University life for freshers (2019/20) - we're hopping towards Easter with a pandemic to avoid **Title edited by MNHQ**

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Previous thread

Just marking my place - thank you!

DS says that they have mumps in Leeds. Guess it is elsewhere too. So despite the mmr vaccinations apparently they can still be vulnerable. Bit of a downer. He felt lousy on Sunday but mama saw the pics of Saturday night party on FB so no sympathy.

Thanks for the new thread. Easter is coming around so fast!

Thank you for the new thread.

Thanks for the new thread.

I did the student finance forms for DS and me. It was pain free. Last year was so stressful, terrified I got it wrong. This time a breeze.

I'm here too

Thanks for the reminder about student finance @minesawine

Ds should be getting the results of his January exams today...

Flights booked home for easter, one DS coming end of March , other easter week. There is a difference of £300 😬

Dds coming home this weekend as we're watching a musical Saturday night. Dd2 still loving uni, her job, her course, her social life and has even sorted her house out for next year. Shes having trouble getting seen by a dr thpugh , as she didnt register when she first went and jiw has to wait a week for it to go through.

DD coming home this weekend too. First exams went well and sounds happy but will be great to catch up properly.

Thanks for the new thread @NewModelArmyMayhem18! I haven’t heard anything about student finance. Do I need to do anything?

Re mumps. I saw s report about it recently. Our uni age DC were of the generation that were sometimes put off from having the mmr vaccine due to it incorrectly being linked to autism by a now struck-off doctor. My DD was fully vaccinated and apparently even if they do get it due to lower herd immunity, it would be less severe. If any of your DC didn’t have both doses, you should get it now! Mumps can cause deafness and male infertility.

I think our DC do need to reapply for SF on a yearly basis (which may then prompt us to complete info, or not, depending on whether there's been any changes in circumstance). I have prompted DS to do so but I think it fell on deaf ears!

I’ve not heard anything from DD.

She’ll probably call me the day before it’s due!

I only know because I saw mention of it (earlier on this week) on that FB page that many of us lurk on. More info. It may well be that current students aren't prompted by email to reapply yearly?

19/6 for current students. Phew!

Just an update on DS, who is one week into his three months of travel in Australia and SE Asia. Having a whale of a time in Sydney - non stop partying, from what I can gather. At least it’ll prepare him for Newcastle Freshers Week!

@LaBelleSauvage123 great that your DS is having lots of fun!

DS has just had his exam results for January - two 1sts and two 2:1s.
Really pleased for him. He’s very happy with that as a starting point. Knows he’s on the right track.

Thank you for the new thread.
I looking forward to Easter as I will be back in the UK and both boys will come home for the last time before our house is sold.
Thank you for the reminder about getting them to apply to student finance, something we could easily forget !

I was in our uni gateway area relatively recently (I had a DSA assessment appointment) and there'd obviously been a set of non-fees payment mails and suspensions handed out as the number of students coming in utterly bemused at the idea that they had to reapply each year for student finance was bonkers.

Reminds me I need to look into doing mine for second year and the annual fight with them over "yes it's a second degree... yes it's an exempt course as it's healthcare... yes you DO pay me for this one."

Is there provision somewhere for them to use your current year's family income if the previous year's is disproportionately high does anyone know offhand? DH got paid a lot of lump sums for various things this year which will skew figures a lot and we're getting nothing of the sort in the future as they were one-offs.

@LaBelleSauvage123, sounds like Newcastle is a good choice for your DS

@blametheparents, well done to your DS! Mine hasn’t shared any results, but has a lot of summatives to get in this term..... just hope he finds time whilst keeping his gf from home on the boil....

Just placemarking!

It is a bit odd that SFE don't email the students about reapplying though.