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Fighting our way through 1st year uni (starting Sept 17)

917 replies

HSMMaCM · 17/01/2018 20:41

Continuing the previous thread.

Exams, assessments, essays, etc.

Support, or lack of it.

Will they all get accommodation for next year and can they cook a balanced meal yet.

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 28/05/2018 23:07

Ono - blimey, I'd not heard about the flooding in Brum. Looks like huge areas were affected, lots where students live included (I was there for 6 years, decades ago.) Glad he and your DH weren't caught in it.

JugglingFromHereToThere · 29/05/2018 10:39

I think DD will spend some of her summer volunteering at local nature reserves as she did last summer.
There's also a local community allotment project where she could get some good practical skills

extinctspecies · 29/05/2018 10:49

Well have managed to persuade DS to apply for a part-time job at local supermarket in walking distance, so that's a start.

And had a long talk about internships & he's going to start to be more focused on that for next summer. 4 years course so there's time.

He's also in Brum & did get caught up in the flooding! Managed to catch a train home, but then it stopped & was sent back to Birmingham. DH had to go & pick him up. He had to change as he was soaked to the skin and so was all his luggage!

user1499173618 · 29/05/2018 10:49

That sounds like a good way to spend a summer, Juggling.

JugglingFromHereToThere · 29/05/2018 13:11

Thanks user149. It will just be nice to have her home for a bit too!

user1499173618 · 29/05/2018 13:15

I’m sure. It’s great when student DC can combine work experience with living at home. The last thing you want is them at home for long periods doing nothing, but it’s nice to see them over an extended period for a couple of hours a day!

brizzledrizzle · 29/05/2018 13:51

Actually when I say travelling, I don't mean travelling travelling - she's not off round the world or anything but she's camping in the welsh hills with her boyfriend, then with his family.

bigTillyMint · 29/05/2018 14:42

BrizzleGrin
You could reframe that as learning survival skills - every time I have camped in Wales it has been very wet Grin

Had a lovely time with DD yesterday - she gives the best cuddles Smile

brizzledrizzle · 29/05/2018 15:04

BTM You could reframe that as learning survival skills - every time I have camped in Wales it has been very wet grin

Of course, how could I have failed to think of that Grin

Stopyourhavering64 · 29/05/2018 19:13

Beautiful sunny day here in N Wales today, currently 20degrees and we're about to have our 4th BBQ since last weekend
Wink

brizzledrizzle · 29/05/2018 19:19

Exam disaster! DD was being sick from 2am this morning and had to leave the exam hall to be sick again. An invigilator went with her (high point of their job of course!) and she was allowed back in the hall to finish the exam.

ErrolTheDragon · 29/05/2018 19:23

Oh no, poor girl. They must have some way to take that into account - I'd guess its pretty much up to the department how they make any adjustment?

brizzledrizzle · 29/05/2018 20:56

I've had a look and sent her the info. as she needs to act on it tomorrow, it's a uni wide policy so that's ok I think. It's going to help her in that they have to pass the unit overall and that unit has 4 exams so not doing so well in 1 exam which was multiple choice hopefully won't be a problem.

On the plus side, she's now planning on coming home early. Her boyfriend was going to visit but she's told him not to so he doesn't get it. At least I know it's a bug and not alcohol or pregnancy Grin

HSMMaCM · 30/05/2018 07:38

Brizzle- poor girl. She must have been sitting there wondering if she was going to throw up on her paper! Good for her though, getting through it.

OP posts:
PilarTernera · 30/05/2018 09:26

My dd also has the stomach bug and has an exam this morning. She was feeling pretty rough yesterday, but has not been sick, thank goodness.

She must be in the exam hall now. All I can do is sit here and worry.

Needmoresleep · 30/05/2018 10:33

Oh no. That happened to DD during her last A level paper. Again luckily she made up sufficent marks on other papers, she was the last of the AS generation, that her overall mark was OK, but I remember quite a lot of running around to ensure that the paperwork was in place should she need it.

Exams are not until next week. It appears that hers is the only first year course who have not finished. Food stealing has reached epidemic proportions now that others are having friends round. The nearest supermarket is quite a trek, so DD plans to stock up on things like muesli bars, long-life milk, fruit and nuts that she can keep in her room. I still drink black tea, the result of milk disappearing at University. Indeed you used to be able to walk past my hall and see Tesco back hanging from bedroom windows, as no one trusted the communal fridge. Perhaps things have not changed that much.

Because of delayed placements and four weeks of second year placements which start in August, she does not get much time off. Two weeks will be taken up with attending a family wedding overseas, and she needs to visit grandparents. Her results only come out a week before the resit dates, which hopefully has provided an incentive for her to make sure she passes first time. She is also signed up for a weeks volunteering with a holiday scheme for disabled adults which she has done before, and found really rewarding. She had planned to take driving lessons and get a small car, partly because her August placements could have been some distance away. Luckily she has got a Bristol one, but may not be so fortunate next time, and memories of having to set out at 7.30 the morning after the athletics union social night through her first year, stay with her.

One silver lining is that she wont really have time for work. She had a few good ideas, but next year is her last year of pre-clinical so this may be her last chance of a "proper" summer holiday. Pacing is going to be important. Still the end of her first year is in sight. It was tougher than it should have been, but she got to the end.

brizzledrizzle · 30/05/2018 10:54

PIlar I hope she's OK.

LooseHipsWobbleShips · 30/05/2018 12:12

Sorry to hear about sick DCs especially right now with exams. Bugs are bad enough but with the added anxiety that can make for a nasty combination. First exam for mine this pm and feeling sick yesterday (him, not me!) but I think more anxiety than anything else-that and not being able to sleep properly because of the heat.

PilarTernera · 30/05/2018 12:21

DD made it through her exam, said it was 'alright, not the best.' That's not bad going, considering how she has been.

She is feeling a bit better today, but still has not eaten. Hopefully, the bug is on its way out.

brizzle I hope your dd is starting to feel better too.

ono40 · 30/05/2018 12:26

Brizzle and Pilar, your poor DDs. Bad enough having a tummy bug at the best of times but rotten luck during exams. There is a lot of it about here. My friend's DD missed her English Lit GCSE on Friday as she was throwing up all night and all next morning. Not sure what they do about that Confused

brizzledrizzle · 30/05/2018 15:50

One for parents of Bristol Uni students, they can claim additional costs due to strike action:

www.bristol.ac.uk/fees-funding/news/2018/industrial-action.html

user1499173618 · 30/05/2018 16:25

NeedMoreSleep - DC never complained of food stealing but he was close to Sainsbury’s and shopped daily on his way back from the library. Not sure he ever stocked up..,

Eve · 30/05/2018 21:18

DS1 passed his driving test yesterday - yippee- no driving him around over summer. When he turned 17 I didn’t realise there is a 6 month + wait for an instructor and then 4 months for theory and then test! So ran out of time at home. Plus side - lessons are a lot cheaper in uni town.

Xenia · 30/05/2018 21:25

It's not really that people had extra bus fares through the strike but the non monetary disruption. If first year exam results are worse and some employer examine every mark in your first year that could be a big financial loss but that "expense fund" will not allow claims for that kind of thing, the main losses students will suffer.

Haffdonga · 30/05/2018 21:31

Well done Eve's ds!

DS is not feeling good about his exams so far. I really hope he doesn't have to do retakes. Apart from completely messing with his summer plans it would be a massive blow to his confidence and would put his place on the course he worked so hard to get onto at serious risk.

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