2nd year uni (starting 2018)

[HSMMaCM]

The old thread seems to have filled up!

Happy New Year to all!!!!

We spent Christmas visiting DS who is studying for a PhD in the US. The beautiful college town and amazing facilities seem to be a bit wasted on him, though he is enjoying the course. (The first year is taught.) His British education is standing him in good stead as his technical preparedness seems as good as anyone's, despite being the youngest. We got to see a college basketball match, which was fun, and quite different to the atmosphere at UK varsity matches.

DD is only 25% of the way through her course, whilst DS is expecting to take 5 or 6 years, but then we will have two Drs in the family, and continuing squabbles about who is the 'proper' doctor.

DD is really happy. A good group of friends, a supportive tutor group, an interesting course, a City she loves, a nice flat lined up for next year. 2019 should be much easier than 2018. The next challenge is to look at intercalation options. This wont be for another 18 months, but she is planning to take advantage of January's round of open days to inform her decision making. Belfast, Birmingham and, I think, Keele are on the list alongside London. Not quite as exotic as a year abroad, but still something to look forward to. She's met some students who have opted to intercalate at Bristol from elsewhere and they seem to be enjoying the change.

It's all blown over thanks Xenia.
We're onto the next issue now - two of her flatmates have suddenly announced that they are pulling out of renewing for next year.

Oh no, not what she needs right now brizzledrizzle 😮

needmore - Keele may not be exotic but it's the best uni ever! (or at least it was 30 years ago)

Oh no Brizzle. I'm sure they would be able to find others though? Or would thet rather find somewhere else smaller?

DS1 had his first day of classes for this semester today. He's really pleased because he's found out he's been accepted into a class that he was wait-listed for (because he didn't sign up early enough and it reached its capacity really quickly) so he now gets to ditch one that he really wasn't at all keen on taking, but was going to, just to meet the number of credit hours per semester that he needs to achieve his degree in the normal length of time.

It's a really alien system to me. I just picked my degree subject and got told what lectures and labs I needed to attend. He's building his own degree from a list of compulsory classes and various electives, and it often seems that clearly complementary subjects are scheduled in such a way that its impossible to fit them into the same timetable.

Mountain Peak- excellent that he got onto the course he wanted, but crazy about the clashing courses! DD has compulsory and optional units. So far she has managed to get all her chosen options.

She originally thought of doing a 2 subject degree and it was explained that she would then just do the compulsory elements of each course, with no options. As she was very keen on some of the options, she chose just one subject.

HSMMaCM It's a very small university and some really interesting courses are quite often only offered once every second year (not enough lecturers/professors.) DS is really pleased that he's managed to fit in all his required 1st and 2nd year courses. Lots of people in his "100" and "200" level classes are 4th year students (and not because they're resitting - just because they've not taken them any earlier )

It's a really alien system to me. I just picked my degree subject and got told what lectures and labs I needed to attend.

Degrees involving labs will generally be of the type where quite a lot needs to be compulsory, and in the right order, as you need to have grasped A and B before you can comprehend C.
Maybe on a more pick&mix course, some of the 'clashes' are deliberate to enforce broadness?

Last day of DDs hols... I'd better make sure nothing she wants is lurking in a laundry basket.

MountainPeak that's great news.
DD is on a course which involves labs and there is little choice of optional modules apart from in the first year where they can pick an enrichment module that is unrelated to their degree.

Her accommodation is proving tricky, the one flatmate went along with wanting to renew for next year but it turns out she's known she wants to share with her boyfriend/have her boyfriend move in but they are expecting the landlord to let them share a room without paying for an extra room I think they need to realise that the landlord isn't a charity. DD wants to share a 2 bed place with one of the others who she gets on really well with but most of them are beyond her flatmates budget but as they both have exams when they go back this isn't the time to be thinking about it.

brizzle, more than that, the landlord may face licensing or other constraints. I rent out an HMO with four double bedrooms, two bathrooms and plenty of shared space but am only licensed to have four tenants. Inevitably the odd partner effectively moves in during any tenancy, but I dont want to know the detail.

The sharing is awkward. DD is part of a large friendship group, some of whom met in the first year and are already sharing. She was a bit disappointed when they told her they had decided to renew rather than look for a bigger house. But then she realised there would be at least a couple of others that wanted to join them, so their decision made sense. Her new flat is near them and near her department, and there is advantage in sharing with a different group to the ones she normally hangs out with.

Its interesting how different courses are structured. DS' second year was by far the hardest. It was when he had to take compulsory technical (ie maths) courses, in order to have the skills to use in third year options. On reflection it was good to have it this way, as it was possible to repeat second year courses, or the year as a whole, but not the third year. Now in the taught year of a PhD in the US he has the interesting incentive that if he does well enough in his mid-terms he does not need to sit end of year exams. At the moment he is on track, so plans to work really hard during the next semester to stay there.

