We've survived the first half term - go us! (starting uni 2017)

[flyingpigsinclover]

New thread....we've got to the first half term!

Second year accommodation hunting. I have really enjoyed the landlord free year. Tell them not to jump into sharing too early as it can go horribly wrong!

Note to self - must improve my toast making. I cannot send photos of my charred around the edges toast.

LittleHo thats exactly what I said to DD. Am not asking about next year as I dont want her to start stressing about it, but she seems pretty happy with current flatmates.

Ming, thats exactly what I was saying a while back - theres loads of MC drug taking. Very scary when you know how badly wrong it can go.

Is there a Nigella toast recipe or something we should be using .

DD's disdain for an old sixth form friend who is using Ketamine has reassured me that I don't think she's experimenting.

Her boyfriend cooked her food from his home country at the weekend. She was impressed.

Have heard worrying stories recently of cocaine use by 1st year students. Thankfully not at DS’s uni although if it’s going on elsewhere.... I had a very frank discussion with DS last week about drugs and told him my views. He was very clear that it wasn’t for him and he steers clear. I hope he was being honest and I hope I’d know if not.
I’d be delighted to have the opportunity to cook toast for DS let alone a roast but I’ll have to wait for Christmas for that 🙁

Make DCs aware , a new scam being reported where fake jobs are being advertised and personal and bank details as well as ID docs are requested in advance of interviews .

Fraudsters are then using the information to commit financial and identity crime including ordering mobile phones.

Do your research and be careful ! I've had a round robin from
The National Fraud intelligence bureau on this and also read about it in the Times on Saturday .

Thank you ming

Thanks for the info, Ming. Another thing to worry about. Sigh.

Had a nice chat with DD this morning and pleased to hear several of her flatmates are thinking about finding a flat together for next year. Don't know how much looking they're thinking of doing before Christmas, but sounds like she's found a nice group of like minded flatmates.
Everyone seems included but some have other plans (such as finishing this year), so will be looking as group of 3 or 4 DD thinks, which seems quite a good size group.
Also she got her essay in on Friday even though some bits, like doing the references, were a bit last minute (they can take ages I know, and be really annoying!)
She was able to keep her sense of humour about some modules she needs to do which are less than riveting, but overall happy with course I think.
Possibly she'll have more options when it comes to next year's modules.
She told her brother when home for the weekend that it's so far an easier year than A levels, so generally that sounds good

Sounds good juggling.
Thanks for the handholds. It's an emotional rollercoaster here but DD's assignment is in, phew. I'm going down at the weekend to see her.
Anyone else finding it hard to be constantly 'on call' via smartphone and on the alert all the time? I'm grateful for the contact it allows but conscious it's very much a double-edged sword.
A couple of you have mentioned DCs have taken a nosedive in terms of exercise and diet - same with DD, & that takes its toll on both mental and physical health, doesn't it?
Hard that the scramble for year 2 housing starts now... DD hasn't got any obvious sharers either. However, that's not one to tackle today. Reckon I need to go and lie down in a darkened room for a bit!

Glad she's done the assignment Blog!

Glad she's done the assignment Blog!

Dd1 has already agreed to house share with two of the girls in her shared halls, but I think there the places don't come up until Feb/ March. She's had an array of grades (from leaving a mid term in hysterical tears as she completely blanked, right through to being at the top of the bell curve in other classes) but it's all a learning experience. She's picked up very quickly that there are lecture styles that she finds very easy for learn from, and others that she finds near impossible, so has started to try and rearrange her classes for next semester to match up with profs whose style gels with her.
Her friend who lived with us for 18mos prior to uni is struggling a bit more. She had a really rough few years (hence having to live with us) and had considered deferring to allow herself to stabilize a bit, but went anyway. She's considering changing programme, but hopefully she will make it through until Christmas and then relax and think through her options.

That's one less thing for her to worry about Blog. I had DD on the phone at the weekend about juggling an assignment and revising for an assessment. Hopefully I helped her work out priorities and put it in perspective.

Blog well done to DD for getting her assignment in and I’m sorry she’s having such a tough time. I know what you mean about being constantly available. If DS has a panic about something (which he regularly does!) he texts me. If I can’t reply for whatever reason immediately he calms himself down pretty well, but it is tricky and there is a bit of a feeling of being on call as you say. Being able to be in touch regularly makes it less of a worry for me, but I sometimes wonder how we’d all cope if it were like our university days - off on the train at the beginning of term and that was it apart from letters and the odd five minute phone call from the shared payphone in the hall with a long queue of people listening to everything you said.

DS is finding the workload really heavy (engineering). They seem to have heaps of assignments and problem sheets and tests and lab prep; it’s pretty relentless. He is a worrier and is constantly panicking that he isn’t up to it. madwoman like your DD he has done really well at some things and not so well at others but he seems to think that he should be good at everything immediately which just isn’t going to happen!

I told DD that it's only by getting things wrong that the tutors find out the gaps in their knowledge and hopefully attempt to fill them.

I only knew that they were supposed to start looking for 2nd yr accommodation thanks to MN, and must have surprised my DD by appearing clued up. She seems to have a pretty good idea already about who she wants to share with, but like others I have concerns about group cohesion at this early stage. Also, the payment of any deposit etc. I was in the town of DD's insurance choice today (much closer), looking at all the students waiting at bus stops and wishing she had gone there so that I could have visited. Sigh. Christmas seems a long way off. She is famously uncommunicative so I just have to hope that she is managing her workload.

I agree with that HSM. I only hope that it happens!

Thanks Blog - really glad your DD has got that assignment in, that could be a real breakthrough for her if it's one of the first ones.

As I mentioned I'm glad DD got her essay in last week too.

My DD and I did both share some more difficult life stuff in our phonecall this morning, but the cheerful stuff keeps me going so that's what I tend to post on here!

HSM I’m sure that’s right!

I am trying not to think about next year and finding a flat. DS has made two or three friends, including one of his current flatmates with whom he gets on really well, but he doesn’t have a wide circle like some people. He’s still finding it a bit hard to get to know people as he’s quite shy. The rest of his current flatmates, while quiet and perfectly friendly and pleasant, are international students who all very much keep themselves to themselves; he’s hardly ever seen two of them!

Blog, that's great that she got it done. I know what you mean about being available 24/7 and dreading the next call - DD had a very difficult time a few years ago and it was hard.

DD rang briefly today to tell me some "gossip" and also that she is going to see 2 houses potentially for next year, with 4 of her current flatmates

DD and her friends are going to visit a house tomorrow and I'm not allowed to know anything about it unless they decide they like it

Well done to blogs dd

I woke ds1 with a happy 'morning beautiful'...he didnt seem overwhelmed with that

So i asked him if he missed being woken up like that at uni

Apparently not...

My DD was always very good at getting herself up and out when she lived at home. If my DS (16) ever makes tertiary education (big if, lazy boy) I cannot imagine how he would ever get to a lecture. He finds it impossible to get up and sleeps through his alarm every day.

Well done to your DD Blog

My DS, also 16, is not great at getting up and out either simbobs. He cuts everything to the wire and then gets mad at me when I eventually get stressed - sometimes I'm giving him a lift so hard not to get involved and just leave him to it.
I'm hoping it might be just a stage.

He can keep his mellow approach to life, that's quite cool and good to have. But just have some awareness of time!! Please!!