New Uni starters 2015 (continued from Preparing for Uni)

[circular]

Thought we needed a new thread to continue from preparation.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/2466997-Preparing-for-Uni-in-2015-continues

Suspect all have arrived by now...

I've just sent him that info via text, thanks again Fairenuff

My dd did her's online, did go into the bank but she didnt have an up to date passport.

Her railcard runs out this month and i may need to remind her to get hers from santander.

hellsbells really sorry to hear your daughter has said she is not liking her course. It must have taken quite a bit for her to say that. It's difficult to distinguish between not liking the course and really not liking it. I realised I'd made a mistake with my course, mentioned it several times, but was encouraged it would get better. It didn't and really should have switched early doors.

I think the homesickness and wobbles come out later after freshers sometimes.

You're welcome Horse

Can they really tell if they don't like the course after just one week of lectures? I would think it takes a bit longer to get into the swing of it.

My dd has found a 'study buddy' in one of her flatmates. They agree to do an hour and half reading/studying and then meet up to watch something on tv/cook together/go out shopping/whatever for about an hour, and so on.

Breaking it down like that can make it more manageable, especially with something nice to look forward to.

DD opened a Santander acc online - it was really easy and she didn't have to send any extra info. The railcard arrived fast. She applied initially for £250 overdraft, and it was increased automatically to £1500 as soon as her student loan went in. She will keep her other acc for the hols as she has money saved up in that one from her part time job.

I think that most DC struggle to some extent after freshens week is over and they realise they might actually have to do some work. DD sent us her timetable and has 14 lectures etc a week.

Bobs my dd didnt ask for an overdraft, she didnt notice that once her money went in for uni she got an overdraft.

Told her not to use it, as it can be hard to get out of it.

Woman's Hour are discussing how tough a transition going to university can be. This was yesterday's episode. There's another today.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06fkd1n

Thanks for that link, Marianne. Thought provoking listening.

Sorry to hear some are not enjoying courses. Very early days though?
DD has made a bad module choice, but was the best of a bad bunch when she left it late and what she really wanted had gone. On the bright side, is only a quarter of this semester, but think she may struggle to get to grips with it. Loves the rest of her course though.

Also having to nag about the admin stuff, doctors, collecting post and the like. fortunately did sort financial bits before she went. Though think yet to let old p/t job know if and when she wants to work in Xmas hols, before all the best shifts get taken.

Vodka watch the dates with the Santander railcard, code they give you only valid fir 60 days, so depending when your DD opened account, may not be viable to wait for current one to expire.

Thanks Circular, she did it the day she got her A level results. Ive txt her to find out and to get a move on.

Hope that the ones having a difficult start feel better soon.

We will see dd at half term for a day but she hasn't had any home sickness yet. We are going to the university town rather than her coming home as we thought this might be best.

She seems to have masses of work already.

Weirdly she has palled up with a girl who has the same name as myself. I have only ever met a couple of people with the same name. Very strange hearing about the other rorrim.

Oh Dear! First two weeks pretty good. Today another problem.

My DS missed two lectures as he finds it so hard to sit and do nothing - as. he says in lectures.

We've found one lecture online that he can listen to and look at.

We've called the mentoring service that are supporting him to support and tell lecturers.

We've chatted with him. He found some coding lecture so terribly boring for two hours - he couldn't face the next two.

He's going to use a dictaphone. He's doing well in Maths.

We just pray that he settles in and tries to engage and then finds it interesting.

He has a history of SEN and I think lecture style work is a shock to him.

Fingers crossed, he'll get there.

Reading here that other students not sure about their course. It is a nervous waiting game for us to see if our DS does indeed like it and prosper.

The thing with student accounts is they give your DC all this lovely extra money by way of an overdraft whether they ask for it or not. DD1 didn't have one - she just had a normal bank acc. However it can be useful when they have to pay for 2nd year on housing as deposits have to paid well in advance - plus agents letting fees, 1st month up front and other stuff. DD2 only got the Santander acc for the railcard. However when we next see her she is getting the train one way and megabus the other!

Oh and DD has just been to a student lock in at a shopping centre and come away with 24 Krispy Creme donuts for the price of 12, a lush goody bag, waggamamma and tequila samples.....best day ever apparently

My dd already has a railcard and it says you can renew it before he old 1 expires.

Fingers crossed she can get one now

DD announced something is biting her in bed (on Facebook!). I sent her info on bedbugs but she doesn't think it's those. Remember that cat that had been on her bed when she moved in? I suspect it's fleas... Oh god. I'm visiting on Saturday to pick up a suitcase we need so will take her out to lunch and hear the news. Textbooks have been bought. Most promising new friends seem to be houseful of Rumanians! It'll be nearly 2 weeks since I saw her - never gone that long before.

