UEA freshers (2019 starters) part 2

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Previous thread and hope you don't mind that I set up the next thread @juicy0. Just did it to ensure that we carry on chatting seamlessly

@juicy0 sorry to hear that your DD has split up with her boyfriend and still has a permanent headache. Hopefully, she will start to turn a corner once she's seen the headache specialist on Friday.

Thanks @Itscoldouthere it was a joint decision really but heartbreaking all the same. Me too @NewModelArmyMayhem18. Thank you both

Are any of your DC thinking about houses for next year yet? Anyone got any inside advice, Norwich knowledge?
DS isn’t sure if he should live with current flat mates or friends from his course, his current flat all get on but there are 8 of them so I was wondering if it might be hard to find a house for 8.
He doesn’t know anyone from before so all new friendships.
I don’t know if houses go quickly in Norwich or if they’ve got time to wait and see if friendship groups become more solid.

@Itscoldouthere, DS intimated that he's not yet ready to commit to living with people he's met so far, but that might have changed by Christmas - who knows? He does have an ex-school group too, so there's potential to go with those guys (who he has known for 7+ years), if he is not keen to share with people he's only known a matter of weeks so far.

Having had a quick look at rentals in Norwich, it would seem that there are lots still to let around the university, even at this stage of the academic year, so would think that availability would not be the same type of problem it might be in a small city such as Durham, for example. Isn't Norwich really the East Anglia regional hub?

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 yes I’m thinking it’s early to choose to live with people you hardly know (although my own experience was positive) if there is plenty of availability I’ll advise him to wait a bit longer.
My other DS has already put a deposit down on a house and I’m pretty sure he’s really keen (potentially romantically) on one of the girls he going to live with, I fear it could all easily go wrong before next September !

I asked my ds about accommodation for next year and he said no one has mentioned anything yet. I'm sure they'll be advised at some point as to when to start looking.
When ds first arrived he was friendly with one particular guy in their flat. He doesn't see a lot of him now. The person in the room next door that didn't come out much, they all called "mystery guy" ds now gets on really well with him. So friendships must change a lot in those first few months, mystery guy still does a lot of gaming, but ds joins in too, though he's not much of a gamer. They've persuaded him to join them on nights out.

I forgot to say @juicy0 I hope your daughter feels better soon.

Cautionary tale for your DC! My DS fresher has just rung to say his bag had been stolen from the racks outside the labs in the new science block . Apparently they arent allowed bags in the lab so have to leave them on these unattended racks.
Idiot DS had his wallet and lap top in his. Though had the "foresight" to take his phone in with him!
Security have not been great and just taken the details. He has cancelled his bank card and I have told him to go and get a replacement room key from security and report it to the police. His driving licence, railcard and campus ID are also gone .
Fortunately his elder brother is at UEA too and can help out with some cash. Unfortunately he appears to have lost all his course work and notes too.
First life lesson not good but at least he is ok, just fed up.

@sluj I can't believe it! As if the theft itself isn't bad enough it's all the sorting out your poor DS will now have to do to recover his coursework, cancel cards etc etc. Hopefully security might be able to help but unless there are cameras in there I'm not sure what they can do.
Student housing around the UEA is plentiful in the areas between unthank road, Earlham road and Dereham road. The 'golden triangle' is the most desirable area for buying and renting so more ££ and houses there tend to be 2/3 bed with the larger houses closer to the uni. I would def suggest being close to an easy bus route to the campus if your DC are tempted to move closer to the city centre. I don't think anyone needs to panic as there were still houses available in September when I had a look this year.
DD has talked to her flat mates but hasn't made any plans yet, I'm encouraging her to give it a little more time as it's still early days in terms of friendships.

Looks like a valuable service available to our DC

It turns out there are lockers outside the labs but you are supposed to take your own padlock.. apparently nobody does. Worth warning your DC if they are in the new labs

Yes I just asked ds. He doesn't know what the racks are. But takes a padlock for the lockers.

That’s awful about the theft from the new science block, I’ve warned DS as he has a brand new laptop (he only got it last week) he’d be gutted if he lost it, I would imagine if you leave it in a locker without putting a padlock on you won’t be insured 🤔

Exactly, no insurance I'm not even going to bother asking .

@sluj is it covered on your house insurance? We called ours to ask about insurance at university and we were told ds is covered. But not sure if that covers leaving it unattended.

I think the insurance would be void as he was so careless. I hope it's a lesson learned for him

Right the thread is working for me again. Really sorry to hear about your DS having his rucksack/valuables stolen @sluj. How annoying and also really worrying that their property isn't safe on campus :-(. Total PITA for your DS to have to navigate reporting theft/getting stuff replaced. Good though that he has his big brother to help him in his hour of need.

Yes, really glad DS1 is on hand, even just for lending money. Oh well, no-one got hurt!

I am sure he will never make the same mistake again @sluj. It is a hard lesson to learn seven weeks into student life, isn't it? The most annoying and frustrating thing will be losing his coursework and notes.

@sluj it’s a very hard lesson learned, I’d hoped their stuff would be reasonably safe on campus, but now I’m wondering why I thought that?
DS did tell me they get groups of youngsters skateboarding and cycling outside their halls quite often, and the campus seems to have lots of dog walkers, it’s probably reasonably easy to access many buildings.
Hope your DS is ok and not too downhearted, good he’s got his older brother for support.

The campus is just like a 'village' isn't it really? So open access, particularly with the art gallery on site and one of the hospitals' very close by (have I got that right?).

Aren't the buildings 'coded' to gain entry? If it was a 'opportunistic' theft by some chancer, isn't it likely the passport and driving licence etc. will have been dumped?

Does the university have good CCTV coverage?

Thanks everyone, I have sent DS a text to warn him, sorry about your DS @sluj

Did you see that UEA was on the list on unis planning strike action? Right at the very bottom as they're only striking in relation to the pension rights issue I think. I don't know what that means for our DC but students at Newcastle have already had an email about it so I'm sure UEA will send some sort of communication to students....

@sluj - that's so tough for your DS. I will warn DD1, because she's such a space cadet she probably wouldn't have thought about this eventuality.

Having said that, I reckon she needs a new laptop - she took an old one of mine and it's misbehaving.

What a curious turn of events! DS's bag and entire contents were found by security locked in the lab. He and friends searched all the lockers and the lab yesterday. He said his friends confirmed he put it in the locker before going in.
Needless to say we are very relieved not to have to replace everything. He has cancelled the bank card and a new one is on the way but that's a sensible thing to do anyway. In the meantime big brother can sub him till the new card arrives if necessary.
Phew