Early days at uni 2017

[HSMMaCM]

How is everyone settling in?

DD starts on Wednesday.

Dd is covered on our home insurance when she's in halls.

Aww. Dd has freshers flu. Poor thing.

You can still do that hugo.

DS has got his timetable. Being engineering, we knew it would be tough; he has timetabled labs and lectures 9-6 four days a week, with a half day on Wednesday. Joining 7 clubs now looks even more optimistic than we thought! He is feeling a bit daunted.

Helenluvsrob poor DD - hope she feels better soon!

poisonedbypen this is the one we [[http://www.dunelm.com/product/fogarty-soft-touch-3-4-mattress-protector-1000077100?searchTerm=34%20topper]] No idea how good it is as forgot to ask DS when he phoned earlier but can confirm that it does fit the 4ft bed in his room!

Sorry have made a complete mess of that link somehow! It's the Fogarty soft touch.

Thank you HSM and SoupDragon. Holding it together atm but that could all change. Just had a family get together to wish him 'Good luck', tough for a number of reasons.
On the matter if insurance, do check your own policy first as our DS is covered for up to £3k away from home.

Thinking of you BlueDoor. It does tend to creep up on you a bit I think, and suddenly start to hit you that they're really leaving home.
As I've been saying to people asking me about it, it is quite a big thing to do.
Mostly though I'm still excited for her setting out on this new adventure. And she's settled in really well in the week she's been there now, so that's helping a lot.
When are you setting off? I dropped DD off last Friday. Fortunately she's messaged quite often and we've had a few phonecalls too.
So keep remembering it does get better I think, maybe after a challenging few days around getting ready, and moving in.

I also found that there were complicating factors in our family that made it all the more difficult.
We lost my nephew a few years ago and of course still all feeling that real loss very strongly.
I wonder if anyone else has felt triggered in their other losses by this experience?

On a lighter note DD has had a very busy couple of days and seems to have a lot of things sorted now. She's even bought two raincoats from charity shops which should come in handy in South Wales!

I think we could negotiate a MN offspring phone insurance group policy with an insurer!

Behind I don't know all your family circumstances, but it was my experience that it was easier a week or so into my youngest leaving for university. It was hard for the first days especially as I work from home and was so busy that I couldn't leave the house to meet friends for coffee or dog walks so I didn't see anyone some days for 12 hours and missed my children coming home from school and grunting at me in the early evening.

I noticed today that I feel more settled again. As though I'm starting to find my own rhythm. And my two are good at keeping in touch, which helps.

Obviously don't know all your circumstances as I said, but perhaps you will find the same thing? A few hard days or weeks, and then a new normal. And the knowledge that terms are not that long really.

And if you're like the rest of us you will be 'enjoying' sorting out broken phones etc and feel as though they are still very much with you!

Our household insurance doesn't cover gadgets out of the home. A lot of the hall policies cover for stuff stolen from rooms only if the room is physically broken in to, but not if a student leaves their door or window unlocked while they go and do their washing or visit the girl in the room next door, while someone half inches their new laptop. DS1's hall (in a big city) was very vulnerable to dodgy people posing as students and getting let in as people went through the doors, then swiping everything they could grab on a corridor.

DS1 also had his new phone nicked in his first term. He was mugged walking home late from a club with friends. He was really glad he had the insurance.

abra i'm hoping it's going to seem normal soon, Xmas seems a long time away though. I found it easier at first and then harder now. I thought that she wasn't OK but I've face timed her tonight, she's looking tired after a full day of lectures but she seems ok. She's not socialised much this week but she has 40 hours of work.

juggling that's good that your DD has had a good couple of days. The raincoats will be pretty much essential I'd have thought!

bluedoor I hope it goes well.

Lady YY to the middle of the night stuff, I've got that t-shirt. I hope the nights are better soon.

Thanks for all the words of advice, I'm feeling happier now I've spoken to her. She does look tired so I hope she's going to get some sleep tonight. Her room has fluorescent lights, I think I'm going to get her another desk lamp so she can have nicer light in the evenings that is more relaxing.