Hi all, and and for everyone with DC who are struggling.

After a few wobbles during Fresher's week ('Everyone else just finds it so much easier to talk to other people... ') DS appears to have settled into a routine, has bonded with his flatmates and acquired a couple of 'groups' to hang out with. He went to a few huge club-type events and didn't enjoy them much. Fortunately his flatmates seem to enjoy sitting in the kitchen and playing cards (or going to the LOTR-themed pub with half-price cocktails for students ) more than clubbing. He appears to be cooking for himself every night and has already made 2 visits to the launderette! . We have a brief talk most evenings - have probably had more intimate chats with him in the past 2.5 weeks than the past 2.5 years.

He went to the Fresher's Black Tie Rave Prom last weekend, suited and booted, contact lenses inserted and resplendent in DHs antique relic of his Gothic Phase purple satin embroidered waistcoat. Apparently he danced his size 12 socks off, had 2 hour drunken snog with girl whose name he cannot recall and crawled home smashed at 3.00am. They then had a fire alarm in halls at 6.00am! So, result I guess . He sounded v smug the next day, regardless.

Am so proud of how he has coped so far. As anticipated, he is struggling with note-taking during lectures (he has huge difficulties with interpreting verbal instructions), but his DSA apllication for a laptop has been approved and he'll be able to transcribe his lectures verbatim once he receives it. He is also seeing a (nice motherly) mentor every week who he seems to like very much.

I do miss my little Serpent's Tooth, but is anyone else feeling strangely.... unburdened?? Have been accustomed for years to DS's periodic absences visiting his father in London, but find myself enjoying not cooking properly every night, leaving the house a tip, neglecting the laundry and walking around naked. Or Is I just a Badmother Slut?

Lapses I must be a bad mother too! My DD is a wonderful friend at best but I always felt anxious if she was unhappy, not to mention the slightly strained relations between her and DP. Life does seem a little less stressful! Looking forward to spending a couple of hours together - and then coming home again!

My dd says i nag her more shes away, than when she was at home lol

Tried phoning DS, no response on his mobile phone. Had to resort to email - he replied today claiming that he can't get mobile reception in his room . Anyway, he's back at the weekend for a family wedding, so should get a full update then.
Our house is abnormally quiet, as not only is DS away, but DD1 on holiday in Japan and DH away working in Scotland. So just DD2 and me.
DD2 has also got a new job so I no longer have anyone to do odd bits of shopping/hang up washing/ be in for deliveries during the week etc, like I had all summer. A whole new domestic routine is required.

Glad to hear it's not just me then Cooroo! We are not planning on seeing DS until the end of the month (DH's birthday) at the earliest, although he's only a 1.5 hour drive away - he agreed it would be best to tough it out on his own for the first few weeks.

DS is on the austistic spectrum and had no friends at school and very little social life, so we've had to fill a lot of gaps. I have been terrified he would be completely homesick. Probably understimated just how self-sufficient and comfortable in his own company he really is.

DS said he's finding being constantly around other people a bit of a strain (and he's an only child) - he's just not accustomed to being a social animal. But we talked about this before he left and discussed the importance of 'time out' for introverts. No matter how much he enjoys being gregarious at times, it's vital to have downtime to recharge the social batteries, and he shouldn't feel he's missing out or appearing 'weird' if he needs to do this.

Siemum, my DS has lousy mobile reception in his room too. He has to lean out of the window to get a decent signal and the connection drops all the time. He won't respond to texts or emails .

Vodka The way we read It is that although railcard can be renewed within 30 days of expiry, the Santander code cannot be usd to renew.

So need to start a new railcard account with a different email address o buy the new one, before the Santander code lapses.

IF you find out you CAN us the Santander code to renew, please post!

She is trying it out see what happens, she stressing about it now. I will let you know if it works.

Hi everyone, I've been reading the whole thread, but it has been moving along too quickly for me to catch up and comment!
DS is settling in really well so far, and doesn't seem to miss us in the slightest! I'm glad he's happy, and hope it continues.

Empty nest here too, and, so far, not bad really! I was expecting it to be awful, but it's not! Must be bad mummy here too! Life has been really busy here since he and DS1 left, so maybe I'll miss them more when it settles down.

Hellsbells, really sorry your DD is having a hard time, she sounded so excited by it all! It might be worth her having a chat with some second years, maybe the first term is just a bit dull. DS said that their second years have told them that about his course. There's probably a lot of routine basics, and making sure they're all up to the same standard. Hope things improve.