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

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

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Just waiting to fly out of Newcastle . Had a lovely two days in Durham - bit of rain yesterday but sunny / dry today . I quite like cold weather but had to laugh as I wandered around last night in fleece jumper hat scarf and gloves while some ladies were wandering around in short sleeved short dresses / no tights - am clearly really a southern pussy . DD enjoying herself . Saw student theatre Disco Inferno at Hild Bede last night - very good and a blast from the past .

My DS is in SE Asia at the moment and will be taking up his deferred place in September at NTU. When do I need to reapply for his finance (we did it last year, but obviously he decided to defer so it never happened).

Piggy 😝

Benjispruce Couldn't agree with you more - it's an expensive way of having fun.

bengalcat wish I'd known about Disco Inferno. You should seriously consider a name change to southernpussy - love it!

fishonabicycle the online student loan application process should be open now - deadline is 25th May for new students, 22nd June for continuing students.

simbobs - sorry to hear your ds is still undecided on whether to continue. What's his current gut feeling?

DS sent us a pic of DD and him in Durham last weekend. She had on a jumper, her Norfie and his Norfie. He had his T-shirt and shorts on

I think it would be better if they spread the lectures/essays properly over the 3 terms. And they could do at least a couple of hours of tutorials or something for Humanities students extra per week...

@simbobs, has your DS said anything about next year? Has he signed up for accommodation?

Managed to speak to DS eventually. He hasn't sorted accommodation for next year yet, but I know that he will find something when and if he applies himself. I just don't know to what extent he is applying himself to his studies. He isn't enjoying the course but has no idea what else to do. DD is home at the moment and had a chat with him. She thinks he's fine but I'm not quite convinced. Time will tell.

@Jano69 southern pussy lol

bengalcat - it certainly has a ring to it!

simibobs - sorry to hear your ds is still unsettled and not enjoying the course, that's really tough. Perhaps things will become clearer when spring comes and the exam season starts?

@simbobs, you have my sympathies- I’m not sure how committed my DS is - he has made some good friends and has a house for next year, but still feels a bit like a fish out of water - “the banter is just not the same” Plus gf back here visiting/wanting him to come home all the time....

Yes, @bigTillyMint that sounds familiar. Gf also a factor here, though a friend with a car who seems to have something going on in a different city every weekend doesn't help, as he invites DS along. This usually means a train fare to meet up with friend and then ending up back in town, though not necessarily calling in on us as we live a few miles away. He goes to lectures but doesn't like having to produce work as a result. They have exams at the end of each semester, though not all modules are involved, some are coursework based. He still mainly hangs out with people he already knew, some of whom are studying there. I have mentioned his bf before, who has deferred until September and is now working. DS finds it unthinkable that he has a 9 to 5 job at 18!

DS looks to have sorted a house - paid holding deposit and should get the contract today (I've asked for a look). They lost the previous place as they were waiting on one of their group confirming whether or not they'd continue on the course but thats all ok now.

Got his exam results too - passed but only just scraped by in a couple of modules. Did better than he thought in completely new modules like programming. He seems to be taking it pragmatically and using it as a way to identify where he needs to focus more and where he needs to put more work in. Has end of year exams too so hopefully that'll show an improvement.

Wants an Xbox and small TV/monitor for the second year mainly for Fifa - he'd been off for a year during A-levels but a couple of boys in the flat play so I guess he's getting the temptation again.

Hello everyone!

Good to hear most have been ticking along nicely at uni. introverted DS
Is still as quiete as ever, still solo gaming although enjoying lectures. Not really bonded with anyone but got some loose friends he goes to the pub with every so often. 1 pint and he’s had enough (which is good). For next yr he’s moving into another halls which inhabits an eclectic mix- internationals/home students, final yrs etc, Postgrads etc but he’s happy with that.
There was opportunity of an internship for summer which apparently he said ‘no!’ To as it will last the whole summer and he wants a holiday , I gave him a bollocking about ‘life’ and before I put the phone down he was reaching for his CV.

@Shimy your DS sounds very much like mine. DS has already timetabled his summer around various major sporting events and can see that applying for a job (in his eyes) will only happen if it fits in with his plans. I have just told him that I expect him to have found a job for at least half of the summer hols by Easter... He hasn't applied for any of the SU jobs that have come up "because they'll have received 100s of applications, so unlikely to give me a job." I did tell him that you have to be in it to win it!

Oh no to turning down an internship - no wonder you are annoyed. GRRRR! I feel your frustration.

@New, at least yours has planned sporting events, DS just wants to either go on holiday or sleep and wake up in September. This is a stunner though, because they'll have received 100s of applications, so unlikely to give me a job .

@Shimy I nearly saw red when DS made that comment. He has a very slack attitude which he needs to overcome ASAP.

Had a 7am photo from DD today which was more of a shock than its content of a snowy view from her room.

My daughter has sorted her accommodation out for next year. Student finance wales is not open yet so that still needs to be done. Her first lot of exams did not go great but I'm not surprised as she partied a lot.
DS is also off to university in september so need to sort him out as well. 2 down 2 to go.

My DS has just got an email from NTU about 2nd year options, which includes a 6 month internship January to June. He is quite keen on this and would like to do it at home in London. I am fuming because I have already put £200 deposit on 51 weeks accommodation costing me £7,300. So it may be that he is only there October to December. I guess it wont be so bad if his internship is in or around Nottingham but who knows and he would rather do it at home. So I could forfeit the £200 deposit and stick him in a Travelodge for 2 months, but what if he doesn't get an internship and has to stay at NTU for the whole year, which is also an option, then I would be glad he had somewhere nice to stay. I don't know what to do. I just wish I knew this before I paid the deposit. Any advice please

For which degrees are internships common?

That's really annoying Mine. I believe your DS is doing the 3 year course, my DS is dong the 4 year course and I am assuming the whole of the third year will be out on placement.

Can't believe that this wasn't talked about or discussed with the first year students earlier, very poor communication. Sorry, no real advice. .

What happens if they choose not to do a 6 month placement, do lectures etc run as normal ?

Those posts about dc bring less than enthusiastic about summer work reminds me of my older dd at that age. She got a summer job sorted early for the end of her first year but then started telling them about all the weeks she couldn’t work due to various things she wanted to do & was also morning about working Saturdays. Needless to say they withdrew the job offer. So she ended up getting a worse job, further away. That seemed to have cured her of her princess ideas!

DD is disappointed that the strikes will not affect her at all. She was hoping for an odd day or two off so she could catch up with her workload. It seems that none of the lecturers in the medical school ever strike so no-one doing any medical related degrees gets any extra time off.

At least she is getting value for money on her degree.

Thanks Rags I do wish it had been spoken about earlier and then we may have made different choices. No exam if they do the placement. There is a lot to think about

Yes that’s correct Gin. The Mrs school lecturers are generally doctors so being to a different union.

Having great fun with autocorrect tonight!
Med not Mrs!