University Summer School @ Eton (2009)

No... I havn't. I'm glad you havn't (have you?) because that was minorly worrying me ish.

nope i haven't heard anything either lol

That makes me feel better... haha. You seem to be rather outnumbered on here- lots of biochemists and englishists (isn't it annoying that there's no proper word for that) how many politicians/ economists are there going to be?

Sorry... thats a rather random question. I'm just bored and rather desperate not to revise for my frecnh oral exam. So I'll ask more questions (sorry). What ASes are you doing? Any one else going from your school? And now I've run out.

Haha.

haha yeah im guessing most of the politicians/economists don't have tsr lol ive come across one other person doing pol/econ on tsr so far! im not sure how many there will be but hopefully alot more than 2 otherwise it would be quite a daunting experience lol what are you going to be studying at eton?

I'm doing maths, chemistry, psychology, economics, critical thinking you? i'm not sure if who got in from my school but i do know quite a few of us applied lol what about you?

good luck with your french orals! how is french by the way? I miss it lol

I'm one of the English people without an exciting name. And I can imagine that only two of you would be quite a scary prospect...haha. My school has me and 1 other (but I intend to avoid him...haha.) (You may notice I say "haha" a lot... but I am genuinely laughing most of the time)

I'm doing english lit, latin, french, history and maths... and french isn't really fun tbh. And I can't speak it.

loll i tend to say 'lol' and 'haha' alot too! ow is he doing english too? you're subjects sound so difficult lol

OK guys have you heard that Eton has been closed for this week due to 1 confirmed case of swine flue, 7 probable cases, and 25 possible cases. ALL Etonians (staff and students) have been given Tamiflu (the swine flu medicine) by the HPA.

I thought they were going to cancel the Summer Schools, but on their website they wrote

<QUOTE> "The news of Eton’s temporary closure because of swine ‘flu might make people who are planning to attend one of Eton’s summer courses in July and August wonder whether they will go ahead. The answer is that we expect to go ahead as normal with the Universities Summer School, the Brent Eton Summer School, the Kensington & Chelsea Eton Summer School, the Rowing Courses and the Choral Courses. The school’s objective is to re-open on 7 June free of swine ‘flu and to stay that way; in which case there will be no obstacle to running these events normally. The position will be kept under close review, and any changes will be notified. The Japanese and Chinese summer courses and the Model United Nations Conference involve bringing young people to Eton from overseas, and we expect to make decisions about these particular courses in the near future." </QUOTE>

I must admit though that I'm not exactly ecstatic to go live and sleep in a swine flu zone even if they are going to decontaminate this week.

Thoughts? Feelings?

I didn't really think that they would close it if I'm honest! And it's unlikely that there will be a problem of swine flu contamination, as I can't really imagine Eton not cleaning it all thouroughly etc. (I have no idea whats involved with that though.)

Obviously, I'll bring my swine flu mask, just to be sure! nah, it will be fine lol. I'm more worried about the reading list...


Do you think anyone will drop out because of it?

I think it would be quite exciting to get swine flu, provided I survive (but maybe thats just me?)

We have a month so hopefully everything will be gone and, as the advert says, flu germs can only live on hard surfaces for a few hours.

I've always wondered though.... and maybe i.am.lost as a sciency person can answer.... what about soft surfaces?

I think it would be quite exciting to get swine flu, provided I survive (but maybe thats just me?)

I hope there aren't any more cases though- I would be pretty gutted if it was cancelled!

They can survive MUCH longer if someone who has swine flu has sneezed, as it's been shown that if the viruses have mucus and are left on paper, they can survive for over a week.

And I so disagree - it would NOT be exciting to get swine flu!!!!!

Every time I imagine swine flu I always think of pigs sneezing- tis quite funny.

Why can they survive for so much longer (sorry, very odd question)?

And what is your aversion to swine flu? Other than becoming a social pariah for a while, being poorly, risking (though not much) death, and possibly missing Eton?

It's a once in a lifetime experience and I always go on the "take every opportunity you can" policy drummed into me by my form tutor. Haha. And Eton would be a quite impressive place to pick it up!

How long does swine flu take to develop in a person? Maybe I could catch it and it not develop symptoms until after the course?

I assume you mean why do they survive if in mucus, in which case I can only offer my personal insight that it's due to the damp, warm conditions in which viruses and bacteria thrive and proliferate - I'm sure there are other reasons though (such as maybe macro/micro-nutrients present in the mucus that help viruses to survive longer). I really don't know enough about viruses to give a better answer than that.

I know that for normal flu it's 1-4 days (normally 2 days), so I would imagine that it's pretty much the same because the viruses are very similar.

And my aversion is for the precise reasons you stated, as well as not being to work in the summer holidays (which I have gone to great lengths to arrange). So let's cross our fingers that we don't catch it - though I must say that you seem almost intent on catching it