University 2020 :9: And they're off, making hay while the sun shines.

[MillicentMartha]

New thread, trying to be upbeat!

Old thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/3996883-University-2020-8-Use-the-CAGs-don-t-use-the-CAGs?pg=40

Glad it went well collision. Ds is in Falkner Eggington. So far has 3 other lads in his flat and 3 aren't freshers so aren't there yet. I hope they're not all friends as it would be nice to have 7 not knowing each other so they can 'bond' together. Time will tell.

I had a video call with DS last night. All seems to be going well. His flatmates are a bit more outgoing than he is, but he's actually been out to a bar with his peers. On multiple occasions! They're in Manchester so can only go out with his household, which is an inconvenient 8, so they either have to split into two fours or leave two out.

He hasn't started lectures yet but there are online department sessions and tours this week. He still doesn't know if tutorials will be F2F or not, or who his tutor is, so no need to go to the uni as yet, which is a shame. He's managed to cook for himself, some 'proper meals' and some chips and nuggets/pizza type food as well. Nobody has stolen his food yet!

@MillicentMartha that sounds great :) Im sure his flat will calm down a week or two after freshers anyway, the novelty of going out every night and studying on top will soon wear off.

@specialted
Another 1 line sentenced text today from daughter. ''What type of steaks can I use for fajitas again?''

No hi mum, how are you? lol

Well got bit more out of her when I asked if she was cooking it tonight, and turns out shes doing them tomorrow, but tonight is going to a bar with physics friends. I imagine we will know more when we facetime at some point :)

Fajitas are ‘proper cooking’ though.

@MillicentMartha DS and flatmates haven’t padlocked their for cupboards, for fear of being the first to make a declaration that you don’t trust your flatmates. Long may that attitude continue.

He’s made spag bol and frozen a couple of portions, and when We spoke the other day he was off to make kedgeree of all things! Hope he didn’t stink the flat out!

DD has to be a bit careful with her food as she's coeliac and while it's unlikely anyone would want to steal her bread or pasta, she needs to avoid cross contamination of her butter, chocolate spread etc. She's taken her own toaster with a big sign on it! Hasn't resorted to locking things away yet though!

It sounds like they're all managing to feed themselves well.
DS (who has never cooked and once famously tried to cook pasta by running it under the hot tap 😂) cooked what looked to be a delicious chicken dish yesterday. Hopefully enough for freezing too.
Have WhatsApp'd to ask for a call but it's still not been opened.

@choirmumoftwo you may know this but there is a good french restaurant on New Quay in Lancaster that does good gluten free food. Fellow coeliac here! I have also had a couple of meals at the Tollhouse Inn and their fish and chips is gluten free...and they were very good with other options.

@pasanda am seriously impressed at that cooking! I too sent a request for a phone call but it was met with a text saying please don't call me I'm hanging out with my friends I'll call you at some point. I'm just so pleased he said that, is exactly what I wanted to hear much as I'd love to speak to him!

@BCBG thanks, I'll pass those recommendations on to DD.

Not sure about gluten free, but when we came August bank holiday, we ate at the water witch in Lancaster (opposite chancellors wharf) and they do amazing food there. I went to a place called Station Promenade in Morecambe and had the gammon there and it was lovely. It used to be a train station around the 20's and 30's and its got all original features.

Just checked and Water witch does some gluten free 49f5323f-a5fc-4797-9c66-7b4f9a734d1e.filesusr.com/ugd/8ba0ca_576cd09afa9b47d3b0299ee1bc6bc13b.pdf

I’m worried about my DD, she is in private halls. In a three bedroom flat but she is the only one that has moved in. Most things are online now.
She hasn’t left the flat in two days

That doesn’t sound like much fun, aibu. Could she move to another, more populated flat?

Ds cooked himself DanDan noodles tonight.
Looked lovely.

He’s a bit homesick I think but he went climbing today (on his own 🤨) and to the pub tonight.

Collision - my ds has asked for £215 for a years gym membership at Loughborough! I hope he hasn't fleeced me 😁

@Collision thats totally natural to be a bit homesick to start with. At least hes gone to the pub so he must be socialising. Best thing I said to my daughter when I left was to keep busy to avoid sitting in her room and missing home, which she has. Shes always in the kitchen so people coming in and out all the time.

Spoke with her more this night on text with more detail (normally i get 1 liner texts asking me questions lol ). She went to Fylde College bar with 2 physics friends and was chatting for 3 and a half hours, then went back to townhouse with her flat mates and had free pizza and played music till about 10. I have asked her if shes jelled with her housemates, as its been a few days now. She likes all twelve. 2 she doesnt speak much with as not got much in common, but are polite still. The other 9 she gets on well and regularly speak, and out of those 9, three of them she really likes (2 gents and 1 lady). Im sure the dynamics will change again with it being just 5 days, but as long as shes got some good friends by Christmas, ready for house hunting season.

@sammyjoanne sounds like your DD is fully embracing the experience, but are you/DD already thinking about house share next year?! I don't know how our poor DC will sort that! I think it might all happen later than usual.

@Monkey2001
DD thought about houseshares before coming to the uni and was a discussion between us and DD about things like mould, landlord issues, making sure a place is ok when house hunting etc before she left. Hubby is very safety concious, and would much prefer if she was at uni halls again, but thats not always possible. She would like to do private halls/Chancellors wharf (uni owned city accommodation) in Lancaster city. All the bills are included and have the added bonus of security/receptions etc.
When the time comes, her friends might not want that option, so she is open to the possibility of landlord, but the house has got to be spot on.

I've told my dd to not feel like she has to sort next years accommodation yet. She's not been able to meet many people yet and whilst her flatmates are ok they probably won't want to share next year.
With all of the restrictions I think it's going to be extremely difficult for some to find who they want to share with.
Private halls accommodation is looking very attractive to her for next year at the moment.

@Collision is your son climbing in Loughborough? my DS1 is in final year and a keen climber if he needs company.

My DS2 is also at Loughborough and in halls and gets on well with some of his flatmates but really missing out on being able to meet people outside his flat. However , 2 weeks of face to face induction lectures for his course started today. There are only 20 or so in his course so f2f much easier.

@pasanda another Loughborough parent - what halls is yours in? Mine is in Telford.

Shes thinking christmas time into January for accommodation group dynamics can change over the next few months :)

Eve - ds is in Falkner Eggington. Not heard much from him so far but hoping no news is good news