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

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

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[quote NewModelArmyMayhem18]@simbobs it's shocking really, isn't it (re CT)? I only know about it because whoever did the 'we're students' email to DS's city council in year two of their degree, put DS down as completing his studies in 2021. So come the end of term (but not their house contract) he was being badgered to pay it, even though he shouldn't have been.

Hope you manage to sort out a care box of scrumptiousness for your DD @RampantIvy, and that she starts to feel a whole lot better soon.

Great to hear from you @ZZTopGuitarSolo. Are most US degrees four years? I think that's a better length of time in which to enjoy student life and think about what to do next. Three years goes so quickly (particularly when most of it has been in a pandemic!). Good to hear that your DD is back on top of things and enjoying student life, including the opportunity to travel to Spain![/quote]
Yes - it’s unusual to do a degree in 3 years although possible if your uni recognizes college level courses you did at school and gives you credits for them. DD’s college gave her a few credits but not many.

The Spain trip starts on her 21st birthday - so she’ll be spending it on a plane just as she spent her 18th :-)

I’ve no idea! In all of DDs Bristol rentals I’m pretty sure each student had to send their details to the council to be exempted. But I’m not sure DS ever has - all his bills are included as he’s at Durham and all inclusive seems to be the thing there!

Interesting to consider whether 'inclusive of bills' rentals cover CT too (although if they do it's being paid unnecessarily) @bigTillyMint.

Yes, I can imagine a young person being totally shocked at having to cover the whole of a rental's CT if they're the only non-student in a property (possibly Poll Tax which was per person would have been fairer in that regard!)!

@NewModelArmyMayhem18. I don’t think they are paying CT, but DS hasn’t AFAIK had to deal with the council to sort it. Maybe he sent course confirmation to the landlord/managing company?

That sounds promising @bigTillyMint as it reads that they are exempt up to a year afterwards.

Yes, that's possible (and then the landlord/managing agent sorted it out)? I think that was supposed to happen with DS at the beginning of this house rental contract, only DS discovered (when he was home a couple of weeks ago) that this hadn't been done. Or the managing agent had changed and it had been overlooked by them?

Here’s info on students and council tax

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/housing/renting-a-home/student-housing/students-in-private-rented-accommodation/student-housing-council-tax/

I should have said this is for ENGLAND but if in Wales, Scotland or NI you can choose this option on www.citizensadvice.org.uk then put “student council tax” in the search bar

That's really useful @VanCleefArpels. Thank you for the link.

How is your DD @RampantIvy?

My DD came home for a week to decompress. After 2 terms ill at home she managed a full 3w back at uni. The week was amazing. So good to see her and she went back as planned yesterday. If nothing else COVID has been a blessing in some respects because she could never have done this sort of thing before and would probably have dropped out of uni. And I have to say the support from Durham - course tutors, college and student support service has been amazing.

That’s really good to hear @chocolatenutcase

DS is back for the weekend - at his gfs but will drop in to see us at some point

Still full of covid @chocolatenutcase
She can't sleep for coughing, and is even more exhausted than usual. She is also extremely stressed about her dissertation. She has been too ill to even write an introduction.

@RampantIvy your poor DD. I know from my own DD that missing a week due to illness then adds stress and the stress makes it harder to concentrate and sleep. It's a vicious circle. I hope it starts to get better for her. Such a worry

@bigTillyMint it will be lovely to see your DS even for a little while. The chance to see them and check they look ok, not just sound ok.

Exactly @chocolatenutcase - it’s good to see them in person to check on them, FT doesn’t show much! Anyway he and his gf hooked up with DD yday and came back here together so I will see him when they drag themselves out of bed

@icanbewhatiwant (and any other UEA parents still on this thread), have the subject specific graduation dates been announced, do you know? DS hasn't been in touch recently and the UEA 'save the date' page seems to have been updated but almost gives the impression that booking has now classed (WTAF!!!)?

We may yet get to a new thread just in time for graduation .

@RampantIvy how is your DD doing now? Hopefully on the mend?

@RampantIvy - I hope your DD is now feeling a bit better?

DS has been told his graduation date and time. It is pretty early in the morning so reckon we will have to travel the day before and stay overnight in Notts. Should be fun! Hopefully be able to take him out one night and make the most of the time away.

@blametheparents nice to have an excuse to make the most of an occasion, but an early morning graduation slot isn't ideal at all, is it? Exciting to plan for though!

Thank you for asking. Not great, one step forward and two steps back. She started feeling better, and had broken the back of her dissertation intro. She had two days of negative LFTs, then felt worse this morning and tested positive again

Oh no @RampantIvy . The poor thing.

I can't help but think BoJo's plan to release us from what remains of pandemic restrictions (including the need to self-isolate if one tests positive) is decidedly premature .

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 not that I know of. I'll text Ds and ask. But I don't expect a reply for a day or so.

Thanks for letting me know @icanbewhatiwant.

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 Ds did reply with "nobody knows"

The message on uea page has changed though. It did have dates but now says something about demand for places being high. Perhaps that is for 2020/21 graduates.

That's exactly what I saw @icanbewhatiwant (which is what alarmed me!). I wonder if they've actually put that page up too early? Stranger things have happened? You could well be right though that it's pitched at the previous two cohorts of graduates who are now working, rather than this year's.

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 Ds also said he knows they need to book a time slot. But doesn't know when.