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Higher education

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

Original poster

Going to university (2019/20 academic year) - and the fledgling freshers are off!

999 replies

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 04/09/2019 14:56

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OP posts:
Original poster
NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 15/09/2019 08:08

Just catching up after a very enjoyable 'goodbye' afternoon/evening out with family. DS absolutely rocking it doing karaoke - see a totally different side to him when he's doing something he really enjoys! He says he's really excited about going now - he was really hyper hyper yesterday but in a good way. All a bit bittersweet because his cousin (same age) should have been going to the same uni but has had a bit of a 'higher education' wobble and is taking a gap year.

Yuk to the bedroom situtation @GinandManic. Given how expensive student accommodation is these days I am truly shocked that deep cleans over the summer aren't a given.

My DS will have a minimalistic room to start with - he's not really keen on 'stuff'. Might send him some additional items to cheer it up once he's there (who doesn't love a parcel from home?).

OP posts:
LillianGish · 15/09/2019 08:11

On the plus side her 2 flat mates already there seemed nice This is the most important thing and what I am hoping for most when we drop off dd next week. A bit of cleaning is easy to fix and you can add your own bits and pieces to make it cosy - what your flat mates are like is beyond your control.

VioletCharlotte · 15/09/2019 08:31

So today's the day. DS is off to Winchester. Our check in slot is 12pm. Thankfully it's only about an hour away, I'm not sure I'd have coped with a long journey on top of everything else. Predictably, he's sleeping like a kitten, whereas I've been awake since 6 Confused

GinandManic sorry to hear about your daughters room, that's pretty disgusting. Good to hear that her flat mates seem nice though, that's the most important thing.

Happydaughter 'Slipping though my fingers' has been playing in my head for the last couple of days.

Good luck to everyone else dropping off today.

Mustbetimeforachange · 15/09/2019 08:36

Just a reminder to take photos of any damage etc in the room, for evidence when they move out. DD had a chipped sink & I didn't want them charging us for it at the end. So any wall damage, stained carpets etc, take a photo.

MarchingFrogs · 15/09/2019 08:45

DD will be the first tenant of her room at Birmingham, so will happily accept 'building work more or less complete' and more importantly 'lift functioning' when she moves in on Saturday, since her flat is on the 9th floor.

Benjispruce · 15/09/2019 08:53

Shocked at filthy room at Salford. Most rooms are cleaned properly aren’t they?

Ginfordinner · 15/09/2019 09:00

That's appalling GinandManic.
We get 5 minutes to dump all of DD's stuff then I will have to find somewhere to park. Not going to be easy when both universities are starting at the same time and the local football team are playing at home.

I see that some posters are taking vans to deliver their DC and possessions. DD's accommodation have specifically said, no vans and no trailers.

Trewser · 15/09/2019 09:03

Hello. I'm a refugee from the infamous backpack thread - The Thread That Went Wrong.

Dd leaving on Thursday for Swansea.

simbobs · 15/09/2019 09:07

Shame about dirty room. I assume this was a privately rented place?
When my dd left for uni 2 yrs ago only one of us could fit in the car and we had nobody to look after the dog (ds 16 had "plans" even then) so I had to say goodbye on the doorstep. She can't cope with outward shows of emotion so she just got into the car with dh and that was that. I felt bereft, worried that she wouldn't cope etc. Now she is off abroad (again) tomorrow and is thriving.

Ds, on the other hand, is leaving in 6 days and has hardly been here for the past 2 weeks. We have bought nothing other than a few clothes and I will not do all of his packing for him. He seems so ill-prepared. It also turns out that a fairly large group from his 6th Form are going to the same uni, so I think it will make it seem like more of a continuation than a new beginning.
On the subject of back packs my ds refused a new one being very attached to the one he has had all through 6th Form, so I have had to repair it as it had split at the zip. I did read the thread - not in the same spirit, is it?

Benjispruce · 15/09/2019 09:10

Ginfordinner which uni are you going to?

simbobs · 15/09/2019 09:10

Good grief ginfordinner, vans? What on earth are dc taking with them? I am dissuading my ds from taking his guitar/amp until I know he has a use for it and the space to store it, and yes, an excuse for a visit. But even the dc I know that take loads can fit it into a car.

simbobs · 15/09/2019 09:12

I'm guessing Newcastle? They have a great system for getting the cars unloaded there, with a team of sherpas. Your dd will love it.

Mustbetimeforachange · 15/09/2019 09:12

Vans?? People do know the size of these rooms? DD took far too much stuff but it still fitted in a fairly normal car!

Benjispruce · 15/09/2019 09:16

I’m not worried about DD apart from the room allocation business. If that can be sorted I know she’ll be fine. She’s quite independent already, has travelled abroad without us twice this year, stayed at home alone while we’ve been away a week and it doesn’t faze her. She does use our Whatsapp group to keep in touch and we tend to get on better at a distance Grin . The clashes with DD2 are very tiresome at times as they are quite different so I’m hoping this will be the making of her.

Original poster
NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 15/09/2019 09:18

@simbobs, it's not Nottingham is it? There's a big group going there from DS's school - he thinks they're a friendship group already established.

Welcome @trewser

@blametheparents, how is your DS doing?

OP posts:
Ginfordinner · 15/09/2019 09:19

Benjispruce Newcastle. Thank you that's good to know simbobs

Benjispruce · 15/09/2019 09:21

Just checked football fixtures and Newcastle are not at home on 29/9.

AtiaoftheJulii · 15/09/2019 09:21

We hired a van, but we had two kids' worth of stuff in it. I did look at it when it was packed and wonder whether we could have squashed it all into our car as neither of them went overboard with stuff, but probably not. Also a bit nicer to be driving a

thestarvingcaterpillar · 15/09/2019 09:25

Just joining the thread, hi to everyone!
I dropped my ds off at Manchester met yesterday it was reasonably traumatic, does anybody know how they receive post? Is there a general post collection point that they have to go to?

Piggywaspushed · 15/09/2019 09:25

Just had this morning's argument because the car is rammed! DH is sulking because he doesn't think students should have to provide all this stuff and the golf clubs won't fit ! It's the first time he has shown any interest and I have perhaps over stockpiled....

A Vectra genuinely doesn't have a very big boot!

Benjispruce · 15/09/2019 09:26

Golf clubs????

Mustbetimeforachange · 15/09/2019 09:27

thestarvingcaterpillar there are usually locked post boxes for each flat.

Decorhate · 15/09/2019 09:27

Lovely to hear about all those moving in this weekend & that it’s mostly going well.

Piggywaspushed · 15/09/2019 09:27

Yes... DH said 'it's the most important thing'....

Benjispruce · 15/09/2019 09:28

For your DS Piggy ?