Uni Freshers 2016 (second thread)

[soapybox]

A new thread!

Name change fail there!

Squirrills you've confused me - are you Graziass? Good luck to your dses for those dissertations and last essays and then the exams. And especial good luck for the grad scheme and/or masters applications. Glad my ds isn't the only one with so much on that he's finding it difficult to sort out next year. He's only coming home for a week at Easter as a result. We booked the hotel for his graduation last month and a few weeks ago he proudly told me he would definitely graduate, as he's accumulated enough marks to get a third so far. It ain't gonna be a First he says, but hoping for a mid 2.1. If he pulls it off, that'll do me very nicely, thank you. How many tickets do most places get for the ceremony? Warwick only give 2, and anyone else can watch it live streamed on an outside (!) big screen. Sadly my parents, who really wanted to come, can't cope with that.

Yes I posted as Graziass by mistake
DS isn't coming home much over Easter even though his lectures have finished as he thinks he will work better there.
As to graduation I know the date but he swears he hasn't heard anything about tickets.
When DS1 graduated we managed to get three tickets but the ceremony was live streamed as well. I managed to set it up so my mother could view it on her iPad, though she may have got bored before it got to DS .

Ds gets 2 tickets with a ballot for any left over.

Oh thanks for clearing that up Squirrills . Hope your grad tickets materialise OK. Thanks for the tip about watching on an iPad. Will see if I can sort that.

Ooh a ballot for more LIZS, is that how you got 3 last time Squirrills? Thank you both!

My DD still has a year to do, so not much thought given to Masters/work yet.
She has an internship at a zoo over the summer which should be fun, although not with the animals.

Hello everyone. It’s good to hear everyone’s updates. DD1 has decided not to do the integrated masters so will graduate this year - it will be such a relief as she dropped out of the first year of her first course and restarted a new subject at a new university. That girl has certainly given me a few grey hairs! But she is happy now. She is also looking for a grad scheme / job but it it very time consuming and studies need to take priority. Ideally she would like to stay in her university city. She has also just applied for a summer job anyway. DD2 is doing the integrated masters so although she is doing a project this year, she will still have another year to go ......and has made few mutterings about PhDs - but I think will probably try and get a graduate job as she likes money too much!
Both girls are still enjoying their course and university - it’s strange, but things seemed to have really clicked now for them both after nearly 3 years .....may be they are just growing up eventually 😂

Forgot to say that Dunlurking’s DS’ plans sound exciting. He must be very talented.

Thanks hellsbells99. It's giving us more grey hairs (like yours!), thinking about the funding. Grandparent loan for some of the £14,000 fees (ouch) I think. Luckily he's the world's best saver so nearly has enough for his living costs in London for the year. Congratulations that DD1 has made it and good luck for her job hunting and the exams. Leeds2 that internship sounds brilliant. I've forgotten what her course is. Zoology?

hellsbells99 Lots of DC I know have swapped from integrated Masters to seem to graduate after three years, DS1 did. I think they run out of steam and have had enough of study after six years of exams.
It's reassuring that others are not all fixed up with grad schemes. DS did a few applications over Christmas but since then has been too intent on his research project.
Dunlurking Ouch indeed to those fees, not to mention living in London.

I posted last year about my DS having got a placement in a niche industry (not related to his degree!), initially turned down then got in when the original successful candidate dropped out.

So he is more than half way through the placement, finishes at end of June - has absolutely loved it and seems to have made a good impression, doing work for not just his boss, but the 2 above him and doing some presentations at a European meeting in January.

He hopes to go back into the industry, although not necessarily in the same organization/dept. His plan is to have a gap year after he graduates next summer, travelling for at least 6 mths, then apply for a specific role within the industry, and if he isn't successful, try and get back into the area he has worked this year.

He has to do a report for uni on placement and did an initial report/synopsis at start of year which he got a 1st on, so is very pleased.

His only problem now is accommodation for next year.

