University 2019/20 intake: vacations, vaccinations, va-va-voom restored and virtually into their third year

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

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What a PITA for your DS @simbobs. I hope he gets paid soon. In one way I think it's good for our young people to live their own lives (and not be consigned to home for the long summer vacation period), but it makes life more expensive for them (and potentially for us!).

DD left for her year abroad this morning. Half thought she'd never get there as she had to do a PS and be assessed to get a place, and covid. Her doctor was great and agreed to an early second vaccine, which she needs for entry to the country. Had last minute panics this week, in that her uni suddenly thought they needed a visa (they don't) and having to upgrade coach and flight to take more luggage (not getting confirmation it was booked).

Good news, she doesn't need any money from us this year. She'll be getting a larger student loan, an erasmus grant and her accommodation is much cheaper. I'm sure she'll actually be able to save some of it!

@ifonly4 good luck to her and how exciting!

@ifonly4 - How exciting! Where has she gone, if you don’t mind saying?
Good to hear that there are at least some students getting to study abroad this academic year.

It really will be a breath of fresh air for the students doing an 'abroad' year.

DD - same entrance year - but different country, just got the e-mail that it will be largely f2f starting with the winter semester. After more than 1,5 years of working completely online she feels slightly stressed out already (she will have to leave the house properly dressed for a start ...)

How exciting @ifonly4. Good luck to her!

Dropped DS off at Bath today. On the drive I asked if he was going to check graduate job stuff during the year (he’s not been exactly active looking for work so far).

Then he mentioned he was considering doing a masters - currently on a 3 year BSc. Is that covered by student loans, and is it something he might need to discuss with the university- eg switching to a masters included course which they also do?

We were dropping off too today @MrKlaw ! I think it depends on the type of masters - Ds course can be a bachelors degree or integrated masters depending on whether you do a fourth year & would be covered by the student loan. But separate masters have a different form of funding. You should be able to tell by looking on the uni website.

@Decorhate thanks. he’s doing BSc math (3 year course), and uni of bath do both that course and an MMath which is a 4 year course including masters.

I’ll get him to ask about options

@MrKlaw Had a quick look & the website implies the MMath course involves extra modules as well as an extra year so I guess it depends on whether he has missed out on modules in Y1 &2 or could still take them.

DD’s Uni is starting a week later than usual this year so still have her around (except for a very busy social programme and yet another festival!). She has registered interest in a couple of public sector grad schemes so that she doesn’t miss application deadlines. We’ve talked a lot about the future this summer, I feel she has her head screwed on unlike her sibling who left it late in the final year (Easter type time) and subsequently found it very stressful

I think Masters are becoming to young people now what degrees were to previous generations!

Friend's DD did one (converted from BSc to MSc for her subject at Bristol a few years ago) but I wonder whether it's better to more finely 'hone' Masters to future career interest rather than just add an extra year to the existing course? I guess the latter probably works out cheaper and more convenient but do you think it adds enough value?

Good for your DD @VanCleefArpels. It seems like there's a lot to do in the final year! I did advise DS to start considering his options (think he's keen on doing an MA too) but I'm not holding my breath...

blametheparents She's gone to Germany. Her course starts on Wed, so a few days of settling in. She went out for drinks last night, is hoping to meet up with someone else doing her course and also going to meet one of her new flatmates at airport tomorrow, so at least making contact with others.

She hasn't got her Ghic yet (delayed), which she needs to apply for a residence permit but she's got 90 days to do that.

Her uni are saying they intend to operate as much as normal this year, other than masks in lectures, distancing where possible, times of LFTs just before lectures if necessary - everyone who can have vaccine has had time to get it to protect themselves, therefore, they can expect a normal year for those students.

I think partly its inertia - maybe they’re into their studies finally after a slow start? Not sure.

Also think it may be worth trying to bank a decent degree rather than risk by pushing it out into a masters. Although a separate masters sounds expensive (no specific maintenance loan, just a loan that hopefully covers tuition and some change for a bag of chips), plus it pays off alongside the original loan so expensive for us and him..

@ifonly4 - That all sounds great. I hope she has an amazing time.

