To think I could commute between Newcastle and York daily?

[Littleblueowl]

Ive been offered a place on a midwifery course in York. I live in Newcastle and don't drive.

I have a 6 month old DS and DP has a good job here so moving would be unrealistic - do you think it's possible to commute via train every day? It's around an hour and a half away.

I think it would be manageable but I'm just wondering if there might be a another way to do it. Is there somewhere you could move which would be an even commute for both you and DH? This would easier if you are renting of course. I think you should definitely find a way to do the course whatever that means.

I should also say I may have to travel 1.5 hours for a job at the end of it, and I am fine with that if thats what is needed.

I currently work 30hr a week in placement blocks - so that's two long days and a short shift. - maybe it is dooable for you three/four days a week? perhaps find out how york organized their placements?

Could you rent student accommodation during the week and go home at weekends? Would there be childcare for DS near uni if you did this?

DS will be cared for by MIL (who doesn't work and is available whenever we need her), DM and DP. I'm considering the possibility of getting the train to York and leaving the car at a friends house in York so I could get to placements if they were a distance away, however at open days they have said they take into consideration distance you would need to travel to get to placement.

i'd speak to york uni about placements before deciding. i work for a uni in health and you have placements in the Trusts nearest to the university. you can only use placements in other unis trusts upon agreement with that uni. it can be done but only on occasion so it is likely you would get placements over york / scarborough way.

our patch is huge not sure what yorks is like but i would check before comitting.

unfortunately there is a lot of pressure on placement areas and to get the experience you need you could get placed some distance away. not sure about midwifery but there is a requirement to complete 12hour and night shifts on some health courses these are usually early starts or finishes so could make it very difficult for you getting to placement / arranging childcare.

would definitely speak to york before making a decision.

I would wait a year.

We don't really want to have to move as we would much prefer DS be cared for by close family while he is still so young - it's a possibility when he's a little older (final year perhaps) but not right now as I think it would be unfair on him.

I'd say manageable, but bloody tiring, time consuming and expensive. I'd consider it as a someone without children to think of, but don't know how children fit into the mix time and energy wise.

We could probably just afford to finance it, there is a possibility of moving in with in laws to help with child care if necessary. Time is my main concern really.
I think I'll email and ask about placements.

oh and i know york have advised that they try and place you close to home but that will be based on people living in york and surrounding areas more than likely.

not sure you would ever get the opportunity to claim travel back either (if thats available on midwifery) as you can usually only claim if distanct to placement is longer than to university and as you will be travelling a long way through choice to uni it is seen that you can afford to do that if that makes sense. i dont know much about this aspect but its something to consider.

I did my midwifery training in York; my home was in Newcastle.

The short answer is no. You will have placements on nights and weekends, loads of studying to do. travelling will be time consuming, exhausting and expensive.

Honestly - I would hang on and reapply locally.

When dh and I got together he loved in York and me in Newcastle. We spent about 9 months living apart traveling to see each other 3 or 4 times a week on the train.

It was fine because we were young and in love and both of our jobs were very flexible with reasonable hours. Train was about £25 return (12 years ago) and took an hour. But yes I agree you'd need to allow 4 hours for a round trip to the university not 3.

I don't think there is a realistic option to move closer if you don't drive. Mainline stations between are Durham and Darlington which would take off 15 and 30 mins on your commute each way but add significantly more than that to your dh's (presuming he works in Newcastle) as the traffic is shite in rush hour. Plus then your childcare would be trickier

Not sure I'd fancy it for 3 years with a baby in all honesty but it's doable if your placements won't be too far out and you can make the logistics work

I'd be tempted to defer their offer for twelve months (if that's possible) and then reapply for local universities for next year. If you don't get a place next year at a local university, you are still holding an offer from York. If time, money and circumstances allow you could concentrate on learning to drive in the 12 months before you start. That would make placements easier, where ever you end up.

I think it would be tiring, but doable. Sounds like childcare is covered through family. I would not move as having free family childcare on tap is worth it's weight in gold. I think being able to drive would be essential for when there are problems with train and when on night shift.

Another point to consider, I believe midwifery is very competitive to get onto? So you have done very well to be offered the course in York. There is no guarantee you will be offered a place on newcastle course, ever! It could be now or never.

Would you be able to learn to drive? That might help a bit?

Actually while driving would make placements easier it is much quicker and less tiring to get into York by train than driving plus would allow you to study on the train for 2 hours a day

But deferring not a bad plan to keep your options open...

I'm not sure they allow deferrals - I know all of the local unis won't allow it for midwifery and nursing courses as they are so competitive.

I can't imagine doing anything else, it's my dream job and I just feel like it's a huge opportunity to pass up.

Yes but OP could perhaps leave car near York station which would help a lot.

Or bike

Also, I have had driving lessons so I'm confident I could pick it back up fairly quickly - I just think public transport will probably be quicker if I factor in rush hour traffic etc.

The travel time would be VERY useful study time.
Or sleep time for days when you are very tired.

Go for it! Good Luck!

I wouldn't do it. It will be so expensive and exhausting. More like a 4 hour round trip quite apart from travelling to placements. And I can never work on trains, especially that one which is always do busy. You would almost never see your son awake, either.

Could you rent a student room but only use it on nights when you can't get home for whatever reason? Especially as family are providing childcare they might be willing to be v flexible?

I can't even think how it would be possible especially with a six month old baby. And that's not taking into consideration shift work placements and the like. It sounds impossible to me but I'm quite happy to be proved wrong.

DS will be 14 months by the time I start my degree so I assume a little more independent and no longer bf'ing. At local unis they do blocks of placement and theory. So theory weeks would be 9-4, 5 days a week but placement blocks would be 3 12 hour shifts a week, meaning I would get the other 4 days with DS during placement. Theory weeks would be the hardest, I think.