parents of college students -- how is your student reacting to pandemic planning?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:<<but I'm sure if her college goes full remote that she'll wonder why she missed out on activities with friends this summer. College has been the only thing getting her through this long summer.>>

Because she was trying to stop the worst pandemic outbreak in the world. And not infect herself or her family members.

Well, the question was how our kids are coping and how they're feeling, and I think my comment would accurately describe what my daughter may be feeling (at least from my perspective). Hopefully, she'll be able to see the bigger picture at some point, but at this time, I'm not sure that would be the case, especially considering that many adults are having trouble with this themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:<<but I'm sure if her college goes full remote that she'll wonder why she missed out on activities with friends this summer. College has been the only thing getting her through this long summer.>>

Because she was trying to stop the worst pandemic outbreak in the world. And not infect herself or her family members.

Well, the question was how our kids are coping and how they're feeling, and I think my comment would accurately describe what my daughter may be feeling (at least from my perspective). Hopefully, she'll be able to see the bigger picture at some point, but at this time, I'm not sure that would be the case, especially considering that many adults are having trouble with this themselves.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Those that have a high risk household can make the decision to stay home this semester.

And have serious FOMO that they have to choose to stay home.

[Anonymous]

Many of us have raised our kids in a way that allows them to restrict their thoughts to themselves and their friends. This pandemic requires them to grow up and look out.

I know we wish we could have let the cushy nest remain a little longer.

Kids in WW2 were fighting and dying at these ages. I don't think that is a melodramatic comparison. More Americans have died from COVID than WW1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many of us have raised our kids in a way that allows them to restrict their thoughts to themselves and their friends. This pandemic requires them to grow up and look out.

I know we wish we could have let the cushy nest remain a little longer.

Kids in WW2 were fighting and dying at these ages. I don't think that is a melodramatic comparison. More Americans have died from COVID than WW1.

To be very blunt, I’m a pacifist and I don’t respect wars.

[Anonymous]

I also consider war to be state-sanctioned violence, BUT that is the youth that the WW1 generation faced.

I am sure that most kids don't support Trump, but this is the America they are growing up in.

The point is, you have to deal with the circumstances your generation encounters (or change them, which is a constructive way of dealing with them).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems as though many schools are requiring students to be tested prior to starting class in the fall. Anybody else here have a child going to a school that is not requiring testing? My DS's school is "Implementing COVID-19 testing for symptomatic students" during the semester, but no testing prior to returning.

What school is that???

Testing only those with symptoms suggests they don't understand how the disease is transmitted.

My DC's school is testing the day of arrival (unless they have traveled in a way that exposed them), and not allowing them to move into dorm unless the test is negative. They will also test a sample of kids throughout the semester.

It is a Pennsylvania State school. This is what I copied from a PDF:

Mitigation protocols and resources
Following guidance of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Pennsylvania Department of
Education (PDE), Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH) and PASSHE, the following
protocols will be enacted:
• Requiring the wearing of masks for all students, employees and visitors on campus.
• Implementing and communicating social distancing requirements in all campus
buildings and outdoor spaces.
• Implementing daily wellness self-check protocols for campus community members.
• Implementing COVID-19 testing for symptomatic students.
• Implementing a Contact Tracing program that utilizes smart phone technology in
coordination with a comprehensive personal interview.
• Providing hand washing and hand sanitizer stations for enhanced personal hygiene
protocol.
• Enhanced routine sanitization measures, including ensuring surface hygiene.
• Providing classroom space that meets The American Society of Heating Refrigerating
and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standards and guidelines.
• Utilizing designated space for isolation off campus for residential students that test
positive for COVID-19.
• Quarantining for campus community members who have been exposed to COVID19.
• Temperature checking stations located around campus.
• Providing mandatory training to the campus community for COVID-19 related
health and well-being protocols.
• Releasing an updated student code of conduct and related policies to include
compliance with COVID- 19 public health requirements, both on and off
campus. This includes protocols for responding to students who are not compliant
with policies, especially during face-to-face course instruction.
• Releasing a campus influencer campaign (including student input and leadership) to
encourage working together to keep our community safe.

[Anonymous]

My kid was in a car accident late last year, lost another student in it and continued into the spring semester with an internship, then COVID hit.

She got overwhelmed and took an I during spring (last semester) and moved to DC from FL during the spring. Continuing her internship and finishing her class. She’s graduating this month!

She’s interviewed with a lot of Top companies in her field but nothing solid yet, but optimistic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many of us have raised our kids in a way that allows them to restrict their thoughts to themselves and their friends. This pandemic requires them to grow up and look out.

I know we wish we could have let the cushy nest remain a little longer.

Kids in WW2 were fighting and dying at these ages. I don't think that is a melodramatic comparison. More Americans have died from COVID than WW1.

To be very blunt, I’m a pacifist and I don’t respect wars.

Respect the virus tho.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many of us have raised our kids in a way that allows them to restrict their thoughts to themselves and their friends. This pandemic requires them to grow up and look out.

I know we wish we could have let the cushy nest remain a little longer.

Kids in WW2 were fighting and dying at these ages. I don't think that is a melodramatic comparison. More Americans have died from COVID than WW1.

It is melodramatic. And it’s also callous coming from our generation who never had our high school or college experience interrupted.

[Anonymous]

But our president and his brother were gunned down. As was MLK who many saw as our best hope for peaceful progress towards racial justice.

The point is, you learn and grow from the soil you are in. This is theirs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD is a rising freshman at a school in California. We have all thought so much about what to do but there is so much uncertainty.

DH and I really want her to defer a year. She isn’t interested but we are wondering whether we should just make that decision for her. It doesn’t go along with the way we have parented her but the money is our concern more than hers and she doesn’t really know what she will miss out on even if the school manages to keep kids on campus. She hasn’t ever been to college to understand how important the freshman year social bonding is.

She was thinking about staying home for fall to save money but that seems the worst of both worlds because she will miss out on meeting the freshmen who came in the fall and have to join in late.

I totally get why you want her to defer. DS got into his dream school. He also got a full scholarship at the flagship state university. We made the difficult decision to let him accept his dream school, knowing that we have to defer retirement indefinitely in order to make this happen. He had anyway planned a gap year. But we have told him that if covid isn't over by next year and colleges aren't fully open, we would be happy for him to take another gap year. (Dream school is okay with this and two gap years are common in our community.) I cannot see paying 75K+ or 55K+ for a year of online learning with little opportunity to meet classmates and make connections. But even if he had been going to totally free flagship state U, I would regret that he was missing the opportunity to have a real college experience. Better to have the experience later than to miss out on it.

[Anonymous]

Freshman staying home. She was not offered a spot on campus and all courses online. Her roommate is also DL.

Junior going back. Did not matter what school did, her friends and boyfriend are there and she lives off campus.