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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Preparing for Uni in 2015

998 replies

circular · 22/06/2015 09:01

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!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
12
Kez100 · 01/09/2015 22:30

They often live on domino's during freshers week due to the free and half price offers given out!

Horsemad · 01/09/2015 22:32

DS adores pizza, he'll LOVE Freshers!

Savagebeauty · 02/09/2015 06:58

Dd is in catered accommodation so I'm sending her with very little kitchen wise..pan, colander, sharp knife.
She can buy anything else there.

She's taking her Tassimo machine so will be popular!
Everything is ready to go in boxes upstairs.
She has surprised me with her budgeting and organisation.

I think this will be the making of her. She is so excited.. Has been chatting to other girls on her floor online, which has been a bonus.

Original poster
circular · 02/09/2015 07:57

DD is a foodie, really can't see her buying value mince. Think she will have to find other ways of cooking cheaply. Stir fries with small amounts of good meat/chicken, pasta sauces that are chese, tomato or mushroom based with small amounts of chicken/bacon/ham/fish. Bolognese sauce with a better mince, but used in pasta or gnochi bake, so less sauce needed.
Not sure how she will cope with others cooking from her. Hope she doesn't alienate herself.
Think she will be snacking on lots of hummus and pitta bread, cheese and crackers, toast, crumpets, noodles.

OP posts:
PUGaLUGS · 02/09/2015 08:20

We got home from our holiday on Monday evening. There was an enrolment letter waiting for DS. With it came a bundle of food leaflets giving % off, also in there was a note about a GP practice and how to register. He still hasn't filled in the form for free prescriptions/dental stuff yet so DH had a bit of a word with him... I know we have just flown half way around the world and we are still a bit tired but he needs to stop procrastinating and get on with it. His suitcase was still unpacked as of last night.

Yesterday I popped to Sainsburys and he asked if I needed any help so I said yes. I forgot to pick up some feta cheese and asked him to get it whilst I got the potatoes. He was still looking for it when I went back. He found it and picked up already cubed feta in oil at some ridiculous price, right next to it was a block with more grams in for less £. I tried to explain to him my reasons for choosing the block but he got all huffy with me Hmm and said how was he supposed to know Hmm.

Horsemad think DS will also be living off super noodles.

Am just putting the new bedding through a quick wash this morning and then will make a note of what else he needs and we will do a trip to Home Bargains.

MarianneSolong · 02/09/2015 21:28

More uselessness from Student Finance who have suggested yet another form we might like to fill in in place of/addition to the volumes of information already submitted. It might have been handy if they told us that before, or had someone on their staff who understood the business accounts of the self-employed.

The only form of university preparation I would like to do right now is make a wax doll to represent Student Finance and stick a darning needle in it...

cathyandclaire · 02/09/2015 21:35

WTH Marianne, they are leaving it very late for more forms, I think they just hope they will exhaust people into submission.

MarianneSolong · 03/09/2015 16:19

They are indeed candc! We're also waiting for the letter from my daughter's college, which will say exactly what accommodation she's been allocated, what items she should bring etc..

sassymuffin · 03/09/2015 16:48

DD is going into catered halls and the kitchen area available is very limited, microwave and kettle. There are no hobs or oven so I'm not sure what to send her with. We have got cutlery and a few mugs, bowls and plates.
Is it a bit over the top to send her with a small travel iron as she has a few tops that need ironing?

Savagebeauty · 03/09/2015 17:23

Dd went to visit her accommodation today and is really impressed

Decorhate · 03/09/2015 17:25

Sassy, my dd is also going into catered halls. She won't need to cook a dinner any day so I am just sending her with some cutlery & crockery & sharp knives & chopping board. That way she can make a sandwich or a salad for lunch.

hellsbells99 · 03/09/2015 19:08

Savage - glad your DD is happy with her accommodation Grin

hellsbells99 · 03/09/2015 19:10

DD is going self catered and has most stuff now. I have been advised to send her with ready meals for freshers week though Wink

sassymuffin · 03/09/2015 19:27

Thanks Decorhate just added a tin opener and corkscrew (with bottle opener) to my list too.

stonecircle · 03/09/2015 19:56

Pondering bedding here - dark coloured so ds can't see the dirt or light coloured so he can?!

MrsBartlet · 03/09/2015 19:58

sassy my dd is also taking a travel iron and a rather nifty fold up ironing board thing that we bought in ikea for £4! It is like a half-size ironing board table with very small pop up legs that you could sit on top of a desk.

hellsbells99 · 03/09/2015 21:07

Don't think DD is planning to do any ironing Grin

Original poster
circular · 03/09/2015 21:51

stonecircle I would say dark, especially if they mainly wear dark clothes. Makes laundry loads easier.

OP posts:
sassymuffin · 03/09/2015 22:13

Great idea MrsBartlet just ordered one that sounds similar on Amazon for £6. That will definitely stop me worrying about being landed with a large maintenance fine if she burnt the carpet Grin

MrsBartlet · 04/09/2015 07:28

Indeed Sassy! I have memories of kneeling on the floor of my university room trying to iron on a folded up bath towel Grin

PUGaLUGS · 04/09/2015 16:09

Just come back with DS after getting his last few bits.

He definitely won't do any ironing Grin. I iron his clothes for him but if there is a pile to do, he will just take at t/shirt out of the basket and put it on. His jeans won't need any ironing as they are so skin tight all the creases are pulled out when he puts them on!

Apparently they are all taking a bottle of something...he has asked if I can add a crate of Stella to my online shop and could he have a bottle of tequila from our drinks stash along with the shot glasses... This is the boy that doesn't drink Hmm. I asked if he wanted me to also put some snacks (tortillas) etc on my shopping order for when all the housemates arrive and he said he would like that.

MarianneSolong · 04/09/2015 16:26

I have embarked on what I regard as the most difficult bit of university preparation.

I'm teaching my daughter to ride a bike all over again.

She did learn but hasn't ridden for years and does not have much confidence.

So we went out - briefly - today for the first time. There'll have to be a trip to the park this weekend as I think she'll feel more confident on her bike in a place where there'll be no cars.

Fairenuff · 04/09/2015 16:43

Dd has her flat number and booked her moving in slot so she is very excited now.

Horsemad · 04/09/2015 16:53

Same, Fairenuff!! DS very keen to be gone now... Shock

MossAgate · 04/09/2015 17:15

Thankfully no problem with bike riding as it is one of our hobbies. We all just rode across Cornwall. It is worth buying a book showing off road cycle ways as the network is getting better.

Ironing fitted sheets is proving to be more of a problem.