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

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[Edited by MNHQ to fix the link]

Any last minute tips from those who have done the dropping off? Dd goes on Saturday so we have this week for any last minute organising.

Thanks @DishingOutDone and @Sunndowne, we've heard nothing yet today so hopefully she's still asleep. She's doing very well all things considered, she's not doing the big events but has been to 'pre-drinks' both nights so we know she's actually socialising. Plus she got a burger at the BBQ yesterday so she's also eating.

mimi I'm so sorry about your FIL hope you are all bearing up ok.

@Ginfordinner DD was also all about the flashcards for revision, I dread to think how many she made, but I probably should have had shares in WH Smith

I'm also a natural worrier (especially about DD) I figure once I get back to work tomorrow, I'll have other things to occupy my mind with.

Meanwhile DH is basking in actually having control of the TV and is watching the rugby world cup

Gin we too were emotionally drained last night, both in bed by 10, which never happens! I kept having random dreams about DD losing her keys! My DD also suffers from anxiety and I was really worried about her squirreling herself away in her room, but a quick text from her last night told us she was out having drinks with her new neighbours. I don't expect we will hear too much from her over the next few days, but that is probably a good sign.

Thank you all. We're all ok here, though my dh is finding everything quite hard. He was going to miss her a lot anyway, and it was overload yesterday then. I'm handling it all much better than expected, though I woke up wondering if she'd remember to pick up food recycling bags and communal hand soap for the loo. Completely non important things that will never affect me so I've shelved that for now.

She took a massive bag of ring binders with her, as well as a small percentage of her ridiculous notebook collection. Her organisational skills are ferocious (unlike my scattered approach to everything), and managing her work is one of the few things I'll not need to worry about.

I'm looking forward to hearing how all the dc settle over the next few weeks.

@bevelino No idea, but DD is in her final year and will be going to some Freshers events! ID and a ticket might be enough?

I think you're right about handwriting helping with remembering. Both mine wrote hundreds of flashcards for their Alevels

"Any last minute tips from those who have done the dropping off?"

Allow more time to get there than you think you will need. University cities seem to be traffic jam central at the moment.

Sorry to hear about your FIL @mimiasovitch.

Not sure about buying freshers' week tickets if you're not one. Presumably your DD2 could buy her one. DD4 can't be the only non student-of-the-university to want to join in the fun. Can quite understand why she'd rather be partying than sitting at home until she goes up to Cambridge.

Don’t wander across the car park looking at your phone. So many students & parents doing this yesterday, am surprised no one got run over

Just catching up after a busy week here. Sorry to hear that some students are finding things difficult at first. Hopefully once lectures start things will settle down. Those that have problems with anxiety etc, if they haven't, then it might be worth them looking into applying for DSA which I understand could provide help such as a weekly mentor?

Still a while to go until move in day for DD next Saturday. I may be going back to Lakeland this week for another vacuum storage bag. I can't believe how much space they are saving!

@DrMadelineMaxwell and other York people, don't know if you'd spotted that it's York Balloon Fiesta next weekend at the Racecourse. Will potentially look very lovely but could cause some traffic problems depending on where you are coming from.

So sorry to hear about your FIL mimiasovitch

Haven’t caught up with lasted comments but we dropped DS off yesterday. Traffic up the M25/M4 was awful. Nearly missed collecting his key so we were just in time. Thank God I bought bright Beddings, rug etc, the room was as dull as anticipated but warm and cosy by the time we left. DS texted last night to say he’s not going to his planned freshers event last night because none of his flat mates were going .
A bit sad for him and a bit🤷🏾‍♀️. Warned him about the hall he chose, removed from where all the main things are, full of people studying Mathematics, astrophysics etc who just want a quiet existence. Although DS is very introverted we had hoped he would at least go out last night. After much cajoling he decided to try, only to find there’s no one to go with.

At DD's university you can't buy a freshers wristband unless you are registered at the university. Freshers events are only for the university students.

Sorry to hear about your day yesterday mimiasovitch. It must have added to your stress levels.

I have just heard from DD. She had a nice evening and says her flatmates are lovely. First hurdle over.

Oh, and she was delighted to see, on opening the fridge to put food in it, that another flatmate had put a load of Quorn stuff there. She was worried that some flatmates would be silly about her being vegetarian.

Most of her flatmates don't have the same freshers wristband as her either Shimy.

It’s not a freshers wristband. It’s just a ticket purchase for a disco thing that was put on last night for freshers.

Who is still waiting to move their dc in then? My ds is going next Sunday (Lancaster). It is dragging! Much as I would like him to stay here, it has been a long wait, especially as we got organised in August!

Today's plaintive text was about how to open the microwave!

He managed 5 minutes later...

Tips for moving in, based on our experience yesterday...1) if you have a trolley, don't overload it. We were walking back across the car park and heard an almighty crash of shattering china/glassware, followed by a big wail - so someone's parents were clearly about to have to go and do an emergency Ikea run. 2) Loo rolls! Big sign in the halls saying that students have to provide loo roll for communal bathrooms. Neither DD1 or the other two flat mates there had thought of it. Did think the Halls could have started them off with one at least or mentioned it in advance.

We're off to Lancaster on Sunday too! Time is dragging...….Furness for DS, what about your DS?

Yes, loo rolls, the bane of every student's life! Advised DS to go and get some in his first shop today. The type of thing that need to be included on the flat 'share' rota though. Recall getting really resentful that one of my flatmates and I (in final year) ended up having bought triple the number the others had deigned to buy.

@JennyWreny thanks for the tip about the balloon fiesta at York. Will check out our route.

Actually, could I ask, @JennyWreny do you think the A64 will be affected? Coming in from the A1?

Actually having a panic attack. Just sitting here, I hate Sundays at the best of times, and feel sick, dizzy and tearful knowing DD won't be here tomorrow or the next day or the day after etc!! Wasn't expecting this!

(PS yes I do know that its great she's gone to uni and I do know that I will see her again!)

We're all here with you @DishingOutDone (((unmumsnetty hugs)))

We're on day 2 (having dropped her off on friday). Now we know that a) she is socialising b) she's eating and c) she is actually messaging us, it's getting easier to deal with.

We know it's a great thing for them (both of us went to uni and loved it) but it doesn't make it an easy thing for us as parents to deal with.

I have to say I have found it much easier 3rd time round. What you don't realise when they go off is that they will be home for large parts of the year. I know not all of them will but mine have mostly been home for 3 or 4 weeks at Christmas, 3 weeks at Easter & 4 months in the summer. If you have other DCs at home it changes the dynamics when they do come home, which takes some adjustments. Enjoy the smaller washing piles & food bills. I kept cooking too much to start with.
I hope everyone will find their feet over the next few days & weeks. Before you know it, it will be Christmas!

Dishing bless you. It will get better. All changes are losses and gains.

DD rang, very wobbly this morning, asking if her mattress topper could go in washing machine. She was sick on duvet so took it off bed and was then sick on bottom sheet.

I did offer a proper “backpack” (drive an hour and 1/4 with complete swap of bedding and bring back pukey bedding to wash) 🤢 but so far she is planning to make her first trip to launderette.

Bless her.