[Help] Return to Uni in lockdown?

[Green Cross Code Man]

Any parents of students here who have returned to uni in the current lockdown?

One of my sons wants to return back to his uni, citing various friends who are back. I know arts and sciences are given dispensation to return to face to face teaching but it seems clear to me that other students are allowed back only in exceptional circumstances, ie. unsuitable learning environment or accommodation, or for reasons of health and safety. The govt repeats this criteria several places but rather unhelpfully, the Dean of his uni has been a bit more vague, mentioning well-being as well.
Now my view is that the instruction is clear to stay put, but he argues that he is suffering mentally and can't study as well here at home. I do agree with that but I don't consider his position as exceptional, merely one replicated by hundreds of thousands of others up and down the country.

I'd be interested in any views, be they from parents or students particularly if you have faced a similar decision.

 

[macbeth]

Are you still paying for accommodation?

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Are you still paying for accommodation?

Yes, well he is. The situation sucks.

 

[macbeth]

Yes, well he is. The situation sucks.

In that case I'd leave it up to him. If you're paying for something, you have the right to use it, in my opinion anyway. I'm not sure if it would even be illegal as surely it would count as essential travel, particularly if he has books/notes at his accommodation?

Especially since the risk of catching COVID has diminished significantly since term started in January, it may come down to more of a 'common sense' approach as opposed to going purely by the book, especially if he says he's suffering mentally. Hope you can find some sort of solution that works.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

In that case I'd leave it up to him. If you're paying for something, you have the right to use it, in my opinion anyway. I'm not sure if it would even be illegal as surely it would count as essential travel, particularly if he has books/notes at his accommodation?

Especially since the risk of catching COVID has diminished significantly since term started in January, it may come down to more of a 'common sense' approach as opposed to going purely by the book, especially if he says he's suffering mentally. Hope you can find some sort of solution that works.

Thanks for the thoughts. I appreciate them. I will, well, we will consider things over the next few days.

 

[Sirnormangall]

Any parents of students here who have returned to uni in the current lockdown?

One of my sons wants to return back to his uni, citing various friends who are back. I know arts and sciences are given dispensation to return to face to face teaching but it seems clear to me that other students are allowed back only in exceptional circumstances, ie. unsuitable learning environment or accommodation, or for reasons of health and safety. The govt repeats this criteria several places but rather unhelpfully, the Dean of his uni has been a bit more vague, mentioning well-being as well.
Now my view is that the instruction is clear to stay put, but he argues that he is suffering mentally and can't study as well here at home. I do agree with that but I don't consider his position as exceptional, merely one replicated by hundreds of thousands of others up and down the country.

I'd be interested in any views, be they from parents or students particularly if you have faced a similar decision.

Apparently they’re all going back to party and stuff the lockdown rules.

 

[Motogull]

Halls, or renting off site?

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Apparently they’re all going back to party and stuff the lockdown rules.

Is that what your offspring have told you?

Halls, or renting off site?

He rents a flat with another friend.

 

[BNthree]

Unless his course is resuming in person teaching then no. They'll just be breaking lockdown rules. Leave it until after Easter when things are easing up a bit.

 

[Sirnormangall]

Is that what your offspring have told you?
.

Sadly yes, and that’s what I hear from others too.

 

[Weststander]

This was a telling anecote, this week. Hundreds of students at Exeter Uni, staying in halls.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-56212295

I assume that they made the decision after New Year, that they’d rather be with their new mates, than at home with their parents.

 

[ozzygull]

This was a telling anecote, this week. Hundreds of students at Exeter Uni, staying in halls.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-56212295

I assume that they made the decision after New Year, that they’d rather be with their new mates, than at home with their parents.

My daughter is at university in Exeter, I had radio 2 on in the background while working from home and deep in concentration with a firewall issue I was working on and all I heard as the news on the radio was bomb at Exeter University. I nearly puked, quickly trying to find out what had happened. I rang my daughter and relived she answered but was non plus. Said it was in the other campus and an old ww2 device, they’ve evacuated everyone and are sorting it out. My heart rate went back to normal about two hours after that.

 

[Weststander]

My daughter is at university in Exeter, I had radio 2 on in the background while working from home and deep in concentration with a firewall issue I was working on and all I heard as the news on the radio was bomb at Exeter University. I nearly puked, quickly trying to find out what had happened. I rang my daughter and relived she answered but was non plus. Said it was in the other campus and an old ww2 device, they’ve evacuated everyone and are sorting it out. My heart rate went back to normal about two hours after that.

