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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Going to university (2019/20 academic year) - finance, flat shares, friends old and new and freshers' week to come...

981 replies

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 17/08/2019 18:48

Following on from thread 8 which filled up in just 72 hours.

OP posts:
Northernlurker · 21/08/2019 08:23

Glad the York visits went well. I came here for uni and never left so those of you bringing your kids for the first time may have to get used to it Grin

Dd2 is away this week but she's got an envelope from the uni in the post. Exciting!

Ligresa · 21/08/2019 08:26

Which uni? Dd has received literally a pile of welcome stuff frim Swansea- notebook, pen, water bottle, sunglasses! Not sure about actual lecture times though.

Snog · 21/08/2019 08:27

Dd is having her meningitis jab today - are there any noticeable after effects?

Clankboing · 21/08/2019 08:28

And guess what? I'm going through the whole results thing again tomorrow! Ds1 last week and ds2 tomorrow - GCSEs. My blood pressure is buggered. This one won't be so calm. Ds2 is not known for his calm response to situations. I'm getting my big girls pants on for this event!

Ligresa · 21/08/2019 08:28

Dd1 said she felt a bit ill but she still managed to go out with her friends Hmm was basically only feeling poorly when I wanted her to do something.

Ligresa · 21/08/2019 08:29

clankboing I feel your pain. Dd2 results tomorrow. She's so stressed. Can't be more stressful than dd1s A levels...can it?!

Danglingmod · 21/08/2019 08:31

Snog - ds actually was quite poorly for about 24 hrs after his meningitis vaccine. Flu like symptoms. Went as quickly as it came, though.

Clankboing · 21/08/2019 08:32

I have a feeling it can!

Danglingmod · 21/08/2019 08:33

Eek. Good luck to all the GCSE students. I have several friends with double results years.

JennyWreny · 21/08/2019 08:38

GCSE results here tomorrow as well . . . . DS is outwardly very relaxed about this, despite the fact he is very borderline for the requirements for his course and didn't do as much revision as he might have Hmm.

Horsemad · 21/08/2019 08:40

Ha, this was us a few years ago. DS1 didn't do very well in his A levels (not as well as he SHOULD have done) and then a week later we had GCSEs for DS2, who luckily did ok and on the whole has been less stressful than his big bro!

I think sometimes GCSEs are more nerve-wracking as they can't always do the A levels they want without a decent grade at GCSE.

Ligresa · 21/08/2019 08:41

Dd2 did igcse English so already has a 6 in language and a 9 in literature. Of course she's obsessing over the 6 as school are having it remarked Hmm
She si is worried she has failed maths and Spanish. Worried she won't get 7s in her A level subjects. Not eating. Hiding in her room.

derekthe1adyhamster · 21/08/2019 08:48

Another parent who's soon hadn't heard anything apart from accommodation back in may when it was all paid for.
But Exeter posted a reply on their Facebook page saying it'll all be coming out at the end of the week/next week.
Slightly stressing as we have to book a slot to arrive and one of the days is a Friday (cannot do Friday) so I'm having to ensure ds keeps checking his emails....

MrKlaw · 21/08/2019 08:50

Hopefully we’ll get a pack from bath through the post. We are finding dribs and drabs online (student uni page is useful for finding info on freshers week timetable and accommodation Facebook groups - he’ll have to sign up for FB..) . A few other things like registering with uni then arranging parking for drop off

But nothing from the uni yet - I assume/hope they aren’t relying on people diffing this up for themselves and there will be more info coming. We were through clearing so I don’t expect it immediately but clock is ticking

Got kitchen stuff from Argos, and DW is taking other kitchen and bathroom stuff (mostly collecting stuff we have in the house but crockery will need to be bought inc plastic glasses if we can find them). Orders some ikea DIMPA bags. We should be done with shopping by next weekend I think which gives us time to focus more on the admin

Accommodation application next big thing - should come today or tomorrow. We’ve agreed with DS the preferred order - don’t care which block just going by facilities. Self catered, shared bath first preference, then anything on campus, then city (but not shared). Well take the financial hit to keep him on campus if possible

DW also suggested we tell him we’ll pay for train fare any time he wants to travel back. Both reassurance for cost and an indirect way of saying ‘don’t stay away if you want to pop back’ as the direct method just gets an ‘oh stop it mum’ from him :)

TapasForTwo · 21/08/2019 08:52

"Which uni?"

Newcastle. DD has had an email about a fresher's wristband, and that is it.

MrKlaw · 21/08/2019 09:32

It’s a mix of not having clear information and only a few weeks before they’re off - and realising that some information may already be available to our DS/DD but they aren’t seeing it or aren’t passing it on

Feels a bit control freak but doesn’t stop it being frustrating. Uni should ask for a second email for parents so they are kept in the loop IMO

Ligresa · 21/08/2019 09:38

Uni should ask for a second email for parents so they are kept in the loop IMO

Just to say Swansea did and does. I've had one so far about accommodation and dates.

MrKlaw · 21/08/2019 09:55

@Ligresa they got any clearing places available? ;p

icanbewhatiwant · 21/08/2019 10:12

A friend's son is going to Exeter. It was his second choice. They have heard nothing about accommodation. She's heard he can't be guaranteed accommodation and may have to find somewhere off campus. Anyone else heard yet?

Laniakea · 21/08/2019 10:23

One of dd’s friends is going to Exeter - she got her room allocation yesterday (& it’s eye wateringly expensive)!

CBear99 · 21/08/2019 10:25

Icanbe still waiting here for Exeter accommodation. Is DDs firm choice and applied well within deadline. Her friend heard Monday but nothing for us yet. Apparently being sent out in batches throughout the week....

ifonly4 · 21/08/2019 10:35

Icanbewhatiwant DD still waiting to hear on accomodation for Edinburgh. Getting a bit worried, as she'll start 7 Sept.

My friend's son is waiting on Nottingham, they told them up to seven days.

Anyone else waiting for an accommodation offer

icanbewhatiwant · 21/08/2019 10:37

Ok thanks guys. Will pass that on to my friend. Some universities are so much further behind compared to others. But there are still quite a few weeks to go so I guess they aren't in a hurry!

TapasForTwo · 21/08/2019 10:40

I find it worrying that universities are so keen to fill places without a thought about whether there is sufficient accommodation for the students.

blametheparents · 21/08/2019 10:44

@ifonly4 - DS has got an accommodation place at Nottingham. It was his firm choice and so he’s had that sorted since March - at that point it was ‘first come, first served’ for accommodation choices.
I’m guessing now that they’re recycling the places of students that didn’t meet the grade criteria.