Going to university in 2020

There’s also the aspect that certain universities specialise more in certain subjects so your own ‘local’ uni doesn’t offer what you want.

This is a very good point that seems to get forgotten about. I think there may be a perception now that every university is equal in all things? I went to University 100 miles from home because the closer ones didn't have such a good reputation in the subject I studied. I also benefitted hugely from being away from home, it made me grow up.

I don’t know, really. It’s what youngsters in the UK now expect to happen, isn’t it? There’s also the aspect that certain universities specialise more in certain subjects so your own ‘local’ uni doesn’t offer what you want.

Also, will universities even want it, as they’ll lose out on the income from halls?

Looking back all these years I can see that although we made good friends with fellow students, and some of these friendships have stood the test of time, it was quite different from the student experience that my own children had living away from home in the 1980s and 1990s.

Could we possibly now expect a reversal of the trend for leaving home to go to university?

Exactly my thoughts earlier varian. Somehow there was security in the familiarity of one's own hometown. I made many new friends at uni but kept many of the old ones and never forgot my roots. During the day I would be in lectures or in the library and in the evenings I would be out at cookery classes or dancing groups with old buddies. For me it was the best of both worlds.
I believe in other countries students stay much closer to home, we are unusual here that we can't wait to get away at 17 or 18, and not everyone is very mature or discerning at that age. With my own children two coped admirably, one went off the rails.
It almost seems like too much too soon to cope with for some students - the studying, the lifestyle, the debts, the emotions - and Covid19 has made it 10 times worse. Maybe it will make them stronger, who knows?

I went to Glasgow University when I was sixteen. At that time there were only four universities in Scotland, all of them more than 500 years old.

If you went to school in Glasgow, folk would ask "Are you going to THE University?", meaning Glasgow University. We were so parochial that we thought that no-one would ever want to go to Edinburgh, St Andrews or Aberdeen unless they were too stupid to get into Glasgow.

I lived at home with my parents and travelled up to the university every day on the back of the Lambretta scooter belonging to my boyfriend (now my husband of 54 years).

At that time I remember a survey which found that 75% of undergraduate students at Glasgow University were living at home with their families within 30 miles of Glasgow.

Looking back all these years I can see that although we made good friends with fellow students, and some of these friendships have stood the test of time, it was quite different from the student experience that my own children had living away from home in the 1980s and 1990s.

Could we possibly now expect a reversal of the trend for leaving home to go to university?

So worried about the son of a friend, who comes from very rural area of France - who went away from home for first time 3 weeks ago, to Cardiff Uni. He would have had to quarantine on arrival in Uni accom- and then??? He is there to improve his English and knows no-one. Just can't imagine. His parents had no idea how serious the situation is in UK- I mean we would have never agreed to any of ours going abroad in such contitions at the moment.

Growstuff @ 12.34 Some students have partied - not all, but all are having to pay for it and the lack of empathy from some who really don't seem to understand what 18 year olds have experienced this year.

The exact same thing could be said for the older people that you referred to in your earlier post. Not all older people flouted the rules but they all had to stay indoors and away from their families. It could be argued that the younger people lack empathy for older people and what they've experienced this year too. My point being that no one section of society has suffered any more, or less, than another. It's crap for all of us.

I recall my own son vomiting with nerves the night before he was due to go to university. It’s a challenge for many young people at the best of times and this isn’t.
Ah Sue, I think for many parents too it's almost as bad as taking them to their first day at school, maybe worse because at least there they get to see them at the end of the day. Challenges all round.

He’s a London born-and-bred lad, Ellianne but still found it intimidating to leave his home. I recall my own son vomiting with nerves the night before he was due to go to university. It’s a challenge for many young people at the best of times and this isn’t the best of times, sadly.

Glasgow university is trying to come up with a plan. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-54309775

Mine says 37.5 hours averaged over the year, with flexibility expected, so it's very vague.

In practice, a lot of the time we work far more than 37.5 hours as they are the hours that are counted - the time spent dealing with students' queries and problems (and for more approachable staff there is a lot of pastoral stuff that is never seen, recorded or counted), the seemingly interminable meetings, Exam boards, etc etc don't get anything like enough recognition.

it’s in the contract (in some institutions at least) that teaching can take place between 9am and 9pm, with protections against this happening more than twice a week on a regular basis.
How many hours in total is the contract Doodledog? Not 60 hours a week? Half that would be more acceptable.

Sorry Sue if what I said came across as being perfect!!! I felt quite sad when you said the young boy had cried when his mother left him, and my post was actually to show how lucky I had been in comparison... to be in my home town to study and have my parents by my side.
Some people like to misunderstand on purpose.

Ellianne

^His university has told staff they will be expected to teach or be available to students till 9pm.^
That made me laugh. Is it because most students don't get out of bed until mid day?