How does she and her new mates spend their days? Are there online lectures, seminars and tutorials?

 

[Hampster Gull]

Yes, both my kids returned to uni after Christmas, one at Exeter and the other Lancaster.
[MENTION=21158]Weststander[/MENTION] they go to the library every day apparently, nothing else to do The older one saying he has caught up on his studies, plus he has a girlfriend there. Of his house of 5, three are back. One of those who haven’t come back is super rich and has gone with his family to live for a while in Barbados
Lectures, group work etc all online

 

[ozzygull]

How does she and her new mates spend their days? Are there online lectures, seminars and tutorials?

Yes pretty much everything is online, She is a first year and in the onsite campus six rooms in her building. She has her own loo and shower but shares a kitchen. They are all medical students, they tend to eat together but she spends most of the time in her room or her friends room. She wanted to go back as she has more space to study and is with people her own age. The university has its own testing centre so they were tested before they left and again when they returned.

 

[Hampster Gull]

Yes pretty much everything is online, She is a first year and in the onsite campus six rooms in her building , she has her own loo and shower but shares a kitchen. They are all medical students, they tend to eat together but she’s pends most of the time in her room or her friends room. She wanted to go back as she has more space to study and is with people her own age. The university has its own testing centre so they were tested before they left and again when they returned.

Yep, this is their experience with their peers, I’m not surprised some are back. Good luck to them

 

[Weststander]

Yes pretty much everything is online, She is a first year and in the onsite campus six rooms in her building. She has her own loo and shower but shares a kitchen. They are all medical students, they tend to eat together but she spends most of the time in her room or her friends room. She wanted to go back as she has more space to study and is with people her own age. The university has its own testing centre so they were tested before they left and again when they returned.

I haven’t got offspring at uni. But friends of my son and various neighbours kids are. A mixed picture:

- Some in years 1 and 2 are basically at home with their parents 365 (instead of Warwick and Leeds). They like uni and have mates there, but found the heavily restricted life in a pokey uni room, enforced by security, oppressive. Compared to comfortable living and freedoms at home.

- Whilst another in year 1 at Portsmouth spends term time down there. He too has mates in a hall, but is bored out of his mind.

They’re all gutted that they missed out on the social life aspect of uni, it’s half the reason for going. Can’t believe their bad luck.

 

[ozzygull]

I haven’t got offspring at uni. But friends of my son and various neighbours kids are. A mixed picture:

- Some in years 1 and 2 are basically at home with their parents 365 (instead of Warwick and Leeds). They like uni and have mates there, but found the heavily restricted life in a pokey uni room, enforced by security, oppressive. Compared to comfortable living and freedoms at home.

- Whilst another in year 1 at Portsmouth spends term time down there. He too has mates in a hall, but is bored out of his mind.

They’re all gutted that they missed out on the social life aspect of uni, it’s half the reason for going. Can’t believe their bad luck.

I don’t think being stuck in a pokey room is much of an issue for my daughter, she spent so much time in her room at home that I sometimes forgot she was here, I would hear a noise coming from up stairs and thought we had an intruder.

 

[Mr Banana]

I haven’t got offspring at uni. But friends of my son and various neighbours kids are. A mixed picture:

- Some in years 1 and 2 are basically at home with their parents 365 (instead of Warwick and Leeds). They like uni and have mates there, but found the heavily restricted life in a pokey uni room, enforced by security, oppressive. Compared to comfortable living and freedoms at home.

- Whilst another in year 1 at Portsmouth spends term time down there. He too has mates in a hall, but is bored out of his mind.

They’re all gutted that they missed out on the social life aspect of uni, it’s half the reason for going. Can’t believe their bad luck.

First-year students are definitely the most non-at-risk people I've felt sorry for.

Loved halls but they're a glorified meeting point. Spend longer than a few hours in there with people and it essentially becomes the Big Brother house. Anyone who didn't get forcibly told to take a year out instead of first year this year has been sold an Andy Carroll-sized dud.

 

[dazzer6666]

If renting private accommodation there’s no reason why he can’t go and live there and study from ‘home’ there surely? Loads of students are doing that........