University life for freshers (2019/20) - Christmas backpacking (or not) and festive homecomings with all the tinseltastic trimmings!

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Previous thread.

DD has just informed me she’s working NYE 5-10pm and NYD 10am-6pm. It’s £17ph so too good to miss. Can’t believe my party girl isn’t going out. Our nightlife isn’t great, well according to her and she doesn’t want to queue and pay double entry fee and double cab fare. Can’t say I blame her. Will see if FOMO kicks in after her NYE shift.

DD has tried to get an xmas job, but hasn't been successful. However, she did go to an interview in the summer for occasional staff at our local racecourse when she's around. Just has to do one shift a year to be kept up to date of jobs going. She's working New Years Day, a long shift but good rate of pay. Better than nothing.

She's been busy seeing friends. She kept in touch with her friends from secondary, as well as ones from Sixth Form so has plenty to see. She's even met up with a couple from uni, mid way between homes.

DD has cut contact with almost all of her former class mates - her closest friend is one she made at the age of 1 at her childminder.
Her new contacts are somehow all cat lovers.

And for the first time she has met someone with the ADHD / Dyscalculia combination. They exchanged problems (Do you hear this sound? Yes, I can't work either! )

@Benjispruce, good for your DD! DS decided not to get a job over Xmas, so has had 24/7 to spend partying

@bigTillyMint he’s obviously got too much money

Glad I'm not the only parent with a party mad one! My DS has serious FOMO, but £17ph might have given him pause for thought. Truth is, he can manage perfectly well on his maintenance loan, so hasn't felt the need, though he did say he would try and get job when he gets back to uni. I've yet to see a flying pig,...

@Benjispruce, I think he's spent everything he earned in the summer and possibly his Xmas money

@simbobs DD doesn’t see her maintenance loan as it doesn’t cover her accommodation and we pay the shortfall plus extras. Any socialising costs come from her summer and holiday work money.

DD friends don't party and she doesn't have enough local friends to party with. She is still feeling rubbish and is wading through some online lectures to make revision notes, and losing the will to live.

Trying to understand a difficult subject being delivered by someone with a boring monotonous voice who sounds bored with their subject is not the most exciting way to spend the Christmas holidays.

DD's summer job did ask when she was back for Christmas. It's a small shop/cafe so not many staff needed and they haven't asked her to be in much at all - in fact she's only doing 2 days over the hols. Q long days of 8.5 hours each, at minimum wage, so DD is happy enough that she's going to be paid something in Jan to help top up her funds.

Next term's accommodation is the cheapest term for DD, and her maintenance loan/grant combo is the same amount each term, so she will have a lot more left to live on after she's paid for her flat. Although strikes meant she came home a few weeks early, so she's taken advantage of not having to pay for her own food/extras while at home, so she didn't have to make last month's money stretch that far after all.

Her maintenance/grant is a good amount due to living in Wales, but if she gets the same amount of ££ next year, the first term will leave her £380 left to live on as her accommodation is that much more expensive next year.

Doable, and we will help out if needed as we haven't really had to up to now unless we've wanted to. But I've advised to her to think carefully about her summer job situation. The cafe place may welll welcome her back and is exceptionally conventient as it's at the top of our street and a 2 min walk to get there. But she may want to try and pick up something at the nearby shopping centre to give her more hours and to save up more with a more expensive year ahead.

She has applied for an on campus job though, to hear more on that when term starts again.

DS hasn't had a job as yet but I am reinforcing the point that he won't be getting monthly top-ups from us for the summer months, so he needs to find one.

We’ve been having the money conversation with DS1, he’s been going out a lot and has ended up overdrawn. He has had a few yearly expenses in the first term ( bus pass/gym membership) but realised he’s living beyond his means.
He’s got two choices, get a job or go out less, hopefully he will do one or the other.
DS2 still has money in his account, but he doesn’t really go out much and doesn’t drink, which makes a big difference.

Happy new year! Well, DD was true to her word and came home after work at 10 pm last night and resisted the urge to go out! She’s now getting ready to leave to start at 10am. She’s hoping to earn at least £600 this holiday.

DS is very sensible with money (which rather pleases me, see the thread about whether children should save or spend their Christmas gift money, I am feeling smug ). He had a Summer job in a pub last year and is likely to be able to go back this summer - downside is that he needs to share my car to get there, but does mean I walk a lot more!

He’s got a part time job at uni - just one shift in the local Football Club which is fun as well as earning money (& they feed him incredibly well) plus he hopes to get a student ambassador job. He’s always saved so has three or four different accounts. So far he hasn’t asked us for any more than we give him each month (£100). He seems to manage well and is talking about the uni ski trip at Easter which won’t be cheap.

My DS didn't get a huge amount of money for Christmas, but he has already spent most of it on meals out with gf, train tickets and entertainment. He is pretty good with money overall and is looking forward to getting the next instalment of his loan. As much as anything so that his mates will be in funds again and be able to do things other than moan about being skint. He has said that he will look for a job when he gets back, as he wants to save for festival tickets over the summer.

I wish DD's virus would hurry up and go. She is now covered in a horrible rash, and is too tired to revise. She fell asleep after only 10 minutes of watching an online lecture yesterday and had to start all over again.

These viruses seem worse this winter for young to old. I have given up self medicating and will visit GP tomorrow. Seem to be having added ailments every week.

DS worked last night was exhausted but had to be in again this morning got to bed at 3.30 am, up again at 11am. He looks as if he is hungover but is in fact uber tired. A friend of his from uni. is coming to stay so he had better not get sick.

I seem to have picked up a bit of a rocky cough at night and first thing. I’m mainlining effervescent vitamin c in the hope of it not developing. That and a nice bottle of Merlot

Rocky? I typed tickly! Only had 1 glass, I promise.

I'm feeling a bit sad that the holidays are coming to an end. I'm driving DD back up to Manchester on Saturday. It's been lovely having her company again and to be around myself so we could hang out in between her busy social life. I know she will be a bit sad too but she's been in touch with uni friends during the holidays and one was here for New Years drinks. I'm sure she will be fine but I'm getting that back to school feeling too.

We have a day out in town tomorrow - to a gallery and then the theatre to see Dear Gavin Henson. It should be fun. Food shop Friday. And then on the road.

Our DS goes back on Monday (after his driving test) I have booked the day off to drive him back and I love chatting to him on the way.
He has been pretty quiet over Christmas and I think he misses his GF and uni mates.

DD not due back until 13/1. DH is driving her on 12/1 as that’s when the catering starts back up. I feel fine about her going back, she’s well again and will have money in her account and I know she is itching to return to the fun/mates/gym/sports/clubs! I think it’ll be easier next time she’s home as we’ll and she’ll know what to expect.

We are having a lazy day today, a food shop on Friday and a family panto evening, then she goes back Saturday unless she wants to push it back to Sunday. She needs to get back for the library to finish off an assignment that's due soon.

@Benjispruce, your DH is good - DS will be getting the train. Don't think he's bought a ticket yet though
DD due to go back next week.

It's lovely having them home, but I'm looking forward to a tidy house and quiet nights sleep