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!

We are thinking of a flying visit tomorrow to see dd and take her a few things. A prior airer now we know she has room for oone. And hopefully a bank card if it arrives today!

I'm sorry to hear of so many DC with tech problems, but realise that I have no idea whether mine is in the same boat. It is just the sort of thing he would be embarrassed about and fail to properly deal with, unless a whole group of people were in the same boat.
He put a preference for a mixed flat but has ended up with 3 other lads and 2 empty rooms.

@simbobs, 2 empty rooms? Must have been a couple who didn't turn up? I have forgotten where your DS is - I thought places in student halls were oversubscribed?!

He's in Sheffield where they have an oversupply of accommodation, I believe. It is also possible that there was some problem with those rooms and that they were never intended to be let. I kept expecting a couple of 2nd yrs to turn up after Freshers, but apparently not.

@simbobs, when I was a student in Sheff back in the Dark Ages, there weren't enough places in halls for all the Freshers

How many days away was it before your Dc came/will come back home to visit?

Mine came back 4 days in to see gf on her birthday and again 10 days later for another friend's birthday. I honestly think not much has changed for him. It's like being in 6th form and living in a hostel. I have no idea whether he is doing any work, but I know he is going to a lot of gigs and spending a lot on train tickets. I'm going to try and call him later.

Bigtilly they seem to have built a lot more accommodation, some of which is for students from either uni. As I said, there may be a problem with the 2 empty rooms. Also this is a low birth year so there are fewer students than a couple of years ago.

I suppose it depends how far away they are and how feasible a weekend home is. DS is about 3 hours in total when you factor in buses to the station and waiting. He was going to come home at the end of the first month but ended up a week later as he'd been really ill. He lucked out coming home as his lecture finished slightly early (1.20 instead of 1. 30) and he ran out and jumped straight on a bus, caught an early train and got onto the station at home at 3.40 and Ds1 was around to grab him at station for a lift home. So he essentially did it in 2 and half hours.

First "Oh shit, they're far away from me!" moment. DC1 is in Manchester, but wasn't in the Arndale Centre this morning.

Thoughts with those affected by today's events. Fingers crossed for speedy recovery.

@ZandathePanda, when DD went to uni, she didn't come home until the holidays, but I went to visit her after 3 weeks in the first term, and we got into a pattern of visiting (whole family or just me) once each Autumn/Spring term.
I am not expecting DS to come home till Xmas but we are going up to visit in 2 weeks. I dont know if we will be able to visit next term as he is so far away!

Thanks for the replies. I think every 4/5 weeks is what I was planning in my head so once a term. It’s the ‘not making it worse’ bit when they see their beloved pets/ full fridge/ bath I am concerned about!

I doubt dd will come home expect for holidays. Unless she books enough in advance I think it would be approaching £100 on the train, so she'd have to have a very good reason to do so.
We're hoping to do a family visit in February.

get those Xmas trains booked - already told DS. Before christmas advance are available now - no late Dec/Jan just yet but potentially two singles will be cheaper anyway
and dont forget the railcard!

How many days away was it before your Dc came/will come back home to visit?

She left start of Sept and is coming home for Thanksgiving which is late Nov this year. So nearly 3 months here. She's 1700 miles away. We're all visiting her before she comes home and DH visits her occasionally when he's there for work.

I found tickets online for MK to Birmingham for £7 return this week!! That's crazy cheap!!

Birmingham is dead cheap from London too!

MrKlaw DD looked into transport end August. She phoned uni and they advised her to wait as some have a large gap between their last lecture and uni finishing. Told her to keep an eye on flights and trains though.

DD won't be coming home until Xmas, it's too far and costly.

I don't think DS will come home until the end of term - Oxford terms are so short (8 weeks of full term) and so intense that I don't think he'll have time. We are going up to visit him for his birthday in November, which will be about half way through. Which reminds me that I must book the hotel.

Don’t think DD has plans to come home yet if at all. £80 return WITH railcard! I might visit in half term as I’ll be off work. But only if she wants me to, such a long drive. Lots of decorating this weekend, her old and new room.

DS has made it on to his first of three trains!

Oh Piggy so glad. DS catches first train later, is a bit anxious about changing in Manchester. He will not be here till midnight. It is a stressful time for us. OH says he will be glad when he gets home.

Will chase him up about booking his xmas train asap. Good point about one way for now.

DS room ready just waiting for a rug and throw to arrive via Hermes, the throw they had on Monday and said 24 hour delay. Not a peep from them since so hoping it will be coming today with the rug parcel. The new bed looks great, under bed storage far better than the old bed which gathered all sorts underneath it. Hope he is pleased with the surprise.

One thing the teenage smell. Well the mattress was in our hall all week waiting to go, it was pongy. His room now smells lovely.

He has made it on to second train having been somewhat enthralled by the size of the train station (ie tiny). It's like he is some intrepid roving reporter. Constant updates. No chance of me fretting!

Oh must make DS keep in touch as well, once he is on the Manchester train I will relax. Well done to him on his first leg.