Uni Freshers 2016 (second thread)

[soapybox]

A new thread!

We took my DD back to York last Monday as lectures started Tuesday - she phoned yesterday to say the work load is lighter this term as they have exams, so she has been out clubbing lots this week! Her exams don't start until mid May and are spread over two weeks.

DS drove himself back to Cornwall, leaving here at 2am on Thursday morning so as to miss the traffic - which worked, as a plan, but meant I spent a sleepless night as he has never driven so far on his own, and I asked him to text me every time he stoped for a break...

He has just texted to say he has submitted his end of year essay, and has just finished his portfolio, which has to be presented tomorrow, and apart from a couple more weeks of lectures, plus a feedback session, that is his first year at uni done. He seems a bit more positive about the course now, but we will see how the feedback goes.

He is now off to look for job for the summer down in Cornwall.

Both girls were delivered back okay in our very full car. They have 9am lectures this morning so they are hopefully up and about. I am looking forward to a bit of peace and quiet but I know after a few days, I will be missing their noise, company, banter and all their friends coming round. I won't be missing their mess though!

DS1 went back yesterday, fully laden. I'm slightly concerned about getting all his stuff back in the car at the end of June as he seems to have acquired a lot!

Not too much time to miss him as he is back next weekend (railfare paid to mentor a local youth event)!

He has a postal vote at home but is also registered at uni so will choose where to vote!

He has actually done his bit of student finance, it's me that's holding things up.

Took DS1 back on Saturday. He's been revising over Easter but not too hard, I don't think. He has about 7 exams finishing on polling day, 8th June. He hadn't registered to vote because he didn't think there would be an election this year, not even a local one where he is. That'll soon be rectified, I hope.

We've applied for his loan. My info is pretty easy to fill in TBH. I'm just hoping they don't want proof of my divorce again. Yes, I'm still divorced from DS's dad, surprise surprise!

Can't believe they are nearly finished!

Finally completed the finance application. I carefully collected the P60s and pension and savings account details for me and dh for 16/17 - and then had to run around the house frantically searching for the 15/16 ones instead. Dh's P60 was sitting on our bedroom windowsill - where he left it last year. There is a wastepaper bin just below it where he files most things, so that was a near miss!
Anyway it's done

This time next week DD will be home for summer, the time has flown by since I dropped her off at uni last September!

Can I pick your brains about the student finance for next year? DS gets minimum loan, circumstances not changed since last year. I've not heard anything, he says he's not heard anything from Student Finance...do we need to do anything about applying for next academic years finance? Been on my account and there's no links etc to apply.

What do we need to do....sorry if it should be obvious!
ps long time lurker and this thread has been invaluable and much comfort in the last 12mths Thanks all X

My son had an email from student finance a good few weeks back. I've had nothing. It might have gone to an old email address, when my son first registered he was using his school email address! You have until the end of June (England) to apply. If he can't find the email then he really ought to get in touch with student finance.

Ds had a letter over Easter from SF and had to send something back. Not aware of any emails.

Ds had an email way back - could even have been March. Then once he did his bit we immediately got our emails. Hope you can sort it out Optisight

My 2 have both had letters sent to their home address over the last couple of weeks. They need to sign the form and send it back.

Thank you for the replies, definitely not had any letters. Will get him to check and recheck emails I think...failing that he'll have to actually talk to someone using that thing that is an extension of his right hand, but rarely used to actually communicate verbally!! Should go down well :-)

Optisight, if your DS logs into his account on the student loan co website he'll be able to apply for this year. You'll only get an email once he's done his bit.

Thought I'd check in to see how "our" lot are getting on now the exams have come around! Spoke to DS last night and he says he has been working hard to prepare - seems amazing to me that each module only has a 1.5 hour exam, some of which is multiple choice! The problem seems to be the volume of material covered and no indication of what will come up in the exam. Hey Ho. He's coming home temporarily after his exams finish as there is a v strict quiet policy in Halls while others are still working so no chance of whooping it up - party central begins in earnest in June.....

Glad to hear your DS is getting on okay Homebythesea.
DD2 was annoyed with her halls last week as the level of noise on Thursday night was high until after midnight and then they woke her up coming in. She can't understand her friends still going out clubbing and not being fit to study the next day. She has still had a couple of evenings out but quieter ones and in bed before midnight!
DD1 starts her exams tomorrow. Her exams are 2.5 hours long. She only has 4 as 4 of her modules are already finished and we're covered by exams in January. She is a bit stressed!
DD2's exams are only 2 hours long (each) and she finishes on Friday. She has found 2 of them very hard but is hoping that with her January exams and course assignments she will be okay.

My DD finished last week. She has gone to do two weeks work experience (voluntary work) on an environmental farm and will be home soon!

Home My DS's exams sound like they are the same format as yours. Have to say I was very surprised!

He had his last exam today and is coming home tomorrow and starts work on Thursday so all good. He can start saving for September!

Hells That is really not very considerate if they are waking people up.

Leeds Hope the work experience goes well

Good luck to all your DC for the exams. Can't believe the first year is coming to an end

DD2 has messaged to say 1 of the boys in her flat has a disciplinary hearing this week for waking them up at 4am before an exam.
DD1 is very upset about the Manchester bombing earlier this week. It is very close to home for us and she was living there last year. she has a lot of friends living in the Fallowfield area. She has definitely lost her focus this week and her exam was stopped today at 11am for 1 minutes silence. We all feel very useless and wish there was something we could have done to prevent it. We feel very sad for all the families affected

Quite right that action is taken against noisy students - time for them to grow up a bit! DS is losing sleep due to heat more than anything- he's going out to buy a fan!

The Manchester attack has affected some of his mates who live in the City. He's going to the Parklife festival in Manchester next month but as he said it will probably be the safest place to be....

DS all finished, home and passed . Can't believe the first year is over already! Now to sort out DD for 2018....

Term finished here too. Dh collected Ds stuff yesterday (3rd load of washing in!) but he has gone off to visit a friend. Only 2 were left in his block of 20+. No results until end of the month apparently even though exams finished mid May and no news n next year's course options yet.

My DS has 3 exams this week, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, almost 4 hours each and then he's home on Saturday with 2 reading lists, both as long as your arms!
By the third exam his writing will barely be legible!

GoodLuck to all those DC still doing exams.