Preparing for Uni in 2015 continues...

[Chillywhippet]

New thread

Old one here with loads of info

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/2408327-Preparing-for-Uni-in-2015

Oh yes, LapsedPacifist that's exactly what I'm feeling! DH doesn't understand at all and thinks I'm bonkers.

I wish I could take the week off work to sort things out but that's out of the question, sadly.

I don't even have a list yet.
My thinking is more, 'Ah, sod it, there's always the parcel post. Or a shop.'

OTOH, Lapsed, you have a good point about exam certificates. Not a clue where those would be.

I really overthought the 'what to take' list or else took the wrong stuff.

Over the door hooks were brought home as there were plenty hooks on the back of his door and the back of his shower room door. The door stop was also brought home as it was a heavy one - but not as heavy as the door! Need to replace it with a rubber wedge.

Packed far too much in the way of staple foods (pasta, rice, tins, cereals etc) as he is off campus and surrounded by shops including a big Tesco local which is open 8am-11pm 7 days a week. It seemed very geared towards students with much more in the way of ready made salads, stir fry stuff, fresh meat, fruit and veg than our local one.

What only just occurred to me today was that, anything we'd forgotten could be ordered on Amazon and delivered to his hall within a few days so there was no need for me to stress quite so much! I've just ordered the door wedge and an additional lamp (took a desk lamp but needs a bedside lamp).

Not sure why they would need to take exam certificates as the universities already know their grades. At DS's school exam certificates are collected in December (last week of school term when they're all back from uni)

Excellent, I'll knock that off my not-yet-listed list then.

DS's Uni says that if you are a UK student then you don't need exam certs as they will have had the UCAS notification. They don't get A level certs uitl December anyway so will only have their results sheet from 13th August.

Lapsed I have been gathering all that stuff since 13th August - I made DS come shopping with me to 'celebrate' his results by buying some kitchen utensils but I seem to have been adding to the list daily and then DS pipes in with "I need some new shoes and a new messenger bag" Not to mention the warm waterproof coat I insisted he had as I pointed out to him that a) he is going North so it will be colder and b) he will no longer have me ferrying him door to door in the car.

DH has gone from saying "how's all that lot going to fit in the car?" to "there's not that much there really" to "we'd better get some packing boxes to put things in" - when I was going to use Ikea bags because they take up less space. Wish he'd make his mind up - I forsee a stressful car loading session next Saturday.

We filled the back of my car. When we got there there were people to help unload the car so I asked them if what we had was about average and they said it was and that they had had some people turn up with 2 cars full!
We managed to load the car in under half and hour and we just left DH to it so it was packed to his satisfaction.

Thanks for the new thread chilly

I'm on the way home from dropping off ds- it all went well (although I managed to throw away his cutlery - it was at the bottom of one of the boxes wrapped in brown paper). He didn't need the over the door hooks either as plenty of places to hang things anyway.

His room is fine - not massive but big enough and with gazillions of sockets. Ds has got the corner room so doesn't share a wall with anyone so I hope that will make it a bit quieter (he's a v light sleeper and being woken up puts him in a foul mood)

When I waved him off he even gave me a public hug in the car park

I'm feeling v flat and a bit weird and the traffic is awful which isn't helping... I've stopped at a service station and am eating Burger King - I never have burgers ....

I am resisting the urge to text to see if he's settled in ...

Having seen all those shiny, confident young people I'm also realising the absolute impossibility of ds2 (ASD) ever doing the same thing

Are exam certificates ready at schools?

DS has been officially away from home for 24 hours. I've sent 19 texts and received 5 replies.
DH has been telling me to stop then texting him himself.

I have been into his bedroom at home & it's a shocking state

Virtual even.

Having seen all those shiny, confident young people I'm also realising the absolute impossibility of ds2 (ASD) ever doing the same thing

Noits - don't say that! If you'd seen my ds2 yesterday afternoon you'd have seen a shiny, confident young person. I knew he was absolutely bricking it. His shiny, confident next door neighbour who was straight in when we arrived, talking non-stop completely overwhelmed us until I realised that his over-friendly, over-talkative demeanour came from extreme nervousness and he was probably also bricking it. The only other person who had arrived in their flat yesterday was a girl who apparently was too shy to come out of her room ....

When I went to uni many decades ago I made lots of really good friends and went out every night from the word go. Didn't stop me finding time every day for 2 weeks to ring my mum up and sob down the phone that I was homesick, didn't fit in, wasn't clever enough etc etc

Your ds2 may surprise you yet and, if he doesn't, uni isn't for everyone (my ds1 didn't go and would never have fitted in).

For all those fretting about packing the car .... My dh, ds and I are flying from NI with one checked bag and hand luggage. I am sending 2 x 30kg boxes with stuff for £34 door-to-door with Sendmybag. Bulky items will be bought when we get there, along with the long list of stuff I have been writing down from the ideas I see on this thread.... Ds is blissfully unaware of the organisational minefield that is being orchestrated around him!

Thanks HMF1

I have scrubbed DS's room today, pulled everything out and hoovered before scrubbing. Washed and dried his duvet and pillows. Taken all of the posters down so everything is ready to be painted and then I will put everything back like it was.

stone DS's accommodation is above a huge Tesco Extra and DH queried with me about why we had packed him with so much staple stuff. I did it to save time. Getting a bit here and a bit there in my shopping every week took no doing at all,

We are just home from taking Ds to Exeter, all went v smoothly. His room is great with loads of storage and sockets, he actually has a balcony! I made his bed up and we left him to do the rest. He is in catered halls but the flat has a large kitchen/utility with microwave, toaster, iron and board, Hoover and mop/bucket.
By the time we got home he'd been for supper with his flat mates and was getting ready for a night out.
Surprisingly I didn't cry at all, even when I got a big goodbye hug. I think the anticipation was worse than the reality.
Good luck to everyone going next weekend.

Another 5 days then my dd will be off to uni, just about sorted just her clothes to go into the suitcase friday night.

katKat DS is going to NI from England but DH is taking him in the car the 1st time. After that he will be flying home so will be restricted to 10kg hand luggage - which will make sure he won't have room for his dirty washing, especially by the time he's packed his laptop

Glad my dd is not too far away just up the M5 and M4 to south wales uni. Just an hour or so drive away.

bigblue being a sea away adds to the jump they are making, but whilst I'll miss him like mad, I know he is so excited and ready for the adventure! It will def be sink or swim with independent living. I think they will cope far better than we imagine they will!

thanks for new thread Chilly
Geting very busy now.
DD had less than a week to go, BF went this w/e so she's a bit down but gone out tonight.
Still feel DD very dis-organised, she has quite a long to do list with little crossed off.
Most things bought now, but keep thinking of more.
Whats with the door hooks?

Found you all. Thanks for setting up the thread Chilly, I am enjoying reading everyone's experiences.

We're getting a little hysterical this evening, all laughing over the silliest things and getting the giggles. Must be the nerves. We're all excited and little bit scared - her because of the big adventure she's about to embark on and dh & I because of the big change and putting on a brave face for her.

But my god, the songs! Every other song seems to be about people leaving or saying goodbye or missing each other

Very reassuring to hear that things are going smoothly for most people so far.

Thanks for thread Chilly. We still have 3 weeks to go but DD was very anxious today about getting really tired and not feeling well, she had glandular fever earlier this year. She is going to ask if she can have a quiet room as is aware that she will need her sleep.

So glad to hear those who have gone this weekend have settled well.

Only 6 days here!