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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

For the love of God can adults please stop saying uni

686 replies

CressidaEgg · 23/08/2018 09:09

Let's reclaim the five syllable word. University. It grates to read MNers talking about their DC going off to "uni" or even about their own time at "uni". Just call it what it is: university.

OP posts:
ShapelyBingoWing · 23/08/2018 15:02

I'm at uni at the moment and a definite grown up at 30.

It's always been uni around these parts. I reckon since modern unis became more accessible to all social classes, the way they've been referred to had had quite the evolution. The full word 'university' sounds very trying-to-impress coming out of my mouth and though I do have a northern accent, I wouldn't say my accent is 'common'. I'm quite well spoken but it still sounds weird.

IrianOfW · 23/08/2018 15:11

No.

toomanychilder · 23/08/2018 15:14

Incidentally, I think it's really unpleasant when people bang on about the 'worthlessness' of degrees nowadays (and I say this as someone who went to uni last century). Young people going off to uni today deserve respect too, even if it was all a million times better "in your day"

Totally agree, especially since its in the main complete bollocks. I did my first degree in the 80's, it was a piece of piss compared to the one I did in the 10's!

toomanychilder · 23/08/2018 15:15

Further to my post upthread perhaps I should clarify I was at University in the early 70s and, as I said , definitely no 'Uni's' around then

Unless you went to all of them at the same time and personally spoke to everyone who attended one, you really can't say that, can you?

ErrolTheDragon · 23/08/2018 15:19

In written usage I seem to recall it might have been shortened to Univ or even just U. eg, Durham Univ, York U. But only in writing.

So, you might expect to see an abbreviation in MN posts, which is what the OP was complaining about?

jumpingeasel · 23/08/2018 15:19

When people say "University" I think they're trying too hard, not the other way around.

RoseWhiteTips · 23/08/2018 15:21

Degrees have been dumbed down to fall
Into line with the sorts of achievements school students get these days.

RoseWhiteTips · 23/08/2018 15:22

...to fall into line

RoseWhiteTips · 23/08/2018 15:24

Some uni 😉students have problems with pretty basic literacy and numeracy.

RoseWhiteTips · 23/08/2018 15:24

Fact.

Aintnothingbutaheartache · 23/08/2018 15:24

Does anyone think it makes a difference about the educational establishment to which you refer as to what it’s called?

RoseWhiteTips · 23/08/2018 15:26

The bums on seats obsession extends even to good unis. Clearing is like a safety net. There was a time when there was no such thing. I find these things depressing; the word uni not so much.

bingbongnoise · 23/08/2018 15:27

@CressidaEgg

I always say uni, and I always will.

UNI

UNI

UNI!!!!!!!!!!! Grin

Why bother with 5 syllables when you can just use 2???

OliveMin · 23/08/2018 15:27

No thanks

Aintnothingbutaheartache · 23/08/2018 15:28

Er..... moved on a bit bingbong

RoseWhiteTips · 23/08/2018 15:28

If people don’t wish to face this situation, fine. However, that does not alter the reality.
All the educational and government spin in the world will alter that reality at its core.

Aintnothingbutaheartache · 23/08/2018 15:29

Literacy is a very good point rose

RoseWhiteTips · 23/08/2018 15:29

Calling the establishment a uni is the least of the problems.

RoseWhiteTips · 23/08/2018 15:31

...will not alter that reality...

ExCharlieBucket · 23/08/2018 15:31

I hear it first on Home and Away in 1988 when that girl, Bobby was talking about "tryin a get inta youuuuuni"

Aintnothingbutaheartache · 23/08/2018 15:33

My point is that if my dc’s get offered a place at Oxbridge, Edinburgh, Durham, Exeter, York, Nottingham etc I will refer to it as university.
If they go to Redhill Technical College (as was) I won’t

toomanychilder · 23/08/2018 15:33

Degrees have been dumbed down to fall Into line with the sorts of achievements school students get these days

Have you done degrees both 20-30 years ago and recently? Do you have any actual evidence for this assertion?

Yes, there is a far broader range of degrees than there used to be, and some of these are not particularly intellectually vigorous. That's nothing new though, you could have done an Arts degree in the 1950's that was pretty damn easy. The core subjects, degrees in the sciences etc, are if anything more difficult that they used to be, not less.

Kokeshi123 · 23/08/2018 15:33

I have no issue with "uni," and have never heard any one else objecting to it either.

I however cannot stand the American habit of saying "school" to mean university ("Where did you go to school?" "I'm thinking of going back to school to study XYZ"). It's just.... ugh. It's SO infantilizing, and really blurs what should be an important distinction between being a minor and being an adult. An adults' educational institution should NOT be called a school.

I am not one of those people who hates on Americanisms in general at all (am a long-term expat so I use quite a few myself)--I just can't stand this particular word.

Howyoualldoworkme · 23/08/2018 15:34

I agree RoseWhiteTips. I worked at a university for 30 years and the fall in quality and standards was heartbreaking to see.
And the people being shortchanged the most are the students.
The latest issue with unconditional offers is going to cause huge problems going forward.

RoboJesus · 23/08/2018 15:34

Uni'd to let it go