Yes, there are number restrictions on properties for legal reasons often. I think so far my two have no problems with next year's (tyear 3) tenancies and flat mates. After departure of the gorgeous small ones (grandchildren and parent) yesterday and some lovely photos by my son of 2 of his friends who are staying holding the baby (or is it a toddler once it can walk?) we are down to 2 extra guests now (who bought me lovely flowers yesterday), smallest number since 30 Jan.

The Christmas tree was removed today and I had a lot of needles etc and stuff to put away myself too but that's all done; meanswhile one student son is out at his dental checkup. He lieft with 6 minutes to drive there and left the note I gave him of our summer holiday dates in the car so needed a text. However gorgeous though the 1n and 3 year old are it is much more peaceful today. Older one spent ages fascinated by things in my office - we made a notebook for allh er family members, she then had me print photos on stickers to stick in it and then liked using a dust pan and brush - just as well as like all toddlers they are living breathing mess machines.... so we did that together. Then she wanted to clean floor tiles and wanted me to find more and more marks to clean up. I suspect this enthusiasm to clean will disappear by her teens however....

brizzle, more than that, the landlord may face licensing or other constraints

Quite. At the moment the house is not licensed (or whatever the term is) - when they were signing up for it I checked and it wasn't licensed so I double checked with the local authority who informed me that it didn't have to be licensed due to having just 4 residents; there is a 5th bedroom but the landlord doesn't rent it out. Apparently that's because it's a small box room but I expect it's more likely to be because 5 people is the cut off for licensing.

DH drove DD back early this morning - they prefer silly o'clock to traffic so she set her alarm for 4:30 and brought us coffee and tea. Clear run, they were there by 9am. I'm having a break from post Xmas housework - tree and decorations down, etc etc.

Just caught up on this thread.
How fascinating to see how everyone’s kids are doing.
And you guys of course.

We’re all good here. Both twins home for Xmas.
DS is currently away at a 21st. Seems funny that so many of his mates are that old when he’s still only 19
DD is enjoying RADA a lot. But she’s got a potential job lined up so may drop out. She’s a bit conflicted but it’s a good opportunity.
DH and I are staying WELL out of it

A good job opportunity- I assume you mean acting? - is a nice problem to have!

Quite a few of DDs friends are a year or two older - in particular some of the male overseas students who've had to do a year or two national service before uni.

I remember a twin poster from when my twins applied. Glad to hear how they are doing.
May be the acting job could be fitted around RADA studies or the current RADA year deferred and then come back to?

Yesterday was our first day since 30 without their friends staying not that I mind them there at all so we have returned to relative peace although still have sundry visitors - their school friend last night just after I'd locked the front door although he doesn't stay the night as he lives near by.. I still have the half drunk alcohol bottles in the kitchen with people needing to decide what they want to save from their dinner party.

Errol, my son is the same - likes to drive when no traffic but then instead would stay up very late as he is on student time although he's doing lots of work on essays this week. Mine go back on Friday afternoon so we have another week or so.
They have one or two friends who are a year older, but most are 19 or 20. Time certainly flies.

My dd is going back on Friday as well. She has her first exam the following Monday.

She has caught up with all her school and college friends, is now in full scale revision mode.

Caution, welcome back and good to hear your news. I remember from University days. when I knew a couple of RADA students, that women faced a problem as there were far more roles for young women than older women, so there was a rush to get your career established early. I assume not much has changed.

I am not sure when DD goes back, though lectures start a week Monday. The combination of congestion charge at £11.50 per day and street parking at £4 per hour including Sunday (with only a small discount for visitor permits) means she cannot bring her car home. She is madly dropping hints about others having their parents drive them back. No chance!

NMS, DD goes back tomorrow. On the Megabus

She and her mate have been sorting their summer travelling plans, and she says she wants to work in the summer. She would like to get some relevant work experience/internship and has her fingers crossed that her DGodM might have a suitable contact.

We drove DD back yesterday, stayed in Bath over night (found a rare cheap deal) and said goodbye to her today. She's back to lectures tomorrow.

Took DS back to a cold, damp smelling empty house this morning. He couldn’t wait to get back. I was not happy.

Mine went back on Thursday. His older brother has moved out this weekend, so tonight it's me, DH & the cats 😄

Just back from dropping off ds. His lectures start 9am tomorrow. We had a bit of a picnic lunch in his house and very much enjoyed being hosted by ds making us tea etc.

Job offer is a part in a telly show.
Not filmed in London, so not possible to work around RADA.
I’m not too worried about her dropping out (not convinced an acting degree is that useful outside acting ) other than she’s very young.
She’s worked professionally before but she was a child then (technically) so well looked after in many ways. Now she’s an adult it would be sort yourself out, love.

I suppose I feel a bit sad that she hasn’t had the university experience but then that’s probably a lot less important for her than it was for me - coming from a small deprived mining town.