outside!

Safe travels @specialted :)

@sammyjoanne, I confess that I am but an Interloper on this thread - our current university DC are postgrad (Bristol) and 2nd year (Birmingham). Postgrad DS1 apparently working hard, too busy to come away for Easter. Birmingham DD coming back here by train on Wednesday. Currently very disgruntled, as she and her housemates are 'enjoying' their third or fourth power cut of the week, this one only affecting 48 households, all their side and section of the street, just to make them feel extra special. Western Power Distribution think that something has gone bang underground, apparently.

We collected ds today .Lancaster campus looks lovely with daffodils everywhere and much more signs of life with students walking around than last term. Ds looks much healthier this term, suspect he's had a lot more time outdoors! He's had a great term on the whole and said he wasn't ready to come home at all, which actually made me happy during this Covid time! Think he would have stayed if others in his flat were but they were all leaving today. Lovely to have him home, roast dinner with plenty of veg tonight!

@MarchingFrogs Postgrads I see vlogs on you tube and they are always hard at work, and understand DS wishing to stay :) DD at Birmingham. That was one of the unis DD was looking at originally. What are they studying?
@Specialted Glad DS looks healthier and had a better term :) sounds like he's had a great time and really gelling with his flat:)
One person in DD's flat has gone home, and more are leaving all this week, and finally DD on Saturday.
She was the first one to arrive before the lockdown was announced on the 2nd of Jan, so has been there for 12 weeks. I've missed her loads and cant wait to give her a hug and binge watch Bridgerton together :)

Hi all. I’ve missed a few threads. Hope everyone is well. DD hasn’t been back to her private halls since Christmas. She has been working PT at her old place of employment. She is due to go back in April to London but had a mini breakdown when I asked her about it earlier. So sad for her.

@sammyjoanne, she is studying IR with French, due to spend next year in France. Or possibly...

Ooh soounds good marching frogs, hope everything goes well.

Aibuto aww is she finding it hard? I hope next term will be a better one for her

She is enjoying the course but finding it very isolated.

Aibuto aww that's a shame, its not been easy this year. I hope she can make some friends this term. Hope the restrictions lift and people can meet even if its outside for a drink at pub or cafe and that.

DS has booked his train ticket home. Next Monday 29th as there don’t seem to be any trains running on the weekend. I’m so looking forward to seeing him, first time since 4th Jan.

Aww Suzannah thats great you get to see your DS. Ive been told though dd2 who facetimed her that there's just DD1 and one other now in her flat (a girl from Dubai/uk nationality). She's got relatives in the UK so will be staying there over Easter but isn't going back until 3rd April, so she will be on her own for a week. Whether she ended up at morecambe yesterday/monday I dont know. I hope she did as would be nice she gets out this week whilst theres no lessons.

Back home now. Nice journey, stopped for a Greggs on campus for brunch before going home :)

@sammyjoanne glad you got home ok with dd. Enjoy the Easter break

Thanks @specialted you too :)

Great to have her home, sammyjoanne. Roll on Monday for my DS.

DD home now and has promptly reverted to a teen in all manner of ways! More worrying is that she went to uni a little overweight and has come home very overweight. She has been self catering and not exercising and the ASD means that any intervention from me would not go down well. It's so sad to see as I was hoping that uni would help her address some issues but it seems that it's been more like just surviving it. It's horrible when you are worried sick about your child but you have to let them be! Waves to everyone else with children home now 🍰 ☕️

My DS3 (the one at uni) is also overweight. I can remember myself gaining lots of weight at uni because I loved being able to choose my own food. Sadly I’m still overweight.

DS3 doesn’t have ASD but has many traits. His DB (my DS2) does have ASD though, so I recognise the traits in DS3. It’s actually harder with DS3 as he’d like more friends but isn’t great at knowing how to make or keep them, whereas DS2 has no need for other people at all.

BCBG ds2 has come back much thinner but eating absolute junk and with no table manners or ability to sit through a family meal without interrupting!! I think it has been two steps forward and one step back in the independence stakes and I'm sure that comfort eating or in ds2 s case comfort not cooking but eating just anything quickly to wade (? or is wave? Cannot remember how to speak) off hunger pangs is the downside of being in a less structured setting

My ds1 went to uni overweight and taking no exercise and it was a miracle, he came back thin as a rake, handsome and as fit as a flea because of clubbing, and running up hills at the last moment to get to lectures. Still ate junk though. Lockdown at uni he put on a lot of weight again...just no reason to take exercise or go anywhere on foot, and was having takeaways delivered. Didn't bicycle, too dyspraxic and fearful.

Bit better now spring is here. Walking a lot.

Ds2 has shown me a picture of a charming country walk he did with flatmates, including a visit to a horse they named Gerald!!! The only suspicious thing is that the sun was very low in the sky in these pics...they do clearly get up very late....

DS has come back much leaner, having worked out in his room at uni every day, which was apparently preferable to actually doing any work. He's saved about four essays up for the Easter holidays which won't be much fun. He's able to eat what he wants and not put on an ounce, unlike poor dd who simply has to sniff a custard cream and puts on weight.

Thanks Susannah :) I also noticed DD is looking more slender than first term when I picked her up. Her flat is going through a health kick and doing running round the campus. She's not into the running much, but still tries to get 10000 steps in.
BCBG hopefully things will improve for your DD in the summer. Places to visit, getting out and about. Williamson park and the hill up to the top is a fitness goal. Just about killed me getting to the top of Ashton memorial, but was a welcome goal reaching the top. Felt like Rocky for a bit lol.
Nettleskeins, glad your DS is having a good time :) And great to get out there on the country walks.

DD and I was up till 2am last night chatting lol. Watched a film then watching tiktok videos they did and telling me some of the stuff they been getting up to. DD used the extra week on campus to do some revision, so she's just chilling out for a few days and meeting with friends
Saw on Facebook Fylde college bar is open the 12th with also takeaway food. Grizedale bar is open the 19th. Both have picnic tables so that will be nice to visit on sunny evenings.

Looking forward to dd returning home on Wednesday (definitely looking forward to being cooked for again..love her Paella ). Term finished over a week ago but their bubble decided to decamp (to a parents annex with a hottub).

Dd is definitely a bit slimmer since starting uni but her choice to eat a very healthy Mediterranean diet.. she's over 5ft 9 so tall and slim. That said they have been baking alot.. Its been a household of 5 that have really enjoyed the last few weeks. She's been one of the fortunate freshers
.. Played hard, worked hard made lovely friends.