Class of '18 nattering as they head in different directions.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Hope this works. On phone with dodgy signal.

UrsulaPandress

starfleet yes, work harder than your parents did would definitely be our advice. DH and I met during the first week and had too much fun and studied too little. I had been let off the leash by overly controlling parents and the freedom went to my head. Both failed our first years. Having to resit my first year as an external student while working and back on the leash at home was a sobering experience.

@Banquosghost here is my list (list making is my special power)
Food

• ketchup
• mayonaise
• bbq sauce
• vinegar
• olive oil
• oil spray
• tuna
• tea/coffee/hot chocolate
• sweeteners/sugar
• tinned sweetcorn/peas/beans
• cereal
• flour
• jam/marmite/honey
• salt/pepper
• passata
• curry/pasta sauces
• pasta
• tomato puree
• herbs/spices
• squash
• naan bread
• noodles

Household

• dustbin bags
• surface wipes/jcloths
• toilet paper
• first aid kit
• clothes pegs
• washing up liquid
• toiletries
• laundry wash

Some students will get together as a flat and buy things but so far the facebook group for DD2's flat seems to be more focused on what tickets to book for freshers week.

Ah @GnomeDePlume thank you (my special power is making crumble - a little less useful). A few things I hadn't thought off and can pick up on my shop today!

@Banquosghost I dont know I think crumble making is pretty high up there along with leaping tall buildings in a single bound. List making is just identifying the buildings suitable for leaping.

For the food we were just providing DD2 with the things she is used to finding in the kitchen cupboard at home plus enough things to be able to make a couple of simple meals before she is able to find her way beyond the campus shop.

I've asked DS what they are doing about food staples and he went all rabbit in the headlights. That's not on The List apparently. They'll have plenty to do in that first week and I will be taking teabags and milk for me on moving in day.

We are in the middle of nowhere in holiday with crappy WiFi and minimal phone signal. We had a great day out in DDs university city earlier in the week so DH and her siblings could see her halls (from the outside at least), and walk between the central uni area/halls/sports facilities. It is feeling much too close now, with just over a week till we head there properly. DH and I both went to uni in that same city, so lots of ghosts rattled on those walks - particularly when we stood outside the student union!

NoHaudin it looks like you are leaving as we arrive!

DD is the happiest we have seen her in months. DH asked her yesterday if there was anything in particular she was looking forward to, and she said “learning, I haven’t learnt anything new since February”. I suspect if either DH or I had had a similar attitude we would have done rather better in first year!

I'd add to the food list for DD

Gravy granules
Vegetable bouillon powder
Chilli grinder
Soy sauce
Course grain mustard
Sweet chili sauce

Because I know I go through a lot of those when she is cooking.

She is also vegan do there's things like her nutritional yeast flakes and I'll send her with nuts and seeds as staples.

I'd caution against being generous and buying large sizes of ketchup etc, lots of DS1s stuff came home again

Can I add lazy garlic, Chinese five spice and Italian herbs?

Not planning on buying too much food, as DS likely to eat in for main meals a few times a week. Will make sure he has pasta, rice, noodles, passata, Henderson's relish (big clue where we live!) tea, coffee, jam, Marmite, cereal, few tins of beans, tuna etc. Then a fresh shop when we get there - cheese, milk, few veg.

Hardwick glad she is so positive and that you enjoyed your trip down memory lane.

Dd is fully catered so only needs food for snacks and some of the odd things she has to have, especially carrots which she eats all the time.

It's just been pointed out to me on another thread that because DS1 needs some assistance with the admin & paperwork, there's no chance he could cope with university and that if he can't manage the admin without support, then he's not university material.

Just what I want to hear at this point...

@NoHaudinMaWheest
Thank you for standing in my corner

Sheesh! I'd like to think DD is university material but I am helping out with some of the admin and paperwork. It is all completely knew to her and she is a bit like a rabbit in the headlights - if something isn't easy she goes to ride the horse instead. I am currently ploughing through all the information she has been sent about choosing a minor subject for her first year. The university do not make things easy to understand.

@TheThirdOfHerName I saw that and laughed (not at you), and was trying to compose some kind of reply wishing that my DS was as perfect as the posters DC, but gave up in the end. Ignore!

Third
Ignore the rude comments! I think it's normal for them to feel overwhelmed by the volume of paperwork. I helped ds with some of his last week and had to read some parts several times before it was clear to me what the university wanted. Luckily I graduated 30 years ago as according to these posters I am not university material...

Third how ridiculous! Definitely ignore.

DD needs to go through her uni details and choose two thirds of her first year (assuming that the first third is straightforward with no options).

I'll be glad when she has finished work, she has 5.00 am starts (up at 4.00 am) today until Sunday

Third what an awful thing to say. I would be really upset. This is the first time they have had to do admin so obviously they need some help. I am checking up in my DD and helping when needed. That is so wrong. Ignore the idiot!

Wow!! Just found the thread. How harsh is she. So people with disabilities should just give up and not bother to aim for anything? You son has passed his A levels and got a place at uni. You have sorted his support. Try not to let stupid people upset you!

I just came back to say exactly the same as Marmite. Please just treat her ridiculousness with the contempt it deserves and don't give it any headspace.

Utterly ridiculous and unhelpful comments. I have a RG degree and professional qualification and admin is just not my thing.

Third I haven't seen the thread yet, but it sounds like another of those delightful characters on mn who believe any child over the age of 12 is basically an adult and should be able to do everything by themselves and if you don't let them you're obviously some awful helicopter parent.

Please, please ignore! Your DS has earned and deserves his place at university.

It took DD and I about 4 hours yesterday to go through all of her paperwork. It's complicated and there's A LOT of it, and it's definitely not just common sense. No way would I expect her to tackle it by herself!

Advice please! Freshers ball states dress code formal. Tux/DJ or suit? I suspect he could get away with suit (+tie)?

third
Dd is scatty with paperwork. It has to be precise otherwise it can effect other things later down the line.
Things are slowly coming together here

DD has just been discussing this on her college group chat.
She had decided that she was going to wear a less formal, shorter dress but on hearing the boys were all planning to wear dinner jackets etc she's decided she needs to go full on full length formal.

Is there a freshers fb group chat you ds can get on to find out what others are doing?

Flatmouse
I think suit and tie would be fine for Freshers' ball.
Did not even know such a thing existed. Think we only had a graduation ball.

He's struggling with the FB groups as doesn't really use FB. Did suggest he asked on there! Even a cheap suit is going to be too expensive for him, so I'm really hoping that one he likes that is trendy enough will also be suitable for interviews (or at least still fit for his uncles wedding next year!)