The CDE of University Life (2019/20 cohort) - assignments, flat-hunting, Halloween and the end of their first term fast approaching

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Previous thread - Obvs the end of term is looming sooner for some than for others? I guess the Oxbridge posse will finish by the end of November or just into December?

That's a relief for your DD @DrMadelineMaxwell and much easier for her to manage than flat-sharing.

Being involved in Criminology will carry with it risks from having contact with (ex) offenders. So sad for the young people's families. It's very surprising that all attendees weren't searched on arrival though. However, I guess that would have adversely impacted on the level of trust that had been fostered between the two groups involved.

Young people of that age could be well on their way to becoming social workers, probation or prison officers, or trained mental health nurses working with dangerous offenders in forensic units though.

DD has done really well in two of her exams, but is really nervous about the outcome of the third one as it was horrific.

The uni site says that they do house continuing 2nd and 3rd years together wherever possible.

@Ginfordinner Well done to your DD!

@DrMadelineMaxwell, that sounds just right for your DD.

Thank you bigTillyMint
She is one of those who worries all the time about her work, but at least it is constructive in that she revises and gets on with it. She has a practice session tomorrow for a lab assessment, and I know she is really nervous about it.

They are going to have a "next year's house share" Christmas dinner which, unfortunately, is the night before her lab assessment.

I had an interesting conversation with DD this week about workload. She is doing 6 modules (3 for each subject) which I assume is standard for most courses. She says they were told that the workload of one module was equivalent to an A level, so that is 6 A levels in a year. She is working harder and she says that she has taken more notes in maths so far than she took in physics A level for a whole year. @Ginfordinner this would explain your DD's workload.

Counting down the days now til she's home. I think she's going to sleep a lot for the first week!

This does make it look like not all degrees are equal *@NewModelArmyMayhem18

She is coming home on the Sunday after she breaks up as the train fares are much, much cheaper (and hopefully the trains less crowded)

Aargh, why did it tag the wrong poster?
My post was to @mum2eim

DD is on her way back to Chicago. DH drove her through the huge snowstorm that's happening here right now to the train station. She got on a train to Boston, which looks like it's running with no problems. Once in Boston she'll Uber to the airport. Fly to Chicago. Uber to her hall of residence.

Long day!

It was lovely to see her. She was even nice to her little brother.

Glad you enjoyed your DD's visit HoldMyLobster. When does she finish for Christmas?

She's coming home the 17th I think - for nearly a month. I keep having to look up the college calendar because I have absolutely no idea how college holidays work here.

Her boyfriend is coming to visit from the 26th onwards too which will be great as we haven't seen him since August. He lived with us for a lot of the summer. He's lovely. I'm a bit surprised they're still together considering they've seen each other for one weekend since late August, but technology is amazing.

I wonder if relationships between young people, even if they are miles apart at different universities, do last longer these days due to technology?

Hope your DD has a good journey back @HoldMyLobster.

Yes, it's not long now until our young people return. Did you say your DS finishes this Friday @SchrodingersKitty? What about the Durham posse?

Glad you had a lovely time in Bath @MrKlaw but a pity it was so busy. Have you decided on whether you're going by car or train to Lincoln yet @Piggywaspushed.

Think DS is full on now, he is not on FB messenger all evening, he sent some pics of his work which looks amazing.

I wonder if relationships between young people, even if they are miles apart at different universities, do last longer these days due to technology?

Possibly. DD managed to continue her relationship with her (now ex) BF for a year after he went to university (DD had a gap year). Sadly university changed him into a conceitedly arrogant arsehole, so I wasn't upset when he dumped her.

Oh dear @Ginfordinner. Hope your DD finds someone more caring and considerate.

Durham finishes a week on Friday. Can't wait to see dd.

Well. Ds has found a house for next year. There will be six of them in it. The bad news is how expensive it is - 550 per month not including bills. Dd has never paid much more than 350 in Leeds so this is a bit of a shock. I had been hoping next year would work out cheaper but will probably be even more than his halls this year

I hope she does, but I think she is concentrating on friendships rather than relationships right now.

Gulp, that will be quite expensive over 51/52 weeks @Decorhate.

Feels like we're hurtling to the end of term now.

@DrMadelineMaxwell so pleased your DD's happy with her 2nd year accommodation arrangements.

@Decorhate I know how you feel about exorbitant rent, I don't think I appreciated just how expensive university life would be.

Lovely to hear many of you will be reunited with your DC very soon. Us Durham mums have to wait until the 13th.

Spoke to DS yesterday who said he's now totally stressed out about his assignments. 3 in and 3 to go! So looks like I was totally wrong when I said he was working in his comfort zone a few days ago..,,

He had an amazing time at his college Winterball on Saturday which apparently far exceeded expectations! Got some lovely photos of the event too!

@NewModelArmyMayhem18: yes my DS finishes on Friday. The pick-up journey is now complicated by the fact that we just got back from seeing consultant about whatever is going on in DH's brain and she thinks he shouldn't drive. So looks like me/us going to get him on the train and lugging back what we can. Luckily he managed to get permission to leave three boxes in the college store over the vacation, so it should be just about manageable.

(On the issue of DH's health, which some may remember about from previous thread: he was found to have a lesion in the brain over the summer. He had steroids and then a brain biopsy which was inconclusive as the steroids shrank it so much. He just had follow-up scan and results, such as they are, is that they still have no idea what he has/had. The lesion is gone, but there is a new very small wispy area elsewhere in brain which might be something or nothing - apparently the sort of thing that often disappears. Otherwise it could be recurrence of lymphoma, or an infection, or an abscess or something unknown. Unlikely to be a solid tumour as it shrank so much. So we are back to waiting and wondering - another scan in six weeks. If it doesn't recur in a year they will assume not lymphoma. Very hard to know if this is good or bad news - definitely not the worst we could have been told, but hard to live with).

Halls for this year have cost £5800 for a 38 week let. They dont offer the shorter let's for 2nd years, only the less popular and more expensive 44 week lets. So dd will be paying £6500 next year.

Lots of the other houses were looking like they would cost similar once bills etc were considered, so we are.still very happy.with her decision.

@SchrodingersKitty I'm a bit lost for words but I just wanted to say your posts make our problems pale into insignificance. I do hope the lesion has disappeared for good and the wispy area you describe is nothing of concern.