UEA freshers

[juicy0]

I've never done this before but hopefully I have managed to set up a new thread for UEA specific posts.
Perhaps someone can let me know if it's worked!

Yes, entirely necessary for ground-floor accommodation.

DS is on the top floor of his Ziggurat block so won't be so much of a safely issue for him.

How do you know what floor they are on?

Ds told me someone in his flat has asked UEA what floor.

I can't remember how I found out what floor DD1 was on - we were looking at one of the student websites which discussed various accommodations and building layouts. For her block (Courtyard A), Flats 1-4 = ground floor.

I kept wondering what others posters meant when they talked of the codes needed for opening a bank code. UEA just sent ds an email with these codes. Bit late now. The account is opened. Though I think one of them is probably just ucas code which he has anyway.

I can't remember how I found out @Itscoldouthere.

On a lighter hearted note anyone noticed in the list of socs and clubs 'The Garlic Bread Society' - wondering what that's all about?

BTW I am already seriously worrying for DS's eating habits when he goes away. He didn't want the spinach daahl and rice dish I cooked for supper yesterday, so I said he could cook his own dinner (thinking pasta and something). When we were watching University Challenge, he came in with his dinner, a bowl of chicken nuggets - WTF! I am officially appalled. To be fair he had eaten what I would consider to be a decent lunch but still...

Strange that UEA is so tardy with sending out the codes @icanbewhatiwant. Just imagine if one had left it this late to open one????

I am not too worried about ds cooking as I have been giving him intensive cooking lessons over the last month and he seems to have picked up quite a lot. Ideally, we shouldn't have left teaching him to cook until a month before he goes away but hey ho!

What I am worried about is whether he will do enough work. He scraped into UEA after missing his offer for his firm (Nottingham) and missing his UEA offer but they let him in anyway. We have had this battle his whole school life. He is a bright boy but never puts in the work and so always under performs in exams (he was 2 grades below his predicted grades). I am trying to impress on him how much debt he will be getting into for this and that he needs to come out with an actual degree at the end of it. He is so hard working in many ways and I have no doubt he will do well if he gets into work that he is interested in after graduation but he is not so good at jumping through those academic hoops.

Have any of your DC been successful in linking their timetable to outlook calendars so they can view it on their phones/laptops?
DD was trying to follow the online guide last night but couldn't do it and neither could we.

DD and I have just returned from a holiday in Sri Lanka where we were together 24/7 for 13 days. I'm really going to feel it when she moves out on Saturday but those days together were priceless.

Just one more shop to do tomorrow for those last bits and bobs and then we're done I think. Fingers crossed it will all fit in the car!

Anyone else moving in on Saturday?

DS can cook but seems to default to the 'quick fix (aka lazy) option. Sighs.

@MrsBartlet I totally hear what you're saying. DS is similar.I don't think everyone gets the measure of how to ace study/exams at the same time. Some are academic slow-burners. However, I have every hope that once they're studying something that they have a true passion for, it's likely they will hit their academic stride.

As a parent the whole 'going off to university' feels like a whole lot more to contend with (and a bigger deal) than it did doing it oneself.

@juicy0 yes DS managed it yesterday - he linked the outlook and it automatically appeared

I’m still feeling rather out of the loop, DS2 was out all day yesterday, I don’t know a thing about the accommodation emails.
We are going to Ikea today and he’s taking his proof into the bank on Thursday ( he’s already got an account just needs a student one).
I’ve know his eating will be bad, partially because he’s not that interested in food, he will live on toasted sandwiches and cereal 🤣
I know it’s going to all be a challenge for him, on so many levels, but I’ve got faith that he will work it all out, he will learn and grow, I just hope he makes friends.

All working well for DS1. He seems to have a really well balanced flat, he was a bit worried about feeling older (he’s 22) but the other boys in his flat are 22 and 23 which is great.

@NotSorry it's so frustrating! Might need your DS to run a help session 😂
Outlook is there but no timetable

DD is in a flat of 4 girls and 2 boys. One is an American exchange student just here for a semester and she is under the impression her room will then be used by another exchange student when she leaves.

