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

@SunburstsOrMarbleHalls good luck tomorrow! Ds has to wait until Saturday . Let us know how it goes

@SunburstsOrMarbleHalls thank you - and good luck to your DS too! Have any Lancaster students had accommodation invoices yet?

@BCBG DS said he gets his invoice tomorrow after he picks his keys up, not sure if its given to him in person or emailed to him. His payment dates have been confirmed as 27th September, 7th January and 15th April.

@specialted - thanks will let you know how it goes. They have said only one other person to help with the move but we need to use DP's car as it is bigger and I'm not insured to drive it but he cant do the heavy lifting as he is awaiting back surgery so I think he will have to wait in the car.

@BlueSkyBurningBright

Taking DD to York on 29th. Must be the last one to go, all her friends will be gone by then.

We requested ensuite and self catering, but with all the grades mess, she was confirmed late so got a flat of 15 with shared bathroom and catered. I am being positive for her. She is really nervous, and it seems she is the only one on her course in the flat.

Thats a great thing shes in a flat of 15 as shes got a big household, so always someone there to chat with :)

DD settling in well at USW Pontypridd after moving in Monday. Only one other girl in her six bedroom flat but they get on well and they are both on the same course. She’s started drinking for the first time in her life!
Mainly staying in the flat as they are in local lockdown in Pontypridd. Induction starts Monday, first day face to face and the rest of the week online.

Meant to make a point that there are only two of them in the flat, no other rooms occupied but she doesn’t seem bothered as she has more fridge and freezer space!

@SunburstsOrMarbleHalls Good luck with the move tomorrow :) I've seen the freshers timetable for Pendle and looks great. Quiz hosted by James May from top gear :)
@BCBG Daughter hasn't had an invoice yet

@SunburstsOrMarbleHalls we both need to go with DD as we're going on holiday straight after so I'm getting DH to carry everything to the doorstep then go and do an Asda click and collect for her while I help her move in.

@geogteach @ShaunaTheSheep how are yours getting on? I dropped Dd off yesterday, she's at James Baillie

We dropped DD at Leeds yesterday. She is in a flat of 6 in Central Village. Move in was well organised and we did go into her flat to unload and help her organise. Her room is lovely -she has got a much bigger room than others in the flat (each flat has one larger room) and that helps with the prospect of most lectures being online. Flat mates all seem lovely. They went out to a bar together last night and then drinking in the kitchen until 2am! She is meeting a girl from her course this afternoon and then out for drinks with a group from her course this evening.
So pleased she is socialising as she is quite introverted naturally- but decided that she would