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!

Thanks for the info. Glad everything went smoothly.

We will leave at 9am. Not sure how long it will take to get there, not quite an hour.

We just have the food to put in the car and a few electrical items.

I hope everything goes well with everyone going today.

We’re up - supposed to be leaving at 7.30am but it will be nearer to 8pm - but I knew that

Dropped DS off yesterday at about 3:30. We left it late as he was still packing until after lunch and we're local. Things were winding down and everywhere was fairly quiet with no queues. DS is in Colman House and seems quite happy about his flat and the kitchen was bigger than I was expecting although storage is limited. He's put all his dry food in his room for now. Met a couple of his flat mates who seemed lovely. I just hope DS engages with them as he is supremely unsociable.

Pleased the standard length sheets and mattress protector fitted (There was already a mattress protector but I put a new one on top). Glad I bought a shaving adapter as there wasn't a shaving point as PP mentions. Packed loads of loo roll but there was already some in the ensuite if anyone forgets.

Things we forgot: drawing pins for the big noticeboard, kitchen roll (could've done with some to mop up the fairy liquid that leaked all over one bag), cheese - DS lives on cheese, it's still sat in my fridge, oh well. Oh and yes DS's coat! He's not worn it for months and it was so warm yesterday he didn't give it a thought.

I sent him a WhatsApp message before I went to bed last night but he's still not read it. I'm just hoping he doesn't turn up on the doorstep later saying he's given it a go and it's not for him.

Happy moving day to all Sunday mover-iners.

Good luck to those moving in today! Ds seemed to have a good night last night hanging out with his new housemates. He has had a slight issue with his shower in that it has a fixed shower head which is lower than his head so he has to crouch under it to wash his hair. He is 6ft 1 so not overly tall for an 18 year old boy!

DS has messaged me this morning - he's the only one awake as yet in his flat. Otherwise not very forthcoming (nothing new there!). Has got to go off shopping this morning. I guess it gives him something to do.

Apparently there's already been a fire alarm go off this morning!

It will be a shock for them to have to get up and be out tomorrow morning!

Hoping DS joins the gym at the Sportspark - he didn't take his squash stuff with him which is a pity as he enjoys a game.

Good luck to everyone making the journey today.

Sorry, too much repetition of the word morning!

All unpacked - now sitting in Nando’s and then hitting the supermarket then home

Moved my DD in today...all went swimmingly, very well organised. Little helpers carried her belongings up two flights of stairs...bless them.
Took forever to unpack her stuff! I must have spent two hours unpacking clothes!
We said our goodbyes in the cafe and then she was off...no wobbles or backward glance...I was strong but had a good cry on drive home.
I think she will be fine.

I helped ds unpack. Then I went into Norwich to get a bedside table, look for a fan, mattress topper and other bits. Everywhere was packed and sold out of things I wanted. I was gone quite a while as ds3 kept on about McDonalds so we went in there. I was expecting ds to have gone off with the new flat mates to find out about freshers events etc. But he was really unhappy that everyone was in their rooms with doors shut. He said their parents were with them. We left him there worrying about no one speaking to him and how he finds out about freshers etc.
It was also super hot in his room. That didn't go down well.
The kitchen was ok in the end. Very limited storage space but ok. It was bigger than I thought.
I hope he will be ok.

@icanbewhatiwant - do they have a facebook group? Can he chat to them on that and suggest they all meet in the kitchen for drinks later?

Apparently in ds's building they moved the odd house numbers in yesterday and the evens today (very sensible!) There is a girl in ds's house whose boyfriend happens to have been allocated the house next door to them so both houses are meeting for drinks tonight which is great as it will expand their circle of potential friends!

@icanbewhatiwant hopefully it will be similar to what my DS experienced yesterday, they all met up in the kitchen later on after all the parents had gone. They played card games which he enjoyed, I spoke to him this morning he didn’t sleep well in the strange surroundings and single bed, but he was planning go and watch the rugby with some of them today.
🤞🏻 It all works out for your DS. My DS flat is 8, 5 girls 3 boys, seems pretty similar in lots of flats.
Good to see in The Times uni guide today that although UEA has dropped in the overall rankings, it’s still being given very positive reviews.

He's not replying to my texts. I'm hoping that means he is busy.
Maybe instead of going into Norwich I should have gone with him to ask about freshers events etc.
Hopefully he will find out where everything is happening later. He knows a girl from school is there, she's in Colman house, that is opposite him. I suggested messaging her to see if she knows where to go as he's also worried about where to go tomorrow. She is also doing biology.
I'm sure he will be fine. I must stop worrying.