No, it’s in the contract (in some institutions at least) that teaching can take place between 9am and 9pm, with protections against this happening more than twice a week on a regular basis. It’s a timetabling issue, nothing to do with assumptions about the idleness of students.

Did you not read what I said growstuff?
You totally misunderstood me as usual. I would never have coped IF I had gone to Nottingham or Durham. I turned down Cambridge because I didn't have the necessary social skills to cope in that foreign environment. I may not be perfect, but at least I had/have the sense and humility to realise my own limitations.

there are posters on GN who have actually supported allowing younger people to become infected because "life must go on", so it's somewhat hypocritical to complain.
I am one of those who strongly supported the return to school, particularly for primary aged children, (not sure I agree Covid19 and its consequences is anything like flu however). Anyway, my experience from primary schools is that younger children are totally compliant with measures like very regular handwashing, staying in designated spaces, staying within their groups. They don't exactly come home and get ready for a night on the tiles socialising with a different group of people in a different setting. At weekends they might be out with their parents, but it is all regulated for them.
In thstcr

I went to London University too Ellianne and lived on Oxford Street in my first year. It was a total culture shock for me, as I had never been to London before (apart from uni interviews). Like all freshers, I went a bit mad in the first few weeks and it would have been a totally soul destroying and lonely experience if I hadn't been allowed out of my room.

Just because you coped (I'm sure you're perfect), don't assume everybody else can.

SueDonim

I feel very sorry for Scottish students. Even the Scottish government minister Richard Lochhead has said the vast majority have behaved responsibly so it’s unfair to blame them (or their parents) for what’s happening.

Students are being scapegoated and subjected to different rules from anyone else. Some of them are just 17yo and to stop them from returning to their parents is downright cruel. I shudder to think about the MH problems that this is storing up. Not all students are gregarious, outgoing, party animals. A friend took her son to uni today in London and the poor lad cried when she left him.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-54292728

I agree with you 100% and am glad somebody is on the same wavelength.

University is (or should be) a transition from childhood to adulthood.

Are these people in Trafalgar Square not behaving appallingly?

Can anybody spot a mask or social distancing?

University freshers are usually 18 years old. They're just out of childhood and are finding their way in life.

What kind of role models and messaging do they have when this sort of thing is allowed? In any case, there are posters on GN who have actually supported allowing younger people to become infected because "life must go on" and it's only like flu (more people die from road accidents, etc etc) so it's somewhat hypocritical to complain.

paddyanne I'm completely with you on this one!

*cope not hope

Sue you're right in many ways, but doesn't it throw up the questions, how many youngsters should actually be going away to university in the first place? How many are actually ready to hope with the pressures of independent study, is the school system preparing them properly both academically and socially, what do they know about finances and debt etc?
I hope your friend's son is ok in London. On my application form (1980) my 5 choices were London, London, London, London, London all of which I got into. I came from a London comp and lived at home, no grant, but had the life of Riley. Two lives in fact, one socialising and letting my hair down at uni and one back in the quiet sanctuary of my own home. Happy days, perfect balance.

I feel very sorry for Scottish students. Even the Scottish government minister Richard Lochhead has said the vast majority have behaved responsibly so it’s unfair to blame them (or their parents) for what’s happening.

Students are being scapegoated and subjected to different rules from anyone else. Some of them are just 17yo and to stop them from returning to their parents is downright cruel. I shudder to think about the MH problems that this is storing up. Not all students are gregarious, outgoing, party animals. A friend took her son to uni today in London and the poor lad cried when she left him.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-54292728

"the universities have broken their contract"....haven't the students done that .the contract isn't to let young people behve appallingly in a pandemic.The guidlines were given the young people in all their "wisdom" decided it didn't apply to them .Parents being up in arms about their little darlings having to isolate obviously didn't do a great job over the past six MONTHS whe the rest of us were isolating

.Of course many of them will have the attitude we've all seen online.its only OLD people who die from it and they'll be dead soon anyway .Selfishness is ingrained in children who believe they are more important than anyone else .Parents have a lot to answer for here

I hope research is done in the future into the damage to the students mental health. These are not mature adults, in Scotland some of them are still only 17. Leaving home for the first time, some of them are going to be very homesick. Taking away from them the chance to socialise and support each other, and telling them that they can't go home, no matter what state they are in is going to lead to some breakdowns and suicides.

My son was put in a university house with a mature student and two French girls who made no attempt to talk to him. His room looked out on a breeze block wall. He lasted three weeks and collapsed, I had to talk him home, step by step, until the battery on his phone ran out. It took him over a year to recover. There are many more like him, and if they can't go home, there will be suicides and self harm.

Quite possibly!!

His university has told staff they will be expected to teach or be available to students till 9pm.
That made me laugh. Is it because most students don't get out of bed until mid day?