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

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

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[Edited by MNHQ to fix the link]

@MrKlaw Look at the stories at the top of the Instagram page, both Bath Uni and the SU post lots and lots of photos there. They're only there for a short period of time but give a really good idea of what is going on. Is this a bit backpacky? Maybe, but I don't care!

Atreus Thank you for the Insta tip, I'm off to have a nosey now!

We're excited about driving up to Durham on Sunday. Have piles of stuff and wondering how we're going to fit it all in the car.

Sorry to hear freshers week has been challenging for so many. I've warned DS of the highs and lows he's likely to experience during the first few weeks.

DS is desperate to go, he's so fed up at home. He's looking at all his friends on his Snapchat map and they're dispersed all over the UK now.

It's only the Durham and Oxbridge crowd still at home!!

I'm ready for him to go but expect to feel emotional when we return home without him.

Another going to Durham?! Which college @Jano69

Another evening of dd repacking her boxes and thinning out what she is taking.... 10 razors?
She is calm and organised about going. And she has been getting along brilliantly with her younger sister who is going to miss her.

I actually have no idea how DD is doing - I've just been assuming all is well.

I do know what she's ordered off Amazon, and I've seen her band perform on TV and on YouTube a couple of times.

Technology is weird.

We're excited about driving up to Durham on Sunday. Have piles of stuff and wondering how we're going to fit it all in the car.
I'm glad to hear it. Dd is panicking that she has too much. She hasn't, especially as she's self catered, but she's worrying that she's going to never fit it all in.

Having visited Durham it must be a nightmare trying to move stuff into the old colleges especially

DS can't possibly have as much stuff as DD and we fitted all that in... but I dont know yet as he hasn't packed anything!

@bigTillyMint He's off to Stephenson. I think it was the last college to have a spare room as Durham was his insurance choice. At least he won't have to share!

@Witchend Good luck with that packing!

Ds is Lancaster, and they only go this weekend

Anyone else's DC got freshers' flu already? Mine has - went out for a great club night at the weekend, vv late, out again last night with their lovely new flatmates, and messaged today "I'm so ill".

However dc has already found out how nice the kid two doors down is as this kindhearted fellow student made food for my poorly dc. So I am delighted about that, though a it concerned about dc's health being equal to the student lifestyle

Thanks all for the advice about P45 I have forwarded the info. to him and told him not to worry.

Not sure what freshers flu is but DS has an awful cold sounds really rough on the phone. Reading up on it.

www.savethestudent.org/save-money/health/freshers-flu.html

My DS has freshers flu and sounds awful. But he is still out tonight but has promised to take it easy. I am a bit worried about him

Mine doesn't have freshers flu but did sound rough when I spoke to him this morning, the late night being responsible. He was coming back for his gf's birthday and popped in for food, a hug, a frying pan and more socks. Not sure whether he made the train to go back or whether he is holed up somewhere with gf or a mate. He needs to be back for Friday. Luckily he isn't too far away. His loan has been paid now, though.

Hope all those with freshers' flu start to feel better soon. All those new germs they're coming into contact with.

And she has been getting along brilliantly with her younger sister who is going to miss her. @DrMadeleineMaxwell that is lovely to hear. DS similar with DD. They used to fight like cat and dog but in the past six months or so have become really close.

Dd has partied really hard this week and I'm afraid I've backpacked and sent her a message telling her to wind it in a bit. She has form for partying when studying may have been a better option luckily there is a quiet boy in her flat who is on her course, they get on well so i am hoping she'll calm down once work starts in earnest, she says she will anyway. How can she have discovered the rugby boys in less than a week

@Trewser, do you think she'll take any notice of your message?

Almost certainly not. But she keeps sending me pics of her on nights out surrounded by boys and beer! At 3am! I know she wants to show me what a great time she's having but honestly its oversharing and I'm disapproving

Thanks newmodel - slightly pitiful message last night that they'd taken iron tablet on empty stomach and now felt sick, but we phoned and had a nice wee chat. Happy apart from the germs, so I'm not too worried!

That was supposed to be not

I have a sneaking admiration for those DC throwing themselves into the spirit of freshers' week. I have visions of DS sitting in his room, home alone, watching sport on his phone, eating a cheese toastie because that's all that he has been bothered to 'cook' for himself.

Good that you saw your DS, albeit briefly @simbobs.

The Durham undergraduate experience sounds expensive and very Oxbridge. I do recall thinking that had DS got into Durham it would be costly.

DD sent us a pic of her playing a drinking game last night..... her drink of choice? Lucozade 😉

Nice to know she's joining in and her flatmates don't seem at all bothered that she doesn't drink. 😁

I have a sneaking admiration for those DC throwing themselves into the spirit of freshers' week. Me too. DD has been gamely going to everything - "because I want to meet as many people as possible". She's been burning the candle at both ends socialising with her flatmates and then getting up for all her induction sessions (she's dual honours so has twice as many as some people). It probably helps that she is not a massive drinker so she's not been nursing any hangovers, but I'm glad her at UK drinking antics hasn't stopped her going out. Her efforts seem to have been rewarded - she sent me a long message last night to say she met loads of lovely people and even though her flatmates like getting drunk all the time she still gets on with them. Phew (for now) - as popping home for the weekend isn't really an option for her.

I have visions of DS sitting in his room, home alone, watching sport on his phone, eating a cheese toastie

An equally valid 'spirit of freshers week' imv Newmodel! But only if the dstudents are happy doing that, of course.

I think on the 'what would you tell dparents of 2020 freshers' thread one vital tip would be 'don't worry if you don't enjoy freshers week if you're not into that type of thing, and it will probably take a term or more to make good friends'. I think the whole 'wow you'll immediately have a social ball' message (not sure where it comes from but it is there) is, let's say, unhelpful to the non-social-alphas!