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Higher education

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

Original poster

Our DC are nearly all officially students now (going to university 2019/20) - seizing the moment, spending, socialising, societies and studying!

999 replies

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 17/09/2019 16:00

Previous thread

[Edited by MNHQ to fix the link]

OP posts:
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DishingOutDone · 21/09/2019 23:09

Your mum sounds clingy @HoldMyLobster .... Wink

HoldMyLobster · 21/09/2019 23:12

Your mum sounds clingy HoldMyLobster ...

Grin
simbobs · 21/09/2019 23:22

Well, I dropped DS off today. All went smoothly enough but he has the smallest room in his flat which didn't please him. He was so keen to hustle me out that he forgot to ask for money to tide him over until his loan comes in. He must be the only student beginning uni without paper, pen or folders. Apparently these are things of a bygone age, according to the digital human.

LifeImplosionImminent · 21/09/2019 23:29

Just dropped my DD off at Sheffield, we were lucky and avoided the gridlock as we dropped her early then parked up, helped her unpack and took her out to lunch. Her city halls is perfect for her but she does only have to roll out of bed and she's at the Diamond for lectures!

The traffic was shocking on the other side as we were leaving it was bumper to bumper, I was glad to be going the other way tbh.

I think the traffic is going to be even worse tomorrow as there is an event closing roads off so any other parents dropping off in Sheffield tomorrow beware.

CointreauVersial · 22/09/2019 06:36

I think we were incredibly lucky with traffic - no jams at all.

Ginfordinner · 22/09/2019 06:43

The Sainsburys driver said that they stopped taking delivery orders to student flats on Friday. Luckily we had placed our order earlier in the week.

notaflyingmonkey · 22/09/2019 06:54

Sad news about your FIL Mimi, your poor DH.

ProfessorLayton1 · 22/09/2019 06:55

Dropped off Dd yesterday, all went smoothly.
She assured me that she would be provided with new pillows but that's not the case. Luckily we are staying overnight nearby so will get her one today. Dd2 was really helpful in making her sisters new room clean, giving her surprise gift etc., she would really miss her! We met with my DB and his family - went for dinner after dropping her, good distraction for us all.
DB will buy her pillows tomorrow and drop it before he leaves.
We don't visit London that often - planning for a morning stroll in Regent's Park, brunch, hopefully see Dd again before we leave today...

Had a text from her at 1:30 that she is having a good time. So all good here!

ProfessorLayton1 · 22/09/2019 06:57

@mimi- really sorry about your FIL, just read the post after posting mine

GaraMedouar · 22/09/2019 07:03

@simbobs - not just yours, my DS has no paper of folders or anything. He has no laptop ( just an ipad). He's going to get what he needs down there. I did finally get a text off him at 10.30 last night saying he was fine and flatmates nice. So i could go to sleep!

Decorhate · 22/09/2019 07:14

@GaraMedouar I asked ds to reply to my texts & not leave me hanging (he is usually pretty good tbh). I got “all good” Grin

@simbobs Sorry to hear about your fil. Even if not unexpected the timing must make it harder on everyone.

Oh and regarding not having stationery etc, I had to practically force ds to take his calculator. He is doing a STEM course... Hmm

Decorhate · 22/09/2019 07:16

Sorry that should have been @mimi not @simbobs

Ginfordinner · 22/09/2019 07:19

I couldn't find DD's scientific calculator so she will have to buy a new one.

Decorhate · 22/09/2019 07:27

The little shop on campus seemed to have loads of stationery items. Ds also needs a laptop but they were very coy about the spec he needs. All will be revealed next week apparently. I suspect they are trying to get them to buy from the uni IT shop!

As ds is back for the weekend in 3 weeks, we can get one for him to take back then if necessary

pontiouspilates · 22/09/2019 07:43

DD was dropped yesterday. Her room was lovely and she asked for help getting unpacked. She did seem quite stressed and I kept reminding her that everyone is in the same boat so just to ask. I was very tearful when we left, I'm going to miss her loads. Last message was she was at 'getting to know you' drinks, so that was a relief. Well done everyone, and thank you, the advice, support and lack of judgement on here has been outstanding.

simbobs · 22/09/2019 07:50

I didn't have any traffic problems in Sheffield yesterday but glad to have got it out of the way if roads are being closed today. There are several arteries into the city so it is useful to check the traffic status when deciding which way to go.

@GaraMedouar - yep, sounds as laid back as mine, though my DS does have a laptop. We had to make a diversion on the way to buy a phone charger as he realised he had left his at his girlfriend's house. I'm not bailing him out any more. I just hope he remembers to get up for enrolment!

Clankboing · 22/09/2019 07:58

My ds is similar about ring binder folders. He hates them and thinks they are archaic. Yesterday said he constantly never found a good way of filing stuff during A level. And found that he remembers better by writing not typing. I suggested writing on A4 lined paper and filing into ring binders like lots of us did at uni. I got a doubtful look.

Ginfordinner · 22/09/2019 08:11

DD used lever arch files at school. We still have as I suspect she may need them.

Piggywaspushed · 22/09/2019 08:13

mimi, that is so sad Sad

Hope you are holding up.

bigTillyMint · 22/09/2019 08:15

@Ginfordinner I was like you at drop off. Then I went to visit DD for the day 3 weeks in. I cried buckets all the way home because I was so proud of how she had settled into her next step in life and was loving it like I did at her age Smile

@Clankboing, my two preferred to write in A4 exercise books for Alevels - DD backed each subject in different paper Grin
She doesn't write on paper now AFAIK apart from in exams - all on her laptop. DS planning to do the same...

Ginfordinner · 22/09/2019 08:22

We both felt emotionally drained last night rather than teary, and were utterly exhausted. DH fell asleep in front of the TV which is something he never normally does.

My concern is that I am a natural worrier so I worry about DD's mental and physical health as she has had problems with both. Her stress levels yesterday were sky high.

We haven't heard from her since we dropped her off, but don't expect to just yet.

Clankboing · 22/09/2019 08:34

@Ginfordinner she probably just needs time to process. I know that when I am in a busy or during a new time I can't chat about it until after.

MrKlaw · 22/09/2019 08:45

@Clankboing DS likes physically writing to help with remembering - it I have suggested perhaps scanning them afterwards, apps these days can search within scanned docs which would be helpful for revision

He has a laptop anyway but initially he’ll probably be paper for studying

@Benjispruce thanks, was thinking about doing that so I’ll give it a go. I have horrendous handwriting though and typed feels a bit distant.

Ginfordinner · 22/09/2019 08:48

I believe it has been scientifically proved that you are more likely to remember things if you have physically written them down. DD wrote loads of notes and flash cards when she was revising for her A levels, and it clearly paid dividends.

bevelino · 22/09/2019 08:52

Dd4 doesn’t start university until 13 October and is feeling left out as most of her friends have started.

Dd2 is in her second year at Bristol and is returning today to do freshers week all over again and dd4 has invited herself to Bristol to crash in dd2’s shared house.

How easy will it be for dd4 to get into freshers events if she is not a student at the university and is this a bad idea?

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