DS thought briefly about a Masters, but then decided he wants to earn some money so will be going down the graduate job market path! I remember being utterly done with school / university / education by the 3rd year and just wanted to get out, but am thinking about a part time Masters now so I guess it is something to come back to. Having said that, it is not now for my job, more for my own interest.

Younger DC suddenly announced at the weekend that they want to go to a different 6th Form! Aagh! Been weighing up two 6th form options, thought School A had been confirmed, and then School B came back! Thankfully we hadn't officially turned down either School A or School B so it was a mad rush to get organised for today.
Cos I needed a bit more stress in my life!

Took DD back yesterday - thought it would get easier by 3rd year but still strangely flat today 🙄
Her course (med) is doing all lectures online but mainly as 80%of this year is in hospital/GP, they perceive they are a high risk group for affecting the patients. Paradoxically her friends doing eg social sciences are having almost everything F2F. I really hope they can have something close to a normal year, specially socially, for what for many will be final year. Good luck to all starting back and to all of you adjusting to the quiet!

@NewModelArmyMayhem18, DD chose a career-focused MSc for this reason. Has worked out for her (just needs to get the diss submitted before she starts her job!!!)

@MrKlaw, you apply for a loan, but it’s one loan only to cover fees - no maintenance loan. So she stayed in Bristol and got a reduction in fees - I think she had about 2-3K left after paying fees to live on. So she started working again after the restrictions were lifted plus back to bank of mum and dad

@sergeantmajormum glad to hear those doing social sciences are getting F2F - DD has found her course tutors VERY reluctant to do this. But may be better for those starting this year.

There was an article in The Guardian earlier on this week. I didn't read more than the headline but the implication is that academics are in danger of talking themselves out of their teaching jobs because of their reluctance to go back 'face to face' with students.

Good that your DD has nearly completed her MSc @bigTillyMint. Good luck to her.

@sergeantmajormum that rationale seems the wrong way round don't you think? And totally seems to ignore 'the elephant in the room' that the young people will probably be busy socialising like mad in their spare time?!!!

@blametheparents stressful for you having to sort out a different sixth form for your younger DC at such short notice!

@NewModelArmyMayhem18
Agree absolutely re elephant in room as socialising/freshers etc is seemingly back to pre pandemic levels. Think the rationale for the med students is that having 300 of them in a lecture theatre and then sending them out a week later to hospital wards is a risk to vulnerable patients so it’s to protect them not students or lecturers. Plenty of smaller group F2F for them tho.

@sergeantmajormum yes, I can understand the imperative to reduce risk to others (in clinical settings) potentially by not having 'in person' lectures for 300 medical students.

I do wonder though whether this is a local-to-the-university policy or a blanket one for medics in the making? Suspect the former? I have a feeling the universities are making up their own rules, presumably dependent upon the strength of views of the academic staff?

@NewModelArmyMayhem18
Afraid I can’t comment on what other medical schools are doing but her uni is definitely doing more F2F in other subjects than was mooted back last term so some progress. I’m sure you are correct that this will vary across institutions as they have had no central guidance and are independent organisations?

I'm still waiting for DS to even look at his uni email account. I asked the question re f2f and he clearly had no idea whatsoever! My view is that there will be a high level of immunity amongst students now, through natural immunity as well as vaccination. A completely different scenario from the las 2 terms, methinks.

Ds seems to think f2f etc. will be back to how it was for the start of year 1. He's had an email of 13,000 words telling him how to go about his dissertation. He hadn't made his way through the whole email last time I asked. He will move back to Norwich in 2 weeks time. He's still working atm.

It's an awful thing to say, but I can't wait for him to go back. I'll miss our dog walks as he's the only one of my 3 ds's that will walk. But I won't miss the his grumpiness and the mess. He leaves everything out and just generally creates a mess. His bedroom is really untidy...I won't even go into the state of the bathroom. His brothers get annoyed at the bathroom. We have an en-suite thank goodness. I think he's desperate to get back to his mates and city life too.

DD did the first stage application for a grad scheme today 😳. Not sure I’m ready for this reality!!