2nd year uni (starting 2018)

[HSMMaCM]

The old thread seems to have filled up!

I'm a bit surprised somewhere like RADA hasn't worked out how to be flexible if its students get acting jobs.

DH is back. DD took him round a few of the older colleges yesterday and then they went out to dinner together later on which was nice.

DS is going back this weekend. I've got used to him being around and he's been great with GCSE revision for DS2. I'm going to miss him all over again 😢

I think my 2 are going back on Friday. They went to the public library to study although our house is much quieter so it is giong to a tussle between them as to whether they work here or there tomorrow. One is out to dinner tonight. it has been nice meeting so many of their friends this holiday. I met another two this week, one of whom spent the night.

Well, we're back to being empty-nesters again. Ds2 has been driven back to uni by his older brother. They've just phoned to say they've arrived safely and unpacked and they're planning what they're going to do the evening before DS1 comes back tomorrow.

Hope everyone else's DC have safe journeys.

With you on the empty nesting again Latedecember . I'm finding it as hard as I did last year at the moment and properly have the January blues. Not helped by family dog being on her last legs, redundancies looming at work, dear colleagues leaving, my hobby club folding (that forms an important part of my social week) and menopausal rage (No wonder they call this stage The Change).

Zero contact with ds this week of course.

Sorry to splurge on you lovely people. I will pull my sorry self together, walk the wobbly dog and put on bright smiles for the dss at the next family whatsapp chat.

Ah, Haffdonga, sending you a hug. I know it's not really the done thing on Mumsnet, but sometimes they're needed.

Haffdonga. I don't think the weather helps ones' mood either - not sure what it's like where you are but it's very gloomy here.

We're approaching the end of Wk1 Empty Nest and it's been ok, apart from DH who has come down with the lurgy and is feeling very sorry for himself.

I have kept myself busy mucking out their rooms; at least the place looks tidy again! 😆

Minte are still here but driving themselves later today when the traffic will have eased off. Can't wait in some ways (I find it peaceful when they are gone but I have had 34 years of being a mother so a bit of peace now and then is much appreciated)

Sorry to hear about the dog etc.

Haffdonga, sympathy from me too

DD1 goes back tomorrow. After much debate about whether or not she will need her cello, she has decided it is going. Last term, by week 3 she was asking me to bring it to her, an 8 hour round trip! DD2 drove us to school today but I stupidly forgot to leave my car key for DD1 to load my car. Anyway she had piled all her stuff in the hall and it took less than 10 minutes to pack it into the car. It's all sitting in the garage waiting for the pre-dawn start tomorrow.

She has exams on Wednesday then term proper starts on Thursday. She is also singing in a neighbouring college choir from now on, so that's quite exciting. I will miss her, especially having her put washing in and out for me, but there will be fewer loads in her absence. And it's only around 9 weeks until I need to bring her home again...!

Thanks folks.
and right back at ya,

Dd 2 went back last weekend for final term of her degree....where did those 4 yrs go?
Ds goes back tomorrow still hasn't packed however he has passed all 2nd year exams he sat before Christmas, but they don't count towards final degree classification as he's in Scotland and has a 4 yr MA degree
Dd1 has arrived back from China for a week! So we're having a belated Christmas dinner for her as she only had pizza on Christmas Day while she considers her career options when she finishes her contract in October

Malbecfan, my lad took his cello too. He's seriously considering taking it if he gets his year abroad next year. 😊
Well done, Stopyourhavering's DS. Even though they don't count towards his final result, it shows he's on track to do well.

It wa sa bit sad to see my son's trumpet left at home (he is pretty good, was the music prefect with a music scholarship at school etc and even played the Last Post at university last year on remembrance day in the halls chapel; but there are lots of things to do at unviersity. You can't do everything. It is just I did loads of music at university, my main hobby, so I had hoped he would enjoy music there).

Anyway they left about 7pm going via a supermarket to stock up and both seemed happy. They seemed quite organised. I think having gone back now for start of 5 terms you get more into the swing of what you need to take. Their university ski trip flights are booked for Easter and one has even given me his field trip to Spain dates (the week after) so I believe never term he flies from London on the trip, his twin then takes all his stuff to university for him and then he flies back from the trip to Bristol.

One got an essay mark today which wasn't as good as the others but it was the hardest he's ever had and whoever marked it apparently put nice comments on it so he seemed quite happy about it. He also said it would have been much worse than had he not chosen to lose 10% of the marks by subimtting it late as the alternative according to him would have been rushing it [ of course he could have just done it ages before and on time but I like his positivity here]

sounds like a perfect storm of woes, haffdonga.

It already seems like an age since DD went back, haven't talked to her this week though DH has about some financial thing or other. We're going to see her for a couple of days at the start of feb; I have some holiday I needed to use or lose before March so we're having a couple of days in London then back via Cambridge.

DS went back 1st jan so he could meet up with his group to get the coursework completed, to find that 1 of the group has decided to drop out and hadn’t completed any of the work.

He was already stressed, you can imagine what this did. They did get a couple of days extension to go the missing work but that’s eaten into exam revision time.

On top of this he’s had to turn down 2 assessment centres as they are schedued on exam days. Surely employers looking for placement students know a lot of unis have exams this time of year.

Another quiet house this week-end. DS1 went back early so that he could be re-united with girlfriend for her birthday. Spent the holidays revising then last 2 days making Indian celebration sweets for her and then a chocolate birthday cake ( gluten-free so not easy.) I was itching to join in - cakes is my department, but he was fierce about not needing my help. What a nice boyfriend! Nice when you can be proud of them. x

On another note, he is having no success with finance internships. I think he is a good candidate- economics, 1st in first year exams, examples of leadership. Someone upstream, perhaps Xenia - thought Brexit wasn't helping. Any advice would be gratefully received. x

There certainly might be a Brexit effect.
Mine have had no problems with internships as they are not bothering so far to apply for them - typical of my lot. I suppose their graduate brother who drives a delivery van has set a veyr low bar... laughing as I type... At least they have their driving licences.

Wish mine would get his driving test sorted out. Think I’ve said on this thread before that he has no interest in learning to drive but it would be Incredibly useful in the field he wants to go in to.

Haffdonga I’ve gone through something similar as I fell out with the woman who runs an art group I was a member of recently and I really miss going - it was such a mood lifter.

for you Haff.

I sympathise on the driving Best. DS has zero interest in learning, was supposed to be going on the insurance at Xmas to get some practice but that never happened.

I am going to get him on it at Easter for sure! 🚗🚘🚗🚘🚗🚘

OK, I messed up here and am feeling really guilty. DD is working abroad in the summer for a month and the dates have changed from June-July to July-August. I forgot they have changed and have booked our summer holiday (which DD isn't coming on because of working abroad - she doesn't want to be away for so long) and we are going on the same day that DD gets back so we won't be able to collect her from the airport.

I dare not post in AIBU but am I? I feel so guilty.

Brizzle YANBU but you might want to stump up for a taxi and takeaway. Is there any way she could join you the next day?

No, she's already decided that she's not coming on holiday with us so that isn't an issue; she decided a few months ago not to.

The problem is that I won't be collecting her from the airport to bring her home. I should add that she is fine with it and will get the train home but I've said I'll pay for a taxi from the airport if it's the localish one and the train fare if it's a London airport (taxi from London to here will be too much!)

I can't believe that I forgot the dates had changed