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

www.edp24.co.uk/news/education/farmers-criticise-university-of-east-anglia-beef-ban-1-6372221 I tried to post link but fairly sure it hasn't worked.

Actually...it has worked 😀

Well I’m pretty sure DS will still be buying beef, he has developed a routine of having a steak every few weeks, easy to cook and he’s a meat lover, I think it’s because we sent him to a vegetarian school, he’s always rebelled 🤣

@mumsiedarlingrevolta your comment made me laugh!

Discussions regarding next years living arrangements have started in DD's flat. There are 10 of them who get on well as a group, 8 who are slightly closer, but obviously there aren't that many houses which will accommodate all of them. The problem is that they can't all agree on how to split the 10 down into two smaller groups and keep everyone happy 😬
I'm staying well out of it other than to help look for a suitable place once DD knows how many bedrooms are needed for the group she's in.

I agree that there is a certain irony that this is happening at a university in prime farming territory. Clearly, those who voted in favour don't have farming backgrounds!!!

Each to their own I suppose, but think that it would have been easier to make a bigger impact by banning sales of products in plastic bags, bottles, containers and the like.

Loving the idea of vegetarian school @Itscoldouthere.

If they can't decide how to subdivide the group of ten into two units for house-hunting, perhaps they need to draw straws for it @juicy0. If they really all get on that well, it won't really matter how the group is split, will it?

Not spoken to DS about house-hunting again, since he said it was too early to think about (a couple of weeks ago). I would have thought that by Christmas he would have an idea of who he would like to share with.

I spoke to DS about the beef ban and he said it’s a student union directive not a UEA one so that’s why some places on campus are still selling beef.
He said it has made for lots of jokes on the Facebook page.
I think my DC enjoyed going to a vegetarian school, although we aren’t vegetarian at home, it made for lots of lively discussion and many families were vegetarian, mind you they discussed everything as the children were given lots of opportunity to speak up, they all called their teachers by there first names as well, not everyone’s cup of tea, but it worked for mine and has certainly made them unafraid to voice their views (sometimes too loudly when it comes to DS1).
The school had its origins in The Quakers although the religious side stopped i believe in the 50’s.

Anybody watching the BBC 4 ‘Climate-gate’ programme? Fascinating but also brilliant imagages of UEA.

Christmas lights switch on in Norwich this evening, looked pretty good from the video DS2 posted, then heading of to Nando's. Student life!

@Itscoldouthere just switched over; great view of the Zigs. Trying to catch up on the gist of the programme

we've a red flood warning less than 1/2 mile away (thankfully we are a bit elevated) so the programme topic is highly relevant.

That was a fascinating programme - don't recall anything about it.

Yikes to flood warning nearby @boys3. Hope you are okay. It's been a very wet autumn.

it = the scandal.

Ds is going to look at a property this week. He doesn't think he wants to share with this particular group. But at least it's a start. No one in his flat seems interested in looking at property yet. The rent was £105 month incl. bills. Which is less than his room on campus.

Anyone else's dc's looked?

@icanbewhatiwant DD hasn't looked at any houses yet but they are talking about where they want to live and discussing budgets so I don't think it will be long.

In other news, DD's interview for a student ambassador role last week must have gone well as she found out today that they have offered her the job. I'm so pleased for her as it's good money working on campus during open days and other events and doing some local outreach work. It kicks off with 5 hour training session next week. Does anyone know how she can avoid being taxed on this job, which will be her second. She also works for a local wedding venue throughout the year and even with both roles she won't earn anywhere near the taxable income limit.

That sound great for dd @juicy0 well done to her.
I'm not sure how it works with tax. I have 2 part time jobs that don't earn enough to pay tax on. To start with I was taxed, I assumed I'd have to claim it back, but without me doing anything I was refunded the amount I'd paid so far and now I don't pay any.

DS doesn't know who he is going to live with next year yet. The girls in his flat seem keen that he joins them, but they are less keen on the other lad, and that might be awkward - so the girls may go it alone. DS is confident he can join up with mates from his sport or course if it doesn't work out with current flat mates. I presume there can't be too many houses sleeping 7 or 8 anyway, so groups will have to split.

Hi @icanbewhatiwant, there seems to be quite a difference in the quality of properties on offer, even within the same price range. It seemed to me that the larger the property, the more down-at-heel it looked (greedy landlords?).

DS hasn't started looking as far as I'm aware but they may all be galvanised by that December accommodation event?

DS flat looked at a house last week for 8 of them but I haven’t heard about them moving forward on it.
We made a call to DS this morning as we were getting worried about him, he hadn’t answered any of our (or his brothers) phone call or WhatsApp messages since Wednesday, I know that’s not a long time but my DH had been away with work for 2 weeks so he hadn’t spoken to his for 3 weeks so we thought he’d want to speak to him especially at the weekend.
He was rather confused getting a phone call at 7.30am this morning, but we’ve agreed to talk tonight. It made me realise that if DS doesn’t answer his phone (or if he looses it) we have no way of getting in touch with him, we don’t know anyone else at UEA and it feels quite odd.

@juicy0

Your DD shouldn’t be taxed if the sum total of her earnings don’t add up to the basic taxable amount - I’m sure the uni are used to students having more than one job and can advise

Finally managed to get to speak to DS, he had a weak set of excuses as to why he hadn’t contacted us.
I can tell he’s letting things slip a bit, staying up too late, getting to lectures a bit late, general disoraganisation.
He sounds like he just about keeping on top of work but has been very frustrated by a current group project, they have set meeting times in the library and half of the group don’t turn up, so not much progress is being made.
He’s going to see another house today, the last house wouldn’t let 8 of them share as it was a 7 bedroom house. This one is for 8 but sound like it’s a bit grotty, but I don’t think there is a lot of choice for 8, but they seem reluctant to split into smaller groups.
Lots for them to think about!

Ds walked the 25 min walk with his group to view the student rental. They waited outside half hour as no answer at the door. After half hour they phoned the agent to be told it has already been rented by students that viewed it earlier in the week. Nice of the agent to let them know. Others they've phoned up about have gone too.
Yet it says on su Facebook page not to look yet. So...not sure what to think.

@icanbewhatiwant what a pain for your DS, that’s pretty hopeless to not let them know.
My DS went to look at a flat for 8 yesterday, they really liked it, so I hope they get it, £400 deposit required from each of them, I hope they can all manage to get it together in time to get it as I think there’s only so many big houses and they don’t really want to split into a smaller group.

If anyone is home bbc breakfast are doing some of their reporting from Norwich this morn.
@Itscoldouthere that's great they've found somewhere.

@icanbewhatiwant that really isn't on, is it? I would have thought the SU would not be advising to wait unless they think it wise to do so. I'm presuming that the rentals your DS is looking at haven't necessarily come via 'UEA accommodation approved' routes? That might be the issue.