Will be interesting to see as DD wants to do a semester abroad.

Am getting a bit randomly welling up at the slightest provocation emotional as DD my last and it is going to leave such a hole.
I am a cryer though...

@Itscoldouthere good to hear that your DS1 is in a flat share with similarly aged guys.

On a positive note toasted sandwiches and cereals do at least sound healthy (ish) for your DS2.

I like the idea of mixing in overseas students with the home-grown ones. Doing a stint abroad should be part of every course really too.

@mumsiedarlingrevolta sorry to hear you're emotional but can quite understand why . Have you got something lovely to look forward to once your DD has ventured off?

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 Well we are planning on clearing out cellar
I honestly remember crying when I dropped her off for first day of reception-it feels like yesterday yes I am wallowing a bit

Oh that's pushing the boat out @mumsiedarlingrevolta .

I totally get you. I cannot believe how quickly time has flown, particularly the secondary school years!

My sister sent me a photo of her granddaughter starting school last week and it made me cry as it looked so similar to when DS1 started 18 years ago!!!
I’m glad I’m not taking DS2 to drop off on Saturday, I know I will cry about him leaving as he still seems so young and unprepared. For once I’m pleased I’m working on a Saturday.

My DS has now also had a generic message about registering with the on campus GP. This can all be done online.

Oh that's good to hear @GoldenRuby - I was going to ask about that as some of the other DC - on the general universities thread - already seem to have done so.

Ds mentioned about the GP email - I will remind him now. We have also just had a chat about finances after I listened to You and Yours at lunchtime which was all about students running up debt with credit cards and payday loans! He is quite level headed so hopefully he won't be doing this and he has been told to talk to us if he has any problems. They said that credit card companies take stands at freshers fairs and try and entice the students into taking out a credit card in return for a giveaway like a popcorn maker or a sandwich toaster

Yes I was listening to that @MrsBartlet I was at work. Then it was break time so it got switched off! I hadn't really thought how easy it is for students to get into debt with the overdraft and incentives to have a credit card at freshers events etc. So I will be chatting to my ds too. He's not said anything about registering with a gp though.
He's downloaded the UEA app onto his phone as they suggested in the email but he won't sign into it. I feel he can't be bothered. But he's still working full time so I guess once he's finished he might log in and start to concentrate on uni stuff. He may finish work tomorrow, but if they are busy he will stay till Friday. There were 6 of them doing the summer job, 5 of them university students. 4 finished on Friday as they wanted a week to get stuff ready for university. Ds said he'd keep working another week. He wants to go back next summer so I think he wanted to show willing. I'm sure when he's finished he'll start thinking about things he needs to do. I think packing will be a bit last minute. Thank goodness we aren't far away.

On the subject of registering with the campus GP surgery, I watched the BBC 6 o'clock news last night when they were talking about mental health help provision at universities (which seems to vary enormously across higher education providers). There is another conversation that needs to be had with our DC.

The issue of credit card companies luring students into even more debt at freshers' events is awful but the banks try it on too - DS was asked if he wanted a credit card when he applied for his student bank account.

Yes my ds was asked several times about a credit card. He said no. But he has got £1000 overdraft. I have told him not to go overdrawn. He must ask us if he needs more money. I think I trust him.

Yes the mental health issue is an important one and not made any easier by the ridiculous system with GPs. Once they register at university they are no longer registered at their home GP surgery and have to register as a temporary patient if they need to see a GP when they are home (which let's face it is nearly half the year!) At our GP this involves going in to fill out forms before they will give you an appointment. Dd has had ongoing health issues over the last 20 months and she kept having to switch GPs every time she came home. It caused real stress at times when she was very ill and just needed an appointment but had to re-register each time. She said this caused real issues with friends who had serious mental health issues to deal with. Ds has only been to the GP about twice in the last 10 years so hopefully he will stay healthy and we won't need to deal with these problems with him!

Amazingly DS has signed up to the campus GP all without prompting. There is a useful pharmacy and dentist there too.
He is getting excited now I think.
DH and I have booked a holiday and I'm planning on a massive clean when he has gone.