Most of his uni group are leaving, he was looking at sharing with another YII student and 2 of his friends still at uni, but that seems to have gone awry. It looks like it maybe him, the other YII student and 2 people he hasn't met (one also on a YII). Not ideal for final year, sharing with strangers, but they will all be in final year so hopefully fairly sensible and studious!

Its interesting, we have seen a much bigger change in him this last 9 months, than in the 2 yrs he was at uni. He definitely makes his opinion known more and calls us out on things he doesn't agree with, a sign that he has grown up a lot and become even more independent, having been in a formal job! It could be an interesting summer when he is home!

Sophiesdog - sounds like your DS has had a very good and productive year. My DD2 had a similar problem with accommodation for next year as the girls she lives with now are all graduating this year. She will be sharing with 2 people she has never met and 2 she already knows. My two have definitely grown up a lot too this year.
Squirrels - I think I spoke too soon! DD1 messaged last night that she is going to a postgrad evening tonight and has also booked in a postgrad open day at another university.

The financial end may not be quite nigh then hellsbells!
The accommodation problem might not be as bad as they think. DS ended up back in halls this year sharing with two friends and 3 strangers. They are all 3rd years and have all got different friendship circles but have rubbed along perfectly fine as flat sharers.

and hopefully is will expand/enhance their social circle as well Squirrils!
Glad it worked out for your DS and good luck with his job hunting.
I cannot believe how time consuming it is for each application - and this also applies for summer placements. They generally have to fill in very long applications (no sending the CV!), followed by aptitude tests etc. DD has just had to record herself for the next stage of the process answering some questions (which involved researching stuff)…..and that is before they even get near an interview, applicant day or talking to someone.

That's so true. DS managed to jump through to the third set of hoops on one scheme but hasn't got ant further and feels he needs to spend the time on his degree rather than job applications for the next few weeks.

hopefully is will expand/enhance their social circle as well Squirrils!

That is exactly what I told my DS, he generally gets on with most people, so hopefully it will work out and will give him another set of friends.

The female ‘stranger’ is doing her YII at same company as the other girl he plans to share with, so he is going to see them this weekend, hopefully he will like the ‘stranger’ and be happy to have her as a house mate.

The male ‘stranger’ is in his 3rd year at uni, on same course as some other people that DS knows and they have said he is a nice guy. I think DS and the girls will plan to go back to uni city one weekend to get together with him, and house hunt, so they will all meet then.

To be fair, he is in a house share for his placement with 3 strangers, all are placement students at same company, but they had only briefly met at an induction day before deciding to get a house together. They seem to get on well, although I guess having the placement in common helps.

Hello everyone. Lovely reading all the updates. its gone by so quick!

Ds1 is intending to carry on (hopefully) with his integrated Masters so not much changed here

Having read the updates, it seems that many, many more students are hoping to do Masters than used to be the case.

Ooh how lovely to see this pop up - I have name changed since last posted but DS will be graduating in July. He too has gone through the mill of applications to Grad schemes (nothing doing) and giving birth to a dissertation (proof reading done by moi, what a ballache!). So now preparing for his last couple of exams and back on the job hunt which as others have said is so time consuming and disspiriting. He had an interview for one very famous global company and was so up for it but the very next day it was announced they are shutting down their operations in the UK. AAArgh.

Hope we are all having luck with graduation outfits ;)

Graduation outfits?!! I hadn't thought of that! Is anyone prepared to put up a link to one they have bought, or just something that would be suitable?

I imagine DS might put a suit on but they get covered up by the gown anyway. I might wear a frock as it will be July but that's all. I didn't realise graduation outfits were a thing until we went to DS1's graduation and there were some very grand getouts, especially from some of the overseas parents who had travelled to the UK for the graduation. Equally there were parents in shorts and sandals.

Did most of the women wear hats?

Def not a hat occasion in my very humble opinion. I will be wearing a naice cotton shirt dress and a jacket in case of inclement weather with some heels. DH plans to wear a suit but I expect blazer/chino type get up will be prevalent amongst male guests too. It’s a bit of a faff for a couple of hours but there will be a photographer so worth making an effort for posterity 😃

I will not be partaking of any photo opportunities!