Another path- the first year ......

[chopc]

Apologies if I didn't tag anyone. Hopefully have inckueded all current posters

Chopc - Durham-History
@jano69 -Durham -History
@OnTheBenchOfDoom -Durham - Computer science
@Majaso12 -Imperial - Biochemistry
@bendmeoverbackwards -Bristol- History
@Pumpkintopf -Imperial -Physics
@ChimneyPot -Brown (US) - Open
@Stillcrikey -Bristol -MML
@Tenpastseven - Bristol -modern languages
@Longtimenewsee - Durham - Chemistry
@MidLifeCrisis007 - Durham -History
@BigWoollyJumpers - Exeter- History
@SeasonFinale -Bristol- History
@Notagardener LSE
@Revengeofthepangolins UCL - History
@raspberryrippleicecream ? -Maths
@derekthe1adyhamster Birmingham- Computer Science
@Vargas -Durham -Geography
@AvocadoPlant Exeter -History

@MidLifeCrisis007 sorry to hear your ds is unwell. I haven't heard anything from my ds yet about being sick, let's hope it's a quick and mild bug!

Checking in...

Well, DS went back to Exeter on the train today and is all settled back in, although only 2 of them are back in his flat so far.

His Christmas break didn't quite turn out as planned as he was ill for more than half of it until we finally managed to get him some antibiotics for what was clearly a chest infection. Then two pesky essays tied him up for over a week - thankfully now submitted!

He's got results back for the assessed parts of his course last term and seems to have got reasonably decent marks, so that's a relief.

I do feel rather that we've just restored him back to good health again and now he's off again - a bit like a battery ready to be gradually drained again over the next 11 weeks!

He had much more stuff to take back (extra Christmas presents and extra coats and jumpers) so ended up taking one of our suitcases!

DS Term 2 starts on the 1st Feb! Exam period for two weeks, then a week of social activities. We are talking him back next weekend, which fits really well as we are meeting up with DS1 on the way to celebrate his birthday. He will be back two weeks later for his orthodontist appointment.

Evening. We’ve just got back from the (long) day trip to Bristol to drop ds and all his ‘extra’ stuff he’s taken back with him. The bloody car was almost full again! Well, I’m exaggerating but he has taken his keyboard and an amp.
Now to get back to missing him but not missing the laundry.

DD arrived last night to her accommodation to find the heating isn't working. Fortunately she has an electric heated towel rail in her en-suite, which is now on with the door open, and a hot water bottle. She is pretty cold, and maintenance don't work at weekends, which is pretty bad. It is the whole block, so assume major issue. They still have hot water thank goodness though.

I had a good old cry when she left. Took me a couple of years to not be sad when DD1 left each term, so another few to go with DD2.

However, lovely day, cold, but sunny. Have pruned most of my roses, and will de-leaf the hellebores tomorrow.

Aww @BWJ bless you. x
I hope they sort out her heating soon.

@MidLifeCrisis007 that's so lovely! How's DS?

@Jng1 YES! That's exactly it - rechargeable batteries.

@Stillcrikey we drove DS back too so he could take his big party speaker 🙄😁

@BigWoollyJumpers I know what you mean, they leave such an 'absence' when they go. At least I have one at home still though feel the countdown of that too as she is year 12.

DS has been enjoying London life this weekend having finished his exam - goat curry at Borough Market, cheesy naans in Camden, the 02 and the emirates cable car appear to have been the highlights. Also met up with some friends from home who study in London- he didn't have time to see them over Christmas ridiculously as too busy revising. Hope the results are ok 🤞

As for me, have had a very satisfying day off from work clearing out mine and DH's wardrobe- he was willing to participate in culling some past their best clothes so struck while the iron was hot (to coin a phrase- no ironing going on here) - quite cathartic.

@Pumpkintopf - London is a great place for youngsters. So much to do. DD1 loves living there, she does so much. Hops on buses to museums, theatres, music recitals, comedy clubs, bars and restaurants. It's a great experience.

Love a clear out. Always get twitchy to get clearing in the Spring. DD's will be nervous, they know I am like a whirlwind when I get going. I have got into trouble before for clearing much loved items.. ooooppps... .

Although my twins are a couple of years ahead of the children on here I am still keeping up with all your news. I remember my children losing keys and the expense of getting replacements for some types of them as someone mentioned above. By the end the twins kept a set of their twins' keys (both were in Bristol) in case of being locked out but even that did not work one year as the keys were a special kind you were not allowed to copy at a normal locksmith. Now they are home studying (last post grad this year) the key issue is no more.....

Dd finished her last exam today. She said they were really hard, but not awful and could have been worse. She said it’s hard to know how she’s done, especially the essay ones today.

Just checking in , ds has been back in Durham for more than a week now but seems a bit more communicative than last term! Main worry is that there seems to be quite a lot of Covid in his college. Hope your ds feels better soon @MidLifeCrisis007

Thanks for asking after DS @Pumpkintopf and @Peaseblossum22.

