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!

@icanbewhatiwant - I believe there is some sort of "post room" on campus that all mail goes to. No idea how/if the student is told something has arrived for them.

Spoke to DD1 yesterday - still having fun, has met loads of people in nearby flats and on her course, and taken a trip to the city centre to pick up supplies. Sounded very tired, though. She managed to get herself locked out of her room - she left the room when the cleaner arrived; cleaner then locked the room when she left, with DD1's keys still in it. Quick visit to the accommodation office.... I asked if she was planning to come home on Reading Week (end October) and she wasn't sure. The cheek!

@boys3 he usually replies to texts at home. Only ever a brief reply. It's making me worry that he's not ok. He knows I worry so I thought he'd reply. I have to hope he's too busy. I'm glad to read others are having the same problem.

UEA is coming on our local news shortly, apparently they are spending several thousand on helping students with mental health problems. BBC look east. I'm sure it'll be online somewhere if anyone wants to watch it.

@CointreauVersial yes there was info about parcels in the paperwork ds picked up with his keys. Thanks. I told him that in the text. I don't suppose they get told though. Hence my message.

Apparently the Post Room is somewhere down near the Sainsbury Art Centre. DS has been to check it out, clearly hoping for a parcel we've not yet sent...

I had a nice chat with DS last night, he seems ok, he’s really trying to be sociable, he’s trying to go into the kitchen when others are there, no joint cooking going on but he says they are all friendly.
He’s got the alternative wristband for non-drinkers, I think those events will start soon.
He has spoken to a few on his course (I wonder if he will connect with your DS @icanbewhatiwant) I asked him what the male/female split was like in Biology (wondering if it’s similar to the overall UEA split) but he said he doesn’t notice things like that 😂
He’s intending joining a few societies, the biology one and some gaming ones.
I think the thing he’s finding hardest is thinking about food, he can cook a bit as I spent the last year teaching him, but he’s not used to having to think about what to eat in the evening. I talking him through what to cook last night, so he wouldn’t just have a pot noodle!
He said he missed me but missed my cooking more, it was so lovely talking to him.

Had a nice WhatsApp chat with DD1 just now - up early for a lecture that turned out to be a timetable error (got an email first thing), so she's going to make herself a big breakfast. She's been eating well - jacket potatoes, omelette, pasta - complained we forgot to pack black pepper, and her omelette "just wasn't the same".

She skipped the jungle party last night as she was too tired and had nothing to wear. I'm guessing she wasn't the only one. Nightly partying is hard to sustain...

The was to NewModelArmyMayhem18's DS, wishing in vain for his parcel.

DD1 also texted to say she was seriously thinking of joining the Garlic Bread Society.

I wish mine would reply. He looked at WhatsApp yesterday morn at 10.30am. He's not been on since. I've asked him to confirm he has parcels. I'm trying to not worry. I'm sure he's fine. I just hope he's not so tired he's staying asleep most of the day and missing lectures.

How lovely for you to have had a reassuring chat @Itscoldouthere I'm so pleased. I think the novelty of cooking their own meals may start to wear off as the weeks go on but it's good to have an enthusiastic start.

No group cooking going on in DD's flat, she says they all cook individually but often at the same time so it's still quite sociable.

I spoke briefly with her via text last night but she was in a rush as she had invited some course mates over for 'pres' before the jungle party and wanted to get ready. Good for her as she's usually a slow burner when it comes to making friends. She's been out every night to the events included in the week 1 wristband so I'm worried she will be exhausted by the end of the week but I'd rather that than be worried that she was lonely or homesick.

Hoping all your DC are settling well and that all contact, however infrequent it may be 🙄, is positive and reassuring but if it's not then we are all here to offer our support until they settle.

It was the societies fair yesterday and the sports fair today so hopefully our DC will find something to interest them and sign up. The question is what? Although the garlic bread society sounds good to me 😂 I'm all for the comfort food right now!

@boys3 DD says history timetable on E vision if that helps?

I am leaving the communication mostly down to her-she is whatsapping
pretty often but we would normally do that at home.

@icanbewhatiwant If it is any comfort my DS is in last year of Uni and spectacuarlly hit and miss re communication. He will often read when busy/can't answer/meant to reply etc. Not necessarily sinister. When I hear his ring tone I flinch as he generally calls when he is hit by a car or in hospital. (completely true) He has rung once in 3 week and that was to ask the most middle class student question ever "how do I recycle my nespresso capsules?" He is better at what's app and will send pictures of cooking etc so I know he is alive and well

I think it's just getting used to a lot and they forget how we feel at home wondering how they are all the time. It does settle!

