Going to university (2019/20 academic year) - wave goodbye to family, say hello to fellow students and key uni staff and they're settling in (hopefully)

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Previous thread. Possibly a little precipitous but for some of our DC their university start date is only just over a fortnight away. Yikes!

[errorofjudgement]

@Decorhate - sorry to hear your DS remark was not similarly good news. I’m sorry I barged in with our good news hot on the heels of his disappointment. Would the re-grade have affected his uni choice?

NewModel - yep, DD still intending to apply for drama school, she’s been working on her audition pieces, and will try and get her applications in early.

[TapasForTwo]

"I haven’t posted on this latest thread as to be honest I feel a bit homeless as DD is taking a gap year,"

I was you last year when DD decided to take a gap year. However, everyone on last year's university thread have been lovely, so I still post on it. They are as supportive as everyone on this one is.

[Flyingarcher]

Flying lad and me have had a lovely day visiting his uni town. We've found the train station, walked up to the uni, found his accommodation- which is small houses surrounded by parkland and is close to the uni. Ate at Wagammas and sussed out the two trampoline parks. I think he realised that it isn't far away. Oh, and he bought a fluffy bear to accompany him! It's his Birthday tomorrow but despite going to be 19, he is just a big kid. Was a really lovely day and he was saying things like 'I need a baking tray and oven gloves' so off to John Lewis on Thursday to find basic cutlery, oven gloves and a spatula (he can take my crappy one and I can have new). He seems far more positive now and less scared.

[Piggywaspushed]

Where is that flying ? Sounds nice.

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

@Flyingarcher that sounds like a lovely day. DS has a very soft, medium-sized Pooh Bear (which he was given as a gift as a baby) which he still uses to throw around in his room. I am pretty sure it will find its way into DS's college kit bags!

[Flyingarcher]

@Piggywaspushed Chichester. All very naice! He was just so nice and not grumpy at all! Good to get him outside as I am sure he is lacking in viti D. For once my fatigue/feeling grotty has taken a back seat so I've felt well today for the first time in two weeks. Now just got to try and get him to read and gen up on some of the prreading stuff so he doesn't look like a complete banana when he starts.

There is now quite a collection of 'stuff' in our living room.

[Flyingarcher]

I'm hoping he likes the Lego London bus I've got him!!!

[Benjispruce]

How lovely. I’ve just had a big row with my DD!

[Piggywaspushed]

Oh no!


We are going to Lincoln tomorrow for a look around. DS seems OK about this.

[Benjispruce]

Well done to your DD error

[justasking111]

18 days here. Just had a shock about booking a time slot for arriving at the halls. DS said nothing, if I hadn`t seen it on facebook would have had no idea. He has a day off tomorrow so we will be doing that.

[Itscoldouthere]

DS just heard back from his biology teacher, he thinks he could go up a few marks on one paper, but not much hope on the other 2, (he needs 4 Marks) we’ve decided not to get them remarked, it would be awful to be just 1 Mark off, can’t face the stress of it all!

[ZandathePanda]

errorofjudgement fantastic news on the English result. OCR boundaries were so high too! Just a shame they can’t enjoy their grade on results day.

[Clankboing]

Ds has a Bagpuss toy that he's had since babyhood. Dd asked if he was taking it and ds said 'of course' - no embarrassment whatsoever. I'm gutted - I'll be really sad if he loses it.

[RaptorInaPorkPieHat]

Enjoy Lincoln Piggywaspushed the campus is so well placed for everything, 5 mins from the bus/train stations and from the front you can see Burger king/Pizza Hut/McDonalds and the really big Morrisons across the way. (I may be slightly jealous as I really would've liked DD to go there as it's a direct bus home - that's helicopter mum talking though).

I've just discovered DD has an equipment list! (the joys of animal sciences). Some of it was already on my list, but the 'decent footwear' has now been upgraded to steel toe capped work boots and a very fetching boiler suit. She's being a little slow in reading up on everything (probably anxiety TBH).

