Preparing for Uni in 2015

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Carrying on from yr13 thread, here thought we could share our ideas for Uni preparation.

All welcome, not just those in above thread. Would especially appreciate contributions from those who have 'been there'

Topics that spring to mind, and a few recent threads on them are :

What to take What to take , What NOT to take, Shared accommodation

Clearing out rooms

How much to contribute What does it cost, How much needed weekly, How much are you subbing

Budgeting, cooking, and other life skills to learn Easy recipes for teens

Leaving friends, family, boy/girlfriends behind

Us coping without them - noted series of 'Empty Nest' threads.

Hope all the links correct!

Good tips Janet!

horsemad the other flaw indoor DH's plan is that the shelves in Ikea are usually empty during freshers week! We made the mistake of going there for ourselves rather than prospective students and the stock was very poor.

that should have read: in your DH's plan!

Yep, I did point that out to him going! Men - they have no flippin' idea, do they?!

When my parents died and there were 7 tonnes of stuff left at the house after we'd taken what we needed the house clearance company said there is just no resale value in second hand stuff like I took to university in my day these days as people buy new in Ikea. I think that's not just because people have more money to spare these days but that buying things new is just cheaper than it used to be relative to incomes. I still have a second garage almost full of my parents' stuff in case any of the children want any of it and when the last two go to university I will certainly start with the kitchen wear going spare there though before splashing out in Ikea. My mother gave me the oldest towels some with holes when I went and I still use a kitchen knife I bought in about 1980 at university today!

I've had 3 so far go to university and only one has called home needing assistance with paperwork but it was useful to have kept copies here. It's a hard balance between leaving them to cope alone which is part of university and having copies of things in case they lose them.

DS is now cooking spag bol, I've handed him a recipe and left him to it.

Horsemad - I've just had an identical convo with my DH! DS is off to Soton as well! Problem is, we have 3 large adults to fit into one teeny Corsa, plus all the student gubbins. Not quite sure how this is going to work at all. Perhaps I can tie DS onto a roof rack. Freshers arrival weekend is hell in Bath - our student population is well over 20,000 in a city of 80,000. Hundreds of stressy parents steering glum offspring around Sainsbos. 'No Jasper, you're not having a multi-pack of Pot-Noodles. And you can put that vodka back too.'

Spag Bol - v v good. DS can now produce at least 6 different meals using a basic Bol recipe. I'm sure I had a recipe book called '100 Things To Do With Mince' (yes really) when I headed off to uni 35 years ago.

Hahaha Lapsed, that really made me smile! I can sort of see the logic in buying everything when you arrive, and on any ordinary weekend, that would be A Plan. But NOT on Fresher's Arrival Weekend! It's just asking for trouble!!

Arrivals weekend in So'ton isn't too bad given the proximity of the campus to the motorway - particularly if you're coming down the M3 (and as long as you're not heading for Mayflower Hall!).

There is a HUGE Sainsburys in Portswood and is on the route of the U1 unilink bus.

DH suggested M&S or John Lewis rather than IKEA . I'm thinking along the lines of the saucepan set with the wonky lids languishing at the back of the cupboard, and the spare duvet someone split coffee on.

I'm thinking DS can have lose all my tatty old stuff and I'll have new.
Braving Ikea this week

DS is taking some old stuff and I'll buy him some new bits as well. Grandma has just won a toaster in a raffle so had donated that.

TBH, we could equip him from home. We combined 2 households when we moved back to live with hoarder incarnate Aged Mama a few years back - she has refused to throw anything out for the past 50 years.

I would just feel so mean sending my Precious Only One to uni with an unopened set of yellowed bedlinen bearing the label 'Timothy Whites SALE £2 6/-"

And an electric blue nylon quilt instead of a duvet. We have lots of groovy fab artefacts from the 1970s chez Pacifist. A Sodastream! And a Corby Trouser Press! I have less than a month to convert DS to the Retro Chic aesthetic! Don't think we have room in the Corsa for the hostess trolley though - we have to find space for his collection of model Daleks. And the Lego Millenium Falcon.

Well Pacifist, I LOVE my hostess trolley, 70's throwback or not!!

My dd is really pleased that her university is holding non drinkers events alongside the drinkers events. There are a series of events such as bowling, board games, parties and quizzes.

She has found a number of her flat mates on facebook and at least half intend to go to the alternative events so she is looking forward to the start of term. They are all sorting out who will bring what for the kitchen so we can start shopping for stuff now.

My dd still hasn't had her accommodation offer! Phoned them up today & they checked & confirmed that we haven't overlooked an email, they just haven't sent them all out yet.

at least you have called decorhate. I would call again soon after our experience. Different people say different things.

We will not be told room numbers until late so have done some online and local shopping.

Getting closer

Well it finally came through today but it's catered, not self catering like she wanted. And obv £££ more

Is that credit for food places? Or sit down cooked meals provided? I seem to remember that it's the former for Leeds? So at least it's (mostly?) money that would be spent anyway?

We equipped DSS1 at IKEA (mostly) when he left for university two years ago. I'm now beginning to think about equipping DSS2 and asked DSS1 whether any of the things we had bought remained unused. "The chopping board" was his reply. And he would have liked better quality saucepans - he eats a lot of scrambled eggs and would like a non-stick pan as good as mine. I'm not inclined to buy all new for DSS2 as he is much less careful with his possessions than DSS1.

It's for sit-down meals Atia - breakfast & dinner. No idea what the food is like! The halls look nice in the photos though. Am just relieved it is sorted tbh.

Ah well, she's going to have such a busy course she might well be glad of it in the end And yes, glad it's sorted!

Glad you've got that sorted our decorhate. My dd will be in catered halls too, one of the on campus ones. They might be neighbours. She has contacted a few people from her hall but its been looking a bit quiet, if they are still allocating rooms that would explain it.