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 no Headofthehive. Worrying that they abandoned her to go home alone. No wonder you are worried.

Ds called today to ask me to talk him through buying a train ticket online

On the plus side he has found the laundry and even managed to show one of the girls how to use the machines

Noits ive got to talk my dd about how to buy a train tickets online too, but need to find out exactly what time she will be finishing lessons.

DD is itching to go now. She has been linked up with two college mums a dad and a sister so she has a lovely surrogate family waiting for her. One of her "mums" messaged her to say that if she got drunk during freshers and wanted to leave an event early then she should call one of her parents and they would come and collect her

Oh dear Headofthehive55. That's not good - I hope things get better soon for your dd.

Another phone call from DS ... at 03:10 to ask was I watching the lunar eclipse?!!

Luckily I was, so didn't get woken by the phone but my heart lurched when the landline rang at that time of the morning.

This thread has been such a good source of advice. Thanks to all. Still preparing here for Thursday and packing has begun in earnest. Am not at all sure it will all go in the car, and very unsure about how we get it out quickly at the other end where we have apparently to dodge traffic wardens! DS fed up with the waiting now and wishes it would all finally begin. For me it has been such a strange month, DDs back at school, but the rhythm of the term not really established with DS still in semi- holiday mood.

We're the same, Fellfan, except that DS is avoiding the subject of packing and is sitting ere taking an old camera to (teeny, tiny) pieces.

Because that's obviously the main priority right now...

*here

DD skyped. All is well. Wonderful invention.

DS delivered yesterday. Haven't heard from him since.
House eerily quiet, as DD1 away on holiday and DD2 just started a new job.

Horsemad
Glad to hear your DS1 is in contact, even if it is at 3am!
I can see mine doing the same, without a thought as to the impact on the recipient

Interestingly, DD seems to be managing fine booking train tickets. Has already been to see BF, and says has also bought advance tickets for planned w/e home.
However, the laundry and grocery shopping still seem very alien to her.

Question to the mums of DCs on the spectrum..
My DS is due to go to Uni in 2016 and I am struggling to imagine how he will cope. I am worrying now, so goodness knows what I'll be like when/if he does go. Any advice?

lin4 Presuming your DS is still in school and not on a gap year.
They do seem to mature a fair bit in yr13. Maybe the application process and the open days slowly gears them up. And seeing most of their friends go through the same.

If you are genuinely worried about him coping with looking after himself, can start guiding him with some of the life skills he will need - washing, cooking, shopping, finance.

I thought It would feel far worse when DD went than it has, same with DH. Both dropped her off and spent a large chunk of the day there, happy to get a bit of an insight into what her life would be like in the new environment.
Of course we miss her, house feels a bit strange, sometimes forget she isn't here. And it's only been a week.

Thrilling news here is that we have now solved all bicycle-transportation issues.

I no longer care if my daughter makes friends, is happy and flourishes academically over the next three years.

I simply want that bike to be used.

Excellent news Marianne! My dh still has to grapple with fitting the bike rack we had to buy at the weekend. I predict much swearing... Is your dd going at the weekend? Is she off to Oxford or Cambridge?

Marianne

Do train tickets get more expensive the nearer it gets to travel date, or are they fixed prices, does anyone know?

Cambridge. (The guy at Halfords was very helpful.)

emsie, so glad you have had a chat with your daughter and are feeling better about things.

circular, love conquers all, even online train timetables.

Highlights of the last few days:
Got a text from DD saying 'Guess what!!!!!". When I finally got hold of her, it turned out she has discovered the local market, where you can buy 6 avocados for £1.

She has been to the laundry room and likes it because it's 'so warm and clean'.

One of her flatmates has thrown away all his food because he doesn't like cooking, and says he's going to live on cereal and takeaways from now on. He also goes home at the weekend to get his washing done.

DD had 5 hours of lab time plus a 1-hour lecture scheduled for today. Lab time was cancelled, and the lecturer was ill and gave up after 20 minutes.

She is shocked and appalled to find that she has to buy textbooks.

Fairenuff I think it depends on the route. Some popular routes with plenty trains like London to Bimingham often have special offers for about £5 single with railcard. These seem to show up on the websites around 2 months before travel, and get less as more tickets sell. Other routes seldom have offers other than an off peak return. Not sure how late you can buy in these cases - ie whether you can even buy in the day or if there's a cut off point.

Muffinmonster Lol to your DD liking he laundry room. Does she just like to visit, or has she worked out its practical uses yet?

Gosh, circular, that's a good question. I may have been jumping to conclusions!!

It will cost my dd £22 for a single on the train.

Loving the bike talk, Marianne and Giddy! My DS off on train tomorrow with said bike .... Plan is to lock bike somewhere adjacent to college, and return home to continue packing and hope it is still there when he arrives for real later in the week....Not sure if it is a good plan, but I am very relieved not to have to grapple with bike rack on the car.

Cambridge for us too Marianne... Hope it all goes well.