On the upside, she went for her asthma check and the nurse printed off her vaccination list for her and confirmed it was all up to date. She even ordered a full set of repeat prescriptions for her (even though they'd only been put in last week) so she's got a big buffer for sorting out the GP there.

It's all getting a little 'real' now.....

[Piggywaspushed]

His halls is next to Morrison's so at least he'll be able to find it!

[SoonerthanIthought]

Benjispruce sympathies - that can feel horrible but these things happen, it's been a high stress year and summer for them, and I'm sure some of them are a lot more nervous about going away than they're letting on (or even realise?). In some ways I think the ones starting earlier like Edinburgh are fortunate because at least it's all going to get started soon - no more apprehension! Hope all resolved soon.

[DrMadelineMaxwell]

DD's History teacher's opinions of her scripts is that they have been very conservatively marked and she'd have given 2 or 3 extra marks, but it is within the tolerance allowed. So not worth pursuing a remark.

Her Pyschology tutor said she'd try and look at it the day I sent them or that evening and we are still yet to hear from her. She said she was surprised DD got a B, as she's been working at an A in mocks and AS exam.... and yet has not bothered been able to find the time to get back to us about the paper.
I imagine she might be looking at it come Sept when school is back in.

[MrKlaw]

DS opening a HSBC account online - silly questions for a student account like ‘whats Your monthly income?’ - er aside from any extra that might be coming form bank of mum and dad, payments are 3 times a year so do you average it out? Doesn’t seem very tailored for the students it’s trying to attract.

[Witchend]

DD's History teacher's opinions of her scripts is that they have been very conservatively marked and she'd have given 2 or 3 extra marks, but it is within the tolerance allowed. So not worth pursuing a remark.
Dd had that with history GCSE too on one paper, but it wouldn't have taken her up a grade anyway, so it wasn't worth pursuing.

[Piggywaspushed]

Does everyone else get given drop off slots of only 15 minutes at their accommodation? I am not sure what on earth you are supposed to do after this : it takes no one in the world 15 minutes to move into somewhere! DS's accommodation isn't on campus so it's not like there is another car park to easily move to....

[MrKlaw]

Bath is 2 hours. But the car parks aren’t that close to the accommodation. 15 mins is crazy though.

[errorofjudgement]

Piggy - Southampton was similar though perhaps 30 minutes?
We had older students help us unload the car, and move everything to his room.
DS went off to the kitchen to say hi to his new flat mates and unload the collapsible crates filled with kitchen stuff.
Meanwhile I made up his bed, I felt that was the quickest way to make his room feel homely!
Then I think we emptied a suitcase of clothes onto the bed as there wasn’t going to be enough space to store the empty case.
We gave him a huge hug, and went back to the car with the empty case and crates, leaving him with a box of chocolates to take back to the kitchen and share.
We drove off and stopped at the nearest cafe for a cup of tea, and a sob (me) !

Sounds a bit brutal, but honestly I feel it was better than parents hanging round when the students need to get on and make friends and start this next phase.

From memory, I think they all went off to the local supermarket together and bought some food to share and a toaster for the kitchen.

[Piggywaspushed]

The box of chocolates is a good idea!

I don't think DS is self sufficient enough or hardy enough to be left like that. It also looks like we will have to move him in on the day after the main move in day. 15 minutes is ridiculous imo!

He is next door to Morrisons so I was hoping to go for a food shop to save space in the car but I guess we'll have to walk back as I am not sure there are even drop off spaces at his accommodation. I do so wish his uni had a catered halls or at least a hall with a canteen. It's a shame he didn't get his first choice which had Sky TV in a lounge downstairs. It seems a silly thing to worry about but I think it would help him to meet people if he could watch football and not have to venture out to a bar or pub to do so. need to stop worrying

At the opposite extreme from your drop and go, I have heard of parents who are staying for a week in a hotel!

[Ligresa]

Still slowly collecting bits for dd. I am dropping her on the Friday then going back to collect her on the Saturday afternoon for dhs 50th then dropping her back again on Sunday! 2.5 hours each way must be mad!