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!

@juicy0 are you moving in to Barton on the 22nd as well?

yes @icanbewhatiwant DD offer was unconditional. She knew of 3 others in her flat of 6 before offers so they were also unconditional/one is an american exchange student.

@mumsiedarlingrevolta thanks. My son put Barton as first choice too. It sounds like they are going fast. Quite a few already have theirs. I'd be happy if he has a cheaper place...ds won't be happy though 😂 Barton/Hickling were very nice being new compared to the other accommodation we viewed. We thought the others we saw were in need of a good update. But we didn't get time to view many.

@mumsiedarlingrevolta just found the ema and she moves in on 21st September

Reading the other university thread...seems so many people are buying crockery, cutlery, kettles etc. Doesn't it make sense to find out what is there already and club together to get anything else? Or get into a group chat and organise between themselves who will bring what. Otherwise there may be 6 kettles and 4 toasters etc. etc.

I think there are kettles and toasters in the kitchens anyway but we bought a travel kettle for DS1s room. There is info on this on the UEA site. You probably need your own crockery and stuff though.

I've bought DS a sandwich toaster (which will double as a hotplate).

www.studentcrowd.com/best-halls-l1004959-s1008220-the_university_of_east_anglia-norwich

Hope the link works. Quite interesting but students have - erm - "different " standards

Just found this useful checklist on the UEA website so thought it was worth a share

@sluj Barton isn't on there. Not that we've had it confirmed anyway.

Theres also a funny Facebook page called "concrete confessions between uea seshions". However, its not for the faint hearted parent 😁
You have to ask to join but they let anyone.
Its banter for UEA

That's really useful @juicy0. Thanks for posting.

@juicy0 just googled Metro bank in norwich and nothing comes up-which is not a good sign-
do you know if there is one?

@mumsiedarlingrevolta I'm pretty sure I've noticed that Metro Banks tend to be in London/Home Counties and not much further beyond (although they might be expanding further afield with the passage of time). I recall thinking that their opening hours were brilliant but then discounting it as a bank option for DS given that I knew he wasn't staying in SE England for university.

Just turfed DD1 out of bed and asked her to check her emails, and, yes, there's one from UEA saying accommodation offers are out on Monday/tomorrow.

Re: kitchen equipment, I agree, it's hard to know what everyone else is bringing - don't want to end up with eight toasters and no frying pan. One thing I noticed at UEA, versus other universities we looked round, is that many of the kitchens were very "utilitarian", with no cupboards/storage space. They were piled high with crates of crockery and boxes of food, which made it all look a bit rubbish. The more modern blocks at least acknowledged that people might want to hang out in the kitchen, so made them a bit more homely. But that's from my point of view - maybe the average hungover 18yo doesn't give a toss when they are making their morning cuppa.

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 thanks-they are brilliant and we are in leafy home counties wondering how much she'd actually need to go to the bank versus online stuff as she is very happy with metro.

@CointreauVersial it doesn't look (according to DD) that there are kettles or toasters in Barton. They are coordinating on group chat. I def agree to try and speak to flat mates as there will be so little counter space etc that you won't want multiples of anything (if ppl are happy to share)

DD1 has completed the most important business and purchased Freshers wristbands for Weeks 1 and 2. It was a right faff getting logged in to do it. Some bloke from Love Island is coming to one of the events, apparently (don't ask me his name....).

haha @CointreauVersial sadly I know-it's Jordan.

DD says "one of the worst"

at least it's light relief from student loan applications

I will be lucky to get DS to agree to getting a wristband for either week let alone both, I fear. £62 each (any reduction for buying both) is a bit steep if he goes to one 'clubbing' event and decides he doesn't want to go to any more.

I'd consider taking all your own crockery/ cutlery and cookware. Other people don't wash up.

Seriously now DH flatmates refused to talk to him until
He dealt with some of the mouldy plates he'd left in the kitchen.

Yeah no idea how he became DH either but he's pretty house trained now!

@mumsiedarlingrevolta no, there isn't a metro bank as far as I know

Seriously now DH flatmates refused to talk to him until He dealt with some of the mouldy plates he'd left in the kitchen

🤮

Hello all, DS2 off to UEA, humanities course. He applied post A levels so accommodation already confirmed - one of H&B, there are already 3 or 4 confirmed in his flat and they seem to be talking, so hopefully the dozen of everything for the kitchen will be avoided :)

Hope everyone gets there first choice of accommodation when it gets released. I do seem to remember something at UEA being said that a very high proportion do get their first / second choice.

Whilst DD was busy revising weeks ago I compiled a packing list from the numerous articles I read about what to buy for self catered halls. DD and I looked at it together and made a few changes but I've posted the result below in case anyone is interested.

She is taking old crockery, glasses and cutlery which I kept when we moved house a couple of years ago and upgraded and I've been buying the toiletries etc a few pieces at a time for the past couple of months. The rest has been sourced from a combination of Wilko, groupon (who had great discounts on pillows, duvets, fitted sheets etc, primark Poundland and t k maxx.

I've also done an online Tesco order for larder staples as per the Nosh student cookbook which will give her a bit of a head start and means she won't have to carry as much heavy shopping on foot in the first couple of days. She's a good cook and these are things she needs to make her fave chilli, curry, stir fry etc.

She's been so busy working trying to get together a decent savings pot that I'm not sure she would have had the time to research it all. Plus I'll feel better knowing she won't starve and has a few creature comforts when I drop her off.

That's very helpful @juicy0. I too have thought about doing an online order for DS to get him started.

I have some crockery bits and pieces that DS can take.

I may take him on a 'learn frugal shopping trip tips' expedition this coming week. He is quite careful with money but there's plenty of room for improvement.

DS said that the UEA Freshers 2019 FB group is 'dead as a dodo'. Told him to just keep reading the info for the moment.

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 do you think the freshers page is dead because all our DC's have been busy celebrating this weekend? Perhaps their thoughts will turn to freshers this week as it all starts to sink in. Or maybe it's because we've been chasing them to sort out clearing places, student finance updates, accommodation choices etc 😂
Is you DC buying a freshers wristband?