I sent a text this morn asking if he's ok as no contact. I also asked if he's got up for lectures ok, if he's collected the parcels and if he's been to listen about societies etc. I got a reply of "fine thanks, yes been to lectures" so I sent a message back with parcels? The reply was I'm not waking half a mile in the rain then carrying them back.
So he's alive anyway. I'm really none the wiser with how he is or what he's been up to.

That sounds like my DS, monosyllabic answers that you're not sure are in answer to which question!
I am leaving him to it and had no direct WhatsApp communication since Monday. Its killing me though.
I am putting stuff on the Family WhatsApp so he knows we are alive, wish he would have the decency to let us know he is. 😩

@sluj DS is just saying 'yeah' loads of times, again I've no idea which questions he is replying to.

He seemed underwhelmed by the societies fair yesterday but still keen to join the gym.

@CointreauVersial I am doing a box for DS but it's not quite ready to send yet and not very exciting.

Ds son has messaged to say he bought a plant. Nothing else in the conversation though.

We had another letter from student finance with the higher amount this time. I wonder how they send 2 letters out with 2 different amounts 2 days apart. The first letter with the lower amount was written the same day ds checked online and it showed the higher amount. Never mind. Hopefully it's sorted now.

@mumsiedarlingrevolta thanks for the timetable feedback.

Spoke to DS2 today he enjoyed the History social yesterday. Seems 2nd and 3rd years there too rather than just Freshers and made sure people got talking .

Whilst he looked like Ds2 and sounded like Ds2 I'm wondering if there has been some sort of body invasion - intends to get a plant and now thinks battery operated fairy lights (adamantly opposed to just 72 hrs ago) really are a good idea and could I send them.

Perhaps more importantly he confirmed maintenance loan, such as it is, had arrived in bank account today. So hopefully all DCs at UEA should have received there's.

Have some of your DCs started lectures proper, or is it more general induction week intros which seems to be the case for history?

look from the stats on the UEA website that the biology gender split for undergrads is 56:44 f:m

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 is it next couple of weeks your DS field trips - somewhere fairly local to Norwich or are they heading further afield? Great opportunity to get to know course mates better.

Well I’m feeling rather happy that I actually go to speak to DS yesterday, sound like some others are being more tricky, DS sort of agreed to weekly phone calls.
I visited a friend today and she gave me an over door storage thing and a wardrobe storage hanging self thing, her daughter had them last year in her Exeter halls, I’m not sure if I should post them or arrange to go up in about a month, he’s not bothered about lack of storage but I think keeping his bathroom things in the bathroom would make life easier.

So nice to read everyone else’s stories, it keeps it real and is very reassuring, every young person is different and deals with things differently, sometimes it just feels challenging as a parent!

Yes, loan has arrived in DD1's account, so all good.

She has had lectures this week, but they've all been introductory stuff. The real deal starts next week.

I spoke to ds on the phone this eve. He was too tired to party tonight. He has his first biology lecture tomorrow at 3pm. So he's going to catch up on much needed sleep. I don't suppose he will be up before lunchtime.

There are 4 boys and 8 girls in his flat. As I said before one of the boys flew in from Delhi but the others are British but all have Indian background. He is getting on well with 2 of them but apparently the other one doesn't leave his room, they have spoken to him and tried to get him to join them but he says he has an Xbox and wants to stay in his room. He said the girls all seem nice enough. He's always found girls hard to talk to. So hopefully this experience will help him.

I didn't ask if he'd was going to join any societies. He bought a plant at the plant sale today. I feel better now I've spoken to him. I'll try to stop messaging now.

According to DS1, my DS2 is at a Zigurrat party, good job I have my spy in the camp.😁

@icanbewhatiwant glad you’ve finally got to speak to your DS 😊

I bet a Zig party is fun @sluj

One of the two lads in DD1's flat is repeating the first year - she's not sure if he dropped out or what. That must be tough, stuck with a load of freshers.

Spoke to DS2 today - tried to pay his accommodation instalment, but I don't think it went through told him to leave it a few days and if it hasn't come out of his account, we'll try again

@Boys3 the field trips are back-to-back - today (on campus) and tomorrow (seaside).

DS has forgotten his telephone/online banking security number (clearly didn't write it down when he phoned to get it last week) and they won't talk to him on the phone (to give him another one) for a week! Charming. Suggested it might be easier to go in-branch to ask, armed with ID.