Missing DS tonight particularly as DD has had a meltdown over something so silly. She's got ASD, and usually as I was part of the cause (in a round about way) Normally DS would be able to calm her down but he's not here . Gonna be a long night

that does sound tough, auntpetinia

I think we could negotiate a MN offspring phone insurance group policy with an insurer!

Given the number of losses and breakages so far I'm not sure we'd get a good rate!

Thank you all for your words of encouragement. Tricky night here hoping it all goes well tomorrow. We set off just after lunch. Once he's in and settled I hope to feel better. I know he'll have a great time and he's
doing what he loves so couldn't hope for better. Change is always hard and hits me sideways these days but that's my issue and not his.

I've totally forgotten to think about insurance!
Still having feelings of 'things will never be the same again' Dd is now firmly ensconced into ds's old room, and a lot of his things (including teddies) are in the attic.

I had a text conversation with ds tonight.
I learned three things.
He doesn't need me to give him the Netflix password, as he 'remembered it'
On being asked if everything is going well, he replied; 'good'
And he can't talk until next week as he's going out now.

I'm taking that as positive news. Not in depth, but no negatives.

My sons' halls insurance covers their stuff in halls but not as I have explained if you lose it ou a drunken night out or drop your phone in the loo. So I suggested they might want specific insurance - in fact Endleigh was posting stuff to them before they left even but they haven't taken anything extra. One son was saying he always locks his bed room and he was amazed how many people don't (I am afraid he was coming back in the middle of the night the other night and opened 4 people's bed room doors in error before he found his own - he said they didn't mind but I would mind. I hope he doesn't do it again).

Good Luck today BehindTheBlueDoor.

DS phoned yesterday asking some questions.

Seems to be doing ok.

He did comment no one else looked liked him, they all seem very middle class!

DS styles himself in what I refer to as 'homeless chic' and only buys his clothes from charity shops and if he likes it, he buys it, size and fit don't concern him. I did tell him no one else would want to look like him! He'll find his tribe soon I'm sure.

DS went Wednesday, seems to have settled in ok, said that all his flatmates are getting on well which is a relief. They are talking about sharing food and cooking etc.

Only place he gets a phone signal is in the middle of the sports pitches but is getting emails. Starts his course on Monday but said that there are only 2 of them on it!! He needs to get a job as I'm not going to be able to send him money - this is the biggest worry at the moment.

Driving up the motorway now. DH and I both went to the uni DS is going to, and we seem to have different ideas about what to take and how to get there and what to do when he does get there. So it will be a relief to all three of us when we drop him off and we can stop disagreeing.

He's had a gap year abroad, so I'm used to him being away. But DH and I were saying last night that this feels more like a milestone than him going abroad did. Am reminding myself that he is extremely sensible and confident and that it's only going to be harder with the other DC.

Just realised that I forgot the milk I bought him. Cue disagreement on where he can buy some more.

When we're all stressed and grouchy, I find the best way to diffuse it is to agree to minor stupid things.

Me "Oh blast I forgot the milk"

DH or DD "let's get some at that super expensive place miles out of our way"

Me "ok"

You're right.

Am just going to smile and nod.

behindthebluedoor I completely understand, my DS has arrivals today and we are setting off later this morning. He's London bound which is going to be a change from the little market town he's used to!
Thanks again to all posters with your advise and tips, has been really helpful!

Good luck to all the parents sending their DC off today (the kids won't need theluck, just the parents!)

DS has sent me a text already this morning - before noon on a Saturday?? Unheard of!! Apparently some climbing thing at uni is at 10am and that's one of his hobbies. I'm glad he's found a place to do something he enjoys :)

Good luck to everyone going today.

Juggling, she'll find those raincoats very useful . We do get some nice weather here honestly and when we do, there's no place more beautiful.

DS came home last night as we are off to a family event this weekend. I'd already seen him a couple of times but DH hadn't and he was almost as excited as the dogs to see him.
DH s really missing him - they are very close and have always spent a lot of time together.