The ABC of university life (2019/20 cohort) - Will NewModelArmyMayhem18 forgive me?

[MrKlaw]

previous thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/3701968-The-ABC-of-university-life-2019-20-cohort-settling-in-we-hope

Hope you don't mind - people have pent up comments about cheese graters and traffic cones to get out of their system!

DSs halls have a few Facebook groups, one for their flat and one for the entire block so I think people post on those about where parties etc are at. We went for a flat rather than the more dorm type rooms purely for the social aspect as it's maybe easier in a smaller group. It is a risk as well as you might not get on with them.

If there is a common kitchen, would your DD maybe spend time in there (slowly) baking or something so there is more chance of meeting folk coming and going?

@MrKlaw I haven't heard anything either about a specific reading week at Bath before Christmas either. But I did notice there was a week long gap between semester 1 and 2 (last week in January) if that's any help www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/academic-year-dates/

@Atreus - interesting, thanks.

DS mentioned a few in his flat were planning to come home for reading week which is when he said he might plan a weekend back due to it being so quiet.

When I was at Bath some subjects had reading weeks while others didn't, in case that helps at all.

I can't ever remember having a reading week?

@MrKlaw DD at UEA but best friend at Bath and DD said she is coming home for a long weekend because best friend will be home from Bath for her Reading week.
DD home Friday Nov 8.
I do think different subjects may have different/not any weeks.
DD still has seminars so can't come home the whole week.

@mumsiedarlingrevolta - thanks! week after half term which might be good. I'll give him a ping at the weekend, see if he knows yet.

"If there is a common kitchen, would your DD maybe spend time in there (slowly) baking or something so there is more chance of meeting folk coming and going?"

She has already baked for the flat. Her flatmates are nice they just don't seem to socialise much in the common space. She does socialise with a couple of them though.

Anyway, it turns out that everyone she messaged that evening were also feeling bored and lonely, and they have agreed that next time it happens they will all cry together in the same room.

She got togather with a few friends last night, and is out with some others right now.

Ah that's good Gin, sounds like they may all just be slowly making their way towards being friends :)

I feel really lucky with DS2 that he seems to be getting on well with nearly the whole flat. He's generally an easy going soul tbf but he seems to have found people with the right level of socialising for him. Neither party animals or hermits :o

Neither party animals or hermits

That's what DD was hoping for. She is very sociable, but hates clubbing and wild parties.

Neither party animals or hermits

I suspect that is what the majority would look for. The party animals tend to be more vocal so appear in the majority though.

DS flat is quiet at weekends. Three of the flatmates live within an hour of uni. so at present are going home. Luckily he and the other flatmate have jobs which use up a lot of weekend hours.

I think one of the boys has cooked them all a meal at one point so I intend to get DS to learn how to make something properly for them all too, even if it's just a pasta bake or cottage pie.

JuicyO - my DD also suffers from bad headaches. She is taking her notes by hand the old fashioned way to reduce eyestrain and this does help. She also finds that it helps her to take in the information better as well. A few people commented in the beginning, but no one makes a thing about it now.

Also, not very eco I know but your DD could try printing out lecture slides instead of looking at screens, and using books rather than internet. Also, just to be safe, should she have a check- up with a specialist?

Quick question for you all. Did any of your dc apply last year to unis where the standard offer was higher than their predicted grades & if so, did they receive an offer anyway?

Mine only applied to places where they were predicted the standard offer (or higher). I’m asking for a friend. Her son’s school are being very cautious with their predictions & she doesn’t want her ds to waste any of his choices if it’s pointless

Thank you @Baytreemum for the note taking suggestion, I'll mention it to DD.
When I spoke to her via text yesterday she said it was no longer as severe. It hadn't completely gone after two doses of her migraine tablets so she's still taking some ibuprofen and she has switched her phone and laptop to night mode to reduce the blue light. The doctor she saw suggested she should go for a scan if she doesn't feel any benefit from the tablets. If she could just have a couple of headache free days it would be brilliant, she says she can't remember what it's like not to have one, poor thing. As I j sweat and it the tablets aren't as good at getting rid of a migraine that's already turned into a full blown one but is more a preventative medication?

If this one goes and she feels another one coming on, she has to take a tablet straight away and that's supposed to stop it developing into a full blown migraine. That's how she will know if it works.

