University visits

[Magic Mouse]

DD commutes so we don’t have the issue of moving back but she is incredibly worried about the provision of teaching this year.

She’s doing a Primary Education degree and I remember visiting many universities when she was applying and being told that there would be a high amount of face to face teaching.

In her first year, she was in uni almost every day. Before Christmas she had half a day in and one or two part days of on line learning.

She has an assignment due next week and they’ve had just one lecture on the subject.

Worrying times for everyone.

[WhereIBelong]

Dd went back on 30Dec as she is living with her partner at uni. Swansea so all locked down, but she is making good use of the lack of social life to get stellar marks in assignments. Exams at the moment...

[DisneyDaffodil]

Originally Posted by The Muppets

My son who is in his 3rd year at Manchester is also desperate to go back. He really needs the library to start his final dissertation so he’s heading back at the end of next week.
His sister in her 1st year at Newcastle is also going back as she also needs library access.

I would prefer they stayed at home but the universities are not giving any help with distance study so we have no choice but to let them go back.
DD is getting messages from Newcastle University that the campus is open for study and they can come back despite the government guidelines !

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Originally Posted by Edie ray

Hello

My son is 2nd year and he is going back to his rental next weekend, all his flatmates are already there

I am also worried but it’s his decision and he’s ready to go back

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Originally Posted by Frankie & gang

My DD went back last weekend, studying at Nottingham uni - her 3rd year. All her equipment is there so she was insistent on going back. In a private house with 5 others. All but 1 returned last weekend.
She’d not gone out 12 days before returning (apart from walk with me & DH) & cases lower there than in Kent.
She & we felt she was as safe there.

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I think a lot of students in private rentals felt this way. They all love their homes with us and their families, but their uni cities are where they want to be during term time. Even though they are tied to the same restrictions there, they have the company of their housemates and it feels a little more of the experience they should be getting

I’m surprised to hear Newcastle uni is encouraging students back though. Georgia has had quite a few emails from Bristol saying they shouldn’t return until government guidelines change. I think that’s why her friends decided to stay home, but I don’t think they will stay after mid February. They’re paying a lot of rent without being allowed to use their houses 😢

[DisneyDaffodil]

Originally Posted by Magic Mouse

DD commutes so we don’t have the issue of moving back but she is incredibly worried about the provision of teaching this year.

She’s doing a Primary Education degree and I remember visiting many universities when she was applying and being told that there would be a high amount of face to face teaching.

In her first year, she was in uni almost every day. Before Christmas she had half a day in and one or two part days of on line learning.

She has an assignment due next week and they’ve had just one lecture on the subject.

Worrying times for everyone.

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Georgia has found it very worrying and challenging to complete the three reports she’s been set due to lack of teaching. They set the lectures, which she watched online, but there’s been no workshops or practical sessions to help

Good luck to your DD for her assignments xx

[DisneyDaffodil]

Originally Posted by WhereIBelong

Dd went back on 30Dec as she is living with her partner at uni. Swansea so all locked down, but she is making good use of the lack of social life to get stellar marks in assignments. Exams at the moment...

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Good luck to your DD for her assignments and exams. Georgia starts her online exams next week

[Magic Mouse]

Originally Posted by DisneyDaffodil

Georgia has found it very worrying and challenging to complete the three reports she’s been set due to lack of teaching. They set the lectures, which she watched online, but there’s been no workshops or practical sessions to help

Good luck to your DD for her assignments xx

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And to Georgia too, it must be so frustrating for them. Georgia sounds much like my DD, always wanting to do a good job but the lack of support this year makes it so hard.

[Col&Ali]

Originally Posted by Col&Ali

How is everyone doing? Any decisions on returning to uni in readiness for Semester 2?

Ry says he’s going to go back next week but I am a bit worried. But he’s 3rd year now so I don’t want to “mother” him 🤷

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Thanks for the replies to my post last night - I will expand a bit! Ry is just so different to Rosie - she would have been back by now and spending quality time with her flat mates who, 2 years later, are still her best friends

Ry is an online guy! Even when back at Uni he doesn't meet up with his friends - they chat online! He has never needed people around him but does admit to feeling a bit bored and lonely when back at Uni after being home with the family. He isn't in a flat-share - this year he has lived in a studio so is on his own with no flat-mates. So I think my concerns are more about his welfare and mental health, IYKWIM. He really only goes out once a week to go shopping - doesn't even buy a takeaway! I've had a chat with him and said when he goes back this time he must try at least to arrange to go on a socially distanced walk with his friends - but with Covid around and people being so anti social contact I don't want him to be singled out by a stranger for being out with someone! He really wouldn't feel comfortable with this!

My friend's advice was to explain a bubble to him and say he is perfectly entitled to bubble with his friend who also lives alone in the town.

He's just in a world of his own lol. I said to him yesterday "oh, you won't be able to have a hair cut before you go back" ... and he said why? He didn't even realise that hairdressers are shut! He has been indoors since he came home before Xmas!

I was really hoping that year 3 would bring him out of his shell and he would enjoy being part of a team making a film ... but it's all been taken away from him.

