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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

Previous thread

OP posts:
ifonly4 · 17/09/2019 11:37

minesawine congrats to your DS. Really good to get that done before uni.

Piggy if your DS isn't happy with his flat mates after 2/3 weeks, he might be able to put in a transfer via the uni website, or see if there's anyone who might like to swap with him. He might find the girls look after him, and he wants to stay anyway!

Trewser DD has a full on week as she has to study another subject alongside her chosen degree subject, as well as taking two modules in up to two subjects. It must seem daunting, but I'm sure once they get into it, they'll take it in their stride.

New yes, DD is a Edinburgh.

Inter it's only natural to feel like that. I'd say to try and keep yourself busy over the next 2/3 weeks, plans to see friends, jobs that need to be done, nice trip out for family etc.

TailsoftheManyPaws · 17/09/2019 11:39

going through the milk was meant to be 'through the mill' - must still be channelling the cat!

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 17/09/2019 12:56

I dropped my DS off at Kent on Saturday, all good and he seems to be having a good time. But he still needs to sort out his modules - at the moment they are all on a Monday and nothing the rest of the week! And he isn't logging on to his uni email account regularly so I'm worried he's going to miss important info. I still seem to be nagging him a lot, just from a distance! Hmm

Piggywaspushed · 17/09/2019 15:08

I think the answer with DS is that they had options when they chose their six choices : mixed,single sex, or don't mind. I suspect we went for the latter. I reckon more girls chose single sex , so there are a few little pockets of lads' pads but generally they are all 'mixed' with an imbalance , or completely female.

MrsPellegrinoPetrichor · 17/09/2019 15:16

InterdimensionalHoleOfPancakes

Aww,poor you. I get it,it's weird isn't it? I doubt ds will come back here to live either or if he does it won't be for very long as he's so flipping independent.

I got a text earlier- How do you cook Chinese chicken? He must be having a go at cooking, I'm stunned!

minesawine · 17/09/2019 15:22

I will defo see you there on Friday Ragwort. My DD wants to come with us and is at school in the morning, so we probably wont arrive until late afternoon, when all the helpers have gone Sad, and he is bringing a lot of 'stuff'. My DS has booked 2 freshers club nights but said he will go with the flow for the other nights. He wont buy a wristband.

Thanks for all the kind words re DS's driving test pass Star

Fere · 17/09/2019 15:39

Dropped my DS at Falmouth on Sat, we made it into weekend away as well.
His room is big and designed quite well (he was able to push his bed into a corner to create more space). Lack of any storage in the wet room is pants. We went to Truro to the hardware shop, which has everything! Got him some over doors hangers, storage boxes (Asda would have been cheaper!) and more hangers.
Kids in his flat are very nice, 2 students from abroad, half/half mixture of Arts Uni and Exeter Uni students. He was very anxious about making friends but I am sure he will be fine.
They even had intro for his year on Sunday! And then the first proper lecture yesterday.

Original poster
NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 17/09/2019 16:11

I've managed to mess up the next thread link, so won't post it on here until @MumsnetHQ sorts it out (hopefully).

I bet the Falmouth (Arts Uni/Exeter Uni) campus is stunning @Fere?

@MrsPellegrinoPetrichor that is very positive (re the cooking of Chinese chicken). Offered to remind DS how to cook corned beef hash (classic student recipe) but he said he'd just look it up if he couldn't remember!

Good luck to your DC for their driving test tomorrow @Jo4Laurie.

OP posts:
Original poster
NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 17/09/2019 16:13

Oh, the link to the new thread is okay - it's just the one back to this thread that's gone pear-shaped.

OP posts:
Fere · 17/09/2019 18:06

I can compare it with Loughorough - they both have quidditch Grin
L has more playing fields and is more spaced out but my dd's first accomodation was terrible. Unclean and cramped.
Ds's friend pays the same as him but got only a single bed and 2 girls sharing a room in his flat pay (I think) around 4K for a room his size - that is wrong IMHO.
Place was buzzing with Freshers going to events so I think they are settling in well.
He travels by the public transport to Falmouth for his course, he chosen Glasny for the student life (an I think from what he heard rooms in F near the uni are not that much cheaper but v.small as well). We'll probably go to pick him up before Christmas as I can work remotely and would make few days as a break into a short holiday with our dog and his sister and my partner.