DS has not had a great time of late.... first with the tummy bug that knocked him for six, and then he rather abruptly split with his GF of 2 years so he's been at home since the weekend. He's feeling fine physically, but he's very fragile emotionally. It's so sad to see him so down, but he'll pick up.....

@Majaso12 fingers crossed the results are ok! How's her house hunting going? I've heard nothing further from DS, all seems to have stalled again 🙄

So, plan B restrictions are to be lifted - hopefully back to 'normal' for face to face seminars etc?

Oh no @MidLifeCrisis007 - that's sad for him. I guess a lot of 'home' relationships break down once both go away to new unis - doesn't make it any easier on him though. Hopefully some home cooking and TLC will see him right 🤞

Sorry to hear that your Ds is feeling a little down @MidLifeCrisis007. 2 years is a big chunk of your life when you are v young . It’s very understandable. Hope he feels a bit brighter soon
I saw on Durham uni website that their covid numbers had gone up.. I guess other colleges affected too.
@Xenia- Ds lost keys more than once when he was at uni too! Touch wood.. Dd hasn’t … yet

@Pumpkintopf. Don’t think she’s done anything about house hunting. I thought tomorrow I’d message her and say now the exams are over, you should start looking!

That’s what I thought after the announcement today, but it just feels like they’ve decided the rest of this year is online. Several from her course have put a complaint in that all lectures are still pre recorded this term when other courses aren’t. They have said they are prioritising year 3s in her course. Her BF’s lectures are face to face, don’t think he has much online. I don’t think there’s any excuse now for it not to be back to all face to face.

@Majaso12

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1048429/200122_HE_guidance.pdf

...Plan B is to end at 11:59pm on 26 January. As a result, the Plan B measures in this guidance for higher education (HE) providers are being removed. This advice remains subject to change as the situation develops.

With the removal of the Plan B measures, HE providers should note that there are no COVID restrictions that apply to Higher Education and they should ensure that they deliver face-to-face teaching without restrictions. Risk assessments by HE providers should take account of the approach to managing the virus in wider society, particularly that restrictions have been removed and the vaccine programme continues to be rolled out. Risk assessments should never be used to prevent providers delivering the full programme of face-to-face teaching and learning that they were providing before the pandemic.

I suppose that We shall see... is the response there, then.

@MarchingFrogs. Thanks for that. When plan B was put in place, Imperial updated their website that night, DD’s labs were then cancelled the next day which has been postponed to the Summer and the coursework for the missed labs. There’s been no updates since and her timetable is still showing pre recorded lectures and most things online. I think they’ll just carry on with that, as it suits them better, it seems they can’t get away with it. Makes me so angry.

That's interesting marching frogs - thanks. We shall see, indeed!

Dd had an email sent to everyone on her course saying the board of examiners have advised that some exams will have been marked and students may receive appropriate feedback in future, but due to the occurrence of unacceptable late submissions those marks may not count. She said they would be capped at 40% if submitted late. Wondering if some submitted them quite late. Dd said she submitted hers 15 mins before and could have done with that time to check her answers, but was too late then.

Hope that was ok to post that.

Crikey majoso that's interesting- I presume they were all told of the importance of submitting on time.

Yes. Dd told us, if it was submitted late their mark would be capped at 40%. So for the marks possibly not to count, wonder if some submitted it very late. They had 3 hours 15 mins to do the exam and 45 mins to submit it and dd didn’t go over the 3 hours 15 mins because of not knowing how long it would take to submit. She ended up having 15 mins left but couldn’t risk spending longer on the exam in case the submission took the full 45 minutes. I did worry though after she showed me the email, that hers was submitted late.

Hi everyone,

@BigWoollyJumpers sorry to hear you've been feeling down, always hard when they go back. Hope you're feeling a bit brighter today. Have they fixed the heating?? I hope so, it's freezing at the moment.

I had a lovely weekend celebrating my 50th. Overnight stay with dh at the Shangri-La hotel at the top of the Shard which was fantastic, I didn't want to leave! Then on Sunday afternoon tea at Brown's Hotel which was also wonderful. Unfortunately dd3 didn't join us which I was a bit sad about, but it was just too difficult for her. I actually enjoyed it very much in spite of her absence and focused on dd1 and dd2 who were there. They bought me a chocolate tasting experience at Hotel Chocolat, looking forward to doing that.

Party is tomorrow, we decided not to postpone. Had a few covid cancellations and will still might get a few more but that could be the case at any time. I'm feeling a bit down today and hope I'll perk up tomorrow. Dd3's school attendance has been a bit erratic lately and my mood seems to depend on whether she goes in or not. Can't get to the bottom of it at all, I guess it's anxiety and some days are better than others.

In other news, dd2 was pleased with her marks and feedback from essays from last term. Not sure when they get their exam results.