So hard for them all

[DisneyDaffodil]

Originally Posted by Col&Ali

Thanks for the replies to my post last night - I will expand a bit! Ry is just so different to Rosie - she would have been back by now and spending quality time with her flat mates who, 2 years later, are still her best friends

Ry is an online guy! Even when back at Uni he doesn't meet up with his friends - they chat online! He has never needed people around him but does admit to feeling a bit bored and lonely when back at Uni after being home with the family. He isn't in a flat-share - this year he has lived in a studio so is on his own with no flat-mates. So I think my concerns are more about his welfare and mental health, IYKWIM. He really only goes out once a week to go shopping - doesn't even buy a takeaway! I've had a chat with him and said when he goes back this time he must try at least to arrange to go on a socially distanced walk with his friends - but with Covid around and people being so anti social contact I don't want him to be singled out by a stranger for being out with someone! He really wouldn't feel comfortable with this!

My friend's advice was to explain a bubble to him and say he is perfectly entitled to bubble with his friend who also lives alone in the town.

He's just in a world of his own lol. I said to him yesterday "oh, you won't be able to have a hair cut before you go back" ... and he said why? He didn't even realise that hairdressers are shut! He has been indoors since he came home before Xmas!

I was really hoping that year 3 would bring him out of his shell and he would enjoy being part of a team making a film ... but it's all been taken away from him.

So hard for them all

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It’s very difficult for the quieter ones and the first years to make friends throughout all this. I know Georgia spent a lot of her first year the same as Ryan does. She didn’t have anything in common with her housemates, so was perfectly happy in her room gaming, working or with some other hobby or pastime. She was contented but I was worried she wasn’t socialising and making friends

Thankfully, she did then start to make friends through her Biology course, and her friendship group and social life expanded. She still doesn’t drink and has no interest in clubs, even if they were open, but she does have company and a lot of fun (even though they stick to the restrictions)

You mention Ry has friends but it’s all online, I think that’s quite usual now, even though it seems different to us. Georgia spends a lot of time with her friends online, she keeps in touch with a few local friends whilst she’s in uni that way and now keeps in touch with her housemates and boyfriend online. It does mean they still have a social life, but it is sad that they can’t get out more.

I hope Ry does try to meet up when he returns to uni with a friend for a walk outdoors at least. It would be good for him to expand his social skills a little. Although I do know quite a few who live like that whilst at uni, my cousin’s son went through his whole degree commuting from home and never spoke to any other student on his course. He now has a very well paid job, happy social life, wife and child 😃 He found he started to relax more after the pressures of studying and then started to meet people through work and gain his social life. I guess as long as Ryan is happy with how he’s socialising, which he seems to be, then it’s ok. Maybe he’s just enjoying being home with you 💞 😃

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by Nimbus

Hmm, I don't know.

The course had some face-to-face and hands-on stuff before Christmas (a lot less that there normally should be and somewhat restricted) and there's nothing in the current restrictions that says these can't continue. So there shouldn't be any reason why there won't be the odd face-to-face tutorial or bit of lab work. Also, there's no point in the uni telling them to come back if *everything* is going to be online. I assume they are asking them to be onsite for a reason - DD said that the email said that they should return, not that they may return - especially considering the government has said only to travel if there is a real need to do so.

But I don't actually know what they plan to do. I shall have to ask DD if she knows. The email was sent less than 24 hours after the lockdown was announced and I suspect the uni itself wasn't sure what they were planning to do.

ETA: I have checked the email that was sent and it does say that they plan to "continue to offer a blended teaching programme" including face to face practicals and tutorials as well as online lectures and tutorials.

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Ok, so the University has now changed its plans and DD will no longer be returning to University. She was due to go back today. Instead, she’ll stay at home and do everything online at least until mid-February and probably until the Easter break.

So no face-to-face stuff for the foreseeable future.

I think DD has mixed thoughts on the change. On the one hand it’s a shame she won’t be able to do any animal handling, seeing the cows and sheep, meeting up with a few of her housemates, being able to use the Uni library, etc. On the other hand, I think she likes being at home in the current restrictions having her Mum (and Dad) fuss over her, cook for her, and so on. Plus, she has more space at home.

[DisneyDaffodil]

Originally Posted by Nimbus

Ok, so the University has now changed its plans and DD will no longer be returning to University. She was due to go back today. Instead, she’ll stay at home and do everything online at least until mid-February and probably until the Easter break.

So no face-to-face stuff for the foreseeable future.

I think DD has mixed thoughts on the change. On the one hand it’s a shame she won’t be able to do any animal handling, seeing the cows and sheep, meeting up with a few of her housemates, being able to use the Uni library, etc. On the other hand, I think she likes being at home in the current restrictions having her Mum (and Dad) fuss over her, cook for her, and so on. Plus, she has more space at home.

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That’s such a shame, although I think every uni seems to be working with the same plan. I really hope that it will be mid February not Easter as Easter would mean a huge chunk of their year missed yet again 😔

Georgia really misses being in Bristol but she has said the huge benefit of having her meals cooked and her her washing done makes it bearable 😂