He could have gone to Leeds Arts Uni but he prefers smaller city and a campus life. And gazing at the sea and the beaches Grin

He also preferred style of work done by uni students of his course, something what made huge part of his decision process. Choosing Art degree was slow in his case, it took him 2 years to arrive at a course he was happy with.

Shimy · 17/09/2019 18:24

but he prefers smaller city and a campus life. And gazing at the sea and the beaches grin

Don’t blame him Grin.

Original poster
NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 17/09/2019 18:37

I think I would prefer gazing at the sea and the beaches too @Fere. Hope he enjoys his course.

OP posts:
Laniakea · 17/09/2019 18:56

Fere my niece at Falmouth is doing game art, she said it was streets ahead of any other arts unis for that course. She briefly considered Southampton (Winchester arts) but loved the work they do (& facilities) down in Cornwall.

Fere · 17/09/2019 19:22

Glad to hear your niece enjoys her course @56Laniakea I hope DS will too. He is very serious about it. Did Art foundation which I thoroughly recommend for anyone considering studying Art at Uni. Him and all of his friends changed the course choice they are studying from where they started 12 months ago. It wad amazing journey for him. Each Art foundation course has it's quirks too, worth exploring as many as you can.

simbobs · 17/09/2019 19:36

Been to Ikea today and bought remaining stuff for ds's room. He really enjoyed choosing things. He is a bit despondent about the lack of social media presence from any of his flatmates. His worst nightmare is to find himself in a place full of introverts who spend all of their time in their rooms. Dd is rather like this and was happy with her cohort of shrinking violets.
He is mainly unhappy to find that he has to get up early on the first Monday in order to enrol! I have asked him what he intends to do about waking up. He famously sleeps through all alarms so will have to use his phone, at the risk of his gf chatting to him all night!

Benjispruce · 17/09/2019 19:49

BigTillyMint DD just found links in one of the first emails from Collingwood with links to info about rooms and what they can and can’t bring plus it says drop off between 9.30 and 4.30.
It was so early on she didn’t go into links at the time.

bigTillyMint · 17/09/2019 20:13

@Benjispruce thanks for that! I doubt we would have arrived before 9.30, but good to know. I will tell DS to check back for info on the room. I think he found some stuff out from the boys he met when working, but...

Benjispruce · 17/09/2019 20:17

It was all the info I could have done with knowing a couple of weeks ago! I was letting her handle it as that’s how she wanted it but I think at the time she was worrrying about remarks and planning her holiday Hmm

Benjispruce · 17/09/2019 20:18

It’s also the link to paying for the JCR and library plus Freshers weekConfusedGin

Benjispruce · 17/09/2019 20:19

£170 in one fell swoop so the gin’s for me!

Xenia · 17/09/2019 20:55

Oneof my boys says he has really liked having girls around (at university). He had sisters at home but all boys school. The other was in an all boys sectoin of his hall in year 1 and that seemed to be great for him too though so I suppose they all differ. Both had shared houses with boys and girls and similar in year 3 which they start next week.

Benjis, that often irritates me about mine - thei boys ignoring university emails when passing on the information to me could be quite useful (although to be fair to them they have both registered already for this year despite not going until Friday. in my day we had to queue for ages to register physically in person. Much easier now.
Good luck to all those just starting

CointreauVersial · 17/09/2019 22:52

Sorry to hear of various fresher wobbles. Hopefully the phone calls will turn more positive as they find their feet.

I really don't think DD1 has thought about any of the practicalities, beyond what clothes she's bringing or who her flatmates will be. She has no idea what her timetable is, or how to find out about anything - she has her head totally in the clouds. Won't look at the university website or check her emails. I have this vision of her, four weeks in, idly wondering where her flatmates go every day, and whether she ought to be attending anything herself. I'm trying hard to persuade her to wake up and get engaged! Someone tell me she'll be OK....

Mustbetimeforachange · 17/09/2019 23:21

DS had a card from his uni today, telling him all the things he should have done by now. He had done most of them (so he says).

PhannyMcNee · 17/09/2019 23:25

@Fere I live in Falmouth so may be biased but it is a splendid place to live and the students do give the town a ‘buzz’.

Fere · 18/09/2019 00:00

@PhannyMcNee I loved Falmouth when we visited it 2 years ago but had to let him do the choosing. I can see why people want to live there! I will be visiting as often as I can in the next 3 years Smile