Quick question for you all. Did any of your dc apply last year to unis where the standard offer was higher than their predicted grades & if so, did they receive an offer anyway?

Yes. She also did an epq (A) which the unis said was why she received an offer (think thats just an excuse tbh!!)

Sorry, meant to add that one of them asked for their standard offer (AAB) despite her already having a C in Biology so AAB was impossible! That was also an ex poly (NTU, where the world and his wife got unconditionals, so she was annoyed and rejected them!). Bath needed her to get an A in one particular subject. She was predicted a B. She got a B and got rejected by Bath.

Decor we were applying with Scottish qualifications to Scottish universities so possibly a bit different. DS2 applied to 4 unis, one for 2 different courses. He met the requirements for two of those including the one with 2 courses. He was short but hopeful for 1 and the last was ambitious. He was hoping for a contextual offer based on his dyspraxia and the fact he was the first generation to go to uni. He was rejected from all except short but hopeful. He got a conditional offer with generous conditions.

I'm terms of spread, the advice I saw on here with was to apply for 1 aspirational, 1 stretching, 2 that you should be fine for and 1 sure thing. DS2 got his stretching and none of the rest.

Hi everyone! Not been around for a few days but just trying to catch up on everyone's news. Sorry your DD is suffering Juicy can't see if anyone has mentioned it but is her room too hot, that can cause migraine for me, definitely the reed diffuser as they can be really strong, especially when first opened. Also, (sorry again if it's already been suggested) how about trying some relaxation app like Headspace in case it's caused by stress/tension. I think caffeine withdrawal has been mentioned. I think other triggers for me are cheese and chocolate, sugary things, stress, hormonal (I often get them just before my period). If I wake up with a headache I try to force myself to sit up as staying horizontal seems to make it worse, also drinking fizzy drinks seems to help me.

@decorhate DD applied to one uni which was above her predicted grades. I think there's a website somewhere where you can see the % chance of getting an offer for a specific course with your grades. She emailed 3 or 4 unis and said to them that she was interested in their course and she had grades of xyz and although she didn't quite have the predicted grades would it be worth applying, some said that they would definitely not offer with those grades and others said that although they obviously couldn't say that they would give her an offer that it was possible. This was helpful as she might have "wasted" a couple of choices on her UCAS application.

@MrKlaw I just wanted to thank you for your advice again about the iPad. She has received it and is using it for lectures and finding it really helpful. She's using Goodnotes which she says is really good. (and the free Beats are on eBay)

She seems to be getting on OK, although one of her flatmates asked if he could invite 5 friends from his course over for pres at the weekend. Apparently 20ish turned up, made a huge mess, stayed from 8-11pm and the flat got a noise disturbance complaint. The flatmate who had invited them had too much to drink and passed out in his room while the rest of them had to clean up the mess. She was not impressed!

Apparently they have a "Chunder chart" in the kitchen so they can keep track of who has overdone it on nights out - she assures me she's not featuring on it.

@JennyWreny thank you for all your suggestions. Her room, and in fact the whole flat, is really hot. Much warmer than she's used to here at home and she can't really open her window as she's on the ground floor. She would risk theft if she left it open during the day and it's noisy outside to have it open at night. I think the flat temp is centrally controlled along with the (very bright) lighting and so can't be controlled by individual rooms. I'll get DD to email accommodation services and ask the question.

Decohate yes, my DS did apply for a course where the offer was higher than his grade predictions, he got an offer BBB & his results were BCC & he still got the place (but it is clearly not a RG Uni ).

Thanks all. You have confirmed my thoughts that it is risky to have more than a couple with higher than predicted requirements. I’ve encouraged my friend to either try to persuade the school to up one of his predicted grades (not unachievable going by his mocks) or check with the admissions at each uni. (I think he was only planning to apply to one that matched his predictions...)

Everywhere being too hot is definitely not good JuicyO, I took a fan up so my DD could put it next to the (marginally) open window to pull air in, which helps. DH came the next day with screwdriver and removed restrictor! DD puts screws back in if she fears a room inspection! Also worth a thought is airco - sitting in a draught triggers migraine for me - if necessary I have to put a headscarf on or my hood up to avoid it. Also advise wearing a scarf and keeping her neck warm - that really helps. Posture so important too - head up, shoulders back! Has she thought about trying yoga?