The ABC of university life (2019/20 cohort) - settling in we hope

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Previous thread - sorry about the lame thread title but done in a hurry!

www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/men-acwy-vaccine/

No-one could tell me if DS2 had had menacwy so he has it "again". Better safe than sorry. I'm now trying to "encourage" him to get the flu vaccination.

they are all into little black dresses and clothes of the type she Never wears.

She sounds the same as my DD who is more of a jeans and T-shirt type. Unfortunately she is really suffering with her skin - eczema and very dry skin so she can't wear any make up at all.

@Ginfordinner, your poor DD re eczema.

Re LBDs, they do wear them to go clubbing, etc, but most wear jeans/trackys, etc all day. Well my DD and friends do!

It's really a combination of so many different things which govern how well our DCs fit in at uni. A lot being luck, who they share a flat with and how well they gel with course mates.

I've been amazed at DD, who is generally a quiet girl, fairly shy. She's absolutely loving it, made lots of new friends, enjoying her course, really embraced freshers! This was a girl who never drank at home, always drove to parties/nights out!! Her flat mates are lovely and she said she feels like she's know them for years, not three weeks. I couldn't have hoped for a better start for her.

Good luck to those whose DCs are struggling as it must be very difficult when they're so far from home. 18 is still very young and it's massive step for them.

DD doesn't "do" clubbing. She much prefers pubs where she can talk and socialize than having her eardrums blasted by music she doesn't like.

Ginfordinner, she sounds like my dd too, who does not own a LBD (she does have black dresses though, just not clubable ones). She went to a nightclub for the first time last week, so that might change. Sorry to hear of her eczema, does she have one of those Japanese sponges? I heard they're v good.

Didn't think LBD were a thing with girls these days. DD hasn't yet reached that stage - she is only just at the point of considering skirts/dresses after going into the jeans/tops/shorts early teenage years!

@BigSandyBalls2015 you are so right about the university experience being in part down to luck.

Is the flu vaccine available yet? I'm assuming 18/19 yr olds generally have to have it privately unless they're in a risk group.

Flu vaccine is available but an otherwise fit non pregnant person under 65 wouldn’t qualify for funding for it .

I walked into Boots a couple of weeks back and they said I could have it there and then (wasn’t a queue).

As a result of the reminder about flu jabs I went on the Boots website, and you can search which branches near you have the vaccine available at the moment and book online. (I had already tried all the chemists in our small town, who don't have it in yet, so this was well worth doing). I get it for free at doctors, but won't be available for ages yet, so getting mine and DS's done on Sat in nearest big town.

He's off to Oxford on Monday - packing just about finished but we still have to make sure he is on top of all the admin. He's still beavering away at the huge amount of reading his tutors set and a bit reluctant to do anything else.

Eligibility is as follows:
all people aged 65 years and over (including those becoming age 65 years by 31st March 2020);
people aged from 18 to less than 65 years of age with one or more of the following medical conditions:
chronic (long-term) respiratory disease, such as severe asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or bronchitis;
chronic heart disease, such as heart failure;
chronic kidney disease at stage three, four or five;
chronic liver disease;
chronic neurological disease, such as Parkinson’s disease or motor neurone disease, or learning disability;
diabetes;
immunosuppression, a weakened immune system due to disease (such as HIV/AIDS) or treatment (such as cancer treatment);
asplenia or splenic dysfunction;
morbid obesity
pregnant women aged 18 or over (including those women who become pregnant during the flu season);
people aged 18 or over living in long-stay residential care homes or other long-stay care facilities*;
social care workers;
hospice workers;
carers aged 18 or over; or
household contacts of immunocompromised individuals who are aged 18 or over.

DD qualifies on account of her asthma. She had it done at Boots last year, we simply took in her repeat prescription slip as proof. So much easier than having it done at the GPs.

Alicatz66 my DS is in catered halls on campus. Not sure if that made I'd more difficult to start with as no kitchen to hang out in.

The flu vaccine (a quadrivalent version this year) was available in the US really early this year. We had ours at the pharmacy over a month ago so DS got his before heading back to uni. That's one less thing to worry about.

Coming up to the end of the first full week of proper work. Wonder how many of our DCs will be shattered? I’m sure my DS will find it a big change from sitting on his arse for 90 days over the summer :p

@MrKlaw I agree. DS has got a full-on day today (lectures and seminars from 11am until 6pm). Sure he will be shattered. Mind you he's not been partying it in a full-on manner at all, so he may be okay. Hoping he's going to get out and about into Norwich to do some proper exploring soon too. Has your DS yet sampled the many and varied delights of Bath yet?

Good luck to the Oxbridge bound DC!

Mine was clubbing until 2am last night but still made it to lectures for 9am - that’s my DD chip off the old block ( remembers wistfully the late nights and early risings ) . To the best of my knowledge that’s the first time she’s been clubbing despite originating in a metropolis .

@bengalcat, same here and with my DD (only it's 4 or 5am these days!) I hope DS can do it too when his lectures start next week

DD text to say she slept in and missed breakfast and first lecture! Why are they putting on early lectures in Freshers week??!!

@Benjispruce yes my ds has been to a freshers event almost every night as they are on for 2 weeks. He's been getting home 2 and 3am then lectures at 9am. I should think he's exhausted.

@Alicatz66 and @Citygirl2019 - Hi to fellow Nottingham parents! DS is at Broadgate and seems to be getting on well. Off to visit him for the day tomorrow, probably wouldn’t have gone after just two weeks, but the next few weekends at home are really busy and we won’t be able to go again until mid-November.

@blametheparents @Citygirl2019 .. my DD went to see him last Saturday and reported back he was ok ! I think he's coming home for weekend at end of October... and I might pop up one Sunday as I'm only in Brum !! ... He seems to have nice flatmates at Broadgate ..

We took dd out for lunch today. It was lovely to see her, though so far she's come home every weekend. It felt different to having her here though. She's already so much more self-assured and sophisticated, adult. I'm so proud of her!