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

[HSMMaCM]

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.

Rogue, baaargain! Is he in halls in London? If so, whereabouts and can I ask how much it is - a friend was wondering this morning.

He's in the Guildhall School of Music and Drama halls. £7, 100 for 45 weeks. Apparently the halls available to Royal Academy of Music students, owned by one of the other unis - sorry I don't know which- are £10k+. Eye-watering or what!

Both seem well. One emptied room and almost filled their car and ther other did not bring much back as is leaving it up there so that's worked fine. 5 loads of washing so far done but not for one of them who did his yesterday as he had a lot of tokens to use up. We go on holiday tomorrow so it's quite busy. They said they were almost the last people still there this morning.

When DS1 looked round Imperial in 2014/15, the halls were £10k!!

Jeeeez!

But imperials halls are in Kensington? Not a cheap area!

Yes, I think it is Kensington - hellishly expensive.

Imperial is in South Kensington, near the big museums. DS has a friend there yes, halls are v. expensive, but location is amazing. Value for money as it would be impossible to rent anything privately in that area for a similar price. He's moving out in his 2nd year to a private rental, a bit further out (zone 2) but still hellishly expensive for a student!

Collected DS1 last Wed. Lovely to have him home. He's been applying for lots of jobs.

I know he has smoked dope, but I have a hunch he might be popping more than that. What to do?

That's so hard Rights - I suspected DS last year given evidence of lighter and papers.

I have had many and long conversations with him about the opportunities he would throw away if caught or got ill. He wants to work abroad so the not getting a visa if you have a record or warning he took some notice of.

My DS is home this weekend, last exam Friday.. and on Monday I need to pay 1st installment of next years accommodation!

I just paid the first 3 months for one and the other one is a monthly standing order I think and we did the first payment a little while back. All well here as nice segue into 3 months of holiday with our holiday abroad this week. Mine were just saying they could not beleive how many people smoked when they got to university in September - just about no one we know smokes these days no matter whether old or young; thankfully mind don't and don't want to so no problems. I said is there peer pressure but he said he would never do something just because other people do which is nice but most people don't find that at all easy as a teenager.

That's true Xenia - very few adults we know smoke.
However, many if not most teens round here smoke weed. Though many parents may not know

Rights, I don't know what the answer is. Just reminding what the consequences might be and saying not in your house is really about all you can do once they are adults and living away from home - they have to make their own choices.

We regularly talk about the dangers of drugs.

DD had taken up smoking at 6th form, but has given up now. I was so pleased to hear it.

My DD was saying last night that she thinks more should be done in school to educate young teens about the dangers of drugs including the effect of getting a criminal record, etc as well as the potential physical and mental dangers.

BTM, I assume it depends on school. Use of weed was reasonably uncommon at DDs school. But then many of her peers were seriously ambitious, either academically or career-wise. In contrast it has been very prevalent at University, including ‘hot-boxing’ which was pretty antisocial, given flat mates on some courses faced sanctions/expulsion should they fail a drug test.

The odder thing is that no one seems to be making a link between heavy drug use and the risk of MH problems.

Maybe depends on the school, but I know of both state and private schools round here with drugs probs. Was there good drugs education at hers?

DD and DS are v clear about the MH risks.

Good news. First year dentistry exams passed so no pesky resits!

Well done RedHelen 's dd! DS has passed too. He doesn't know how well he did but 'pass' is enough for his summer to be sorted. Phew. And he got a job today so summer is paid for too.

Rights do you think having your ds home and out of the druggy student environment might help him sort himself out a bit?

Well done to RedHelen's DD & Haffdonga's DS!

DS passed also, so he's pleased. Still no accommodation sorted...
DH has said he isn't collecting him or his stuff until he's sorted it!

Well done to Horsemad and Haffdongas ds' I thought he was staying in talks Horsemad?

Halls I mean.

Yep he is but wants to move to different halls.

Honestly, he is starting to do my head in!

Just wait until he's under your feet at home again!

Haha, he's home on Sunday for a party but we have to go back up to collect his stuff in about a week's time

DS passed his exams as well with great marks so he is a happy boy. Bearing in mind he had such a bad start with being in hospital, it's remarkable. One more week of work then it's off to China for 6 weeks.

Dilemma - do I watch Love Island against my better judgement and text him updates?!

I think you ought to watch Love Island for your ds's benefit ono. It's ds's and my guilty pleasure while we both pour scorn on it

Ds's gang started a Love Island drinking game in the week after exams when they had to drink every time someone on the show said 'like' in a sentence but they quickly realised that nobody could keep up that rate!