He also spent ages trying to work the Wi-fi. He couldn't. I did send the link provided yesterday. I'm sure he will survive without Wi-fi. He has his phone on 4g.

@icanbewhatiwant I don't think you did the wrong thing by going into Norwich and leaving him to it. I am sure he will sort it out himself. Regarding the WiFi, ds managed to get it on his phone and PC eventually yesterday but couldn't get it on his chrome book. There is an IT help desk in the library so he took it there today and they sorted it for him but he said even they struggled to do it!

@MrsBartlet thanks for the info about the help desk. I'll pass that on.

I'm regretting taking ds3 now. Maybe I should have been on my own with ds1 and helped him more. @MrsBartlet yes I thought I'd leave him to it.

He still won't reply to my text. Well...only sent 2. I don't want to nag him. But I suppose no reply means he's probably busy chatting.

@icanbewhatiwant hopefully his non reply is a good sign.
It’s hard, I so want to know what they are doing but also know I can’t keep hasseling them 🤯

Gosh...why did my writing come out bold?

Yes I want to know what he is doing. Though if he'd just message to say he's found someone to talk to and has sorted the party tonight I'd feel better. It'll be weird not knowing what he's doing for the next few months.

@Itscoldouthere @icanbewhatiwant it's so hard to strike a balance between a level of contact which shows you care and miss them without it being too much. DD is off to the welcome party tonight with most of her flat mates so hopefully they will have a good time.
When DD went to pick up her wristband yesterday all the info and tickets for freshers events was available in The Hive in the SU building. The desk is there until next Friday I think so perhaps encourage your DS to make his way there. They were also giving away freebies to everyone, a box of various discount vouchers, food and drink I think

DS2 successfully dropped off today. Incredibly slick process by UEA. Spectacular weather again - is sunshine and blue skies the standard year round fare in Norwich? :) He has a good room at the end of the corridor so away from any potential noise in the kitchen and looking out onto the playing fields behind.

The kitchen. Wow. Very spacious, reasonable storage, four sets of fridges and freezers so one between three.

Just made up his bed, then suggested we go and get a drink somewhere. Headed over to this SU "oh is that where you get your fresher's wristband? while we are here why don't you......" so thanks for the tip on that one @juicy0. Grabbed a coffee and brownie in Ziggy's then wandered back to the car at Hickling and left him to it.

Got home to rain and a message to skype him - clearly he's got the wifi working. He gave us a virtual tour of his fully unpacked room, then as DS3 really was quite upset this morning a facetime tour of the kitchen. To his credit he can be quite emotionally intelligent when it suits him Fully unpacked in there as well. He'd also been back across to the SU with the girl in the room next door.

Only glitch, and this hardly counts, is that he reckons he does not have enough hangers. As he took 30 with him I'm really not sure what he has used them all for.

So far so good then, not quite sure what is planned for this evening but sounds as if all / most of his flat are heading out somewhere. Just hope he remembers to eat first. :)

@boys3 which halls is that?

We had a great day as well-UEA are very impressive and well organised and so many happy people around to help. I thought the sun must always shine there but there is a week of rain forecast!

Feel like DD will be very happy there and it will suit her. She sent me a pic of what she is wearing tonight (it's the colour night where they wear the colour assigned to their halls)

Went and got wristbands with flat mate and are organising to go out together tonight so I am pleased for her.

Only wobble was when she couldn't find her purse which had fallen out of bag in roof rack -a few tense moments but all fine

And thanks to whoever up thread posted the link to get on to the wifi. lifesaver!!!

@mumiesdarlingrevolta he's in Hickling

Ds still not replying to my message. So I hope he's sorted out where to go.

We are about 30 miles away and it's been raining a couple of hours, so I expect it will be raining on them too. It's been lovely all day.

@icanbewhatiwant DS2 did note that his phone signal was a bit hit and miss, so maybe could be something as simple as that

@boys3 I thought he must be by the location.

DD in Barton-it's a really lovely flat and so nice to look out onto trees-that's one of the things we liked about the campus-very green and seems a nice vibe.

@mumsiedarlingrevolta ds's view was more flats. We are looking at trees from home, so at least it's a change.

I said via text...just let me know are ok and have sorted where to go for the party and I'll stop pestering...no reply. So I'm hoping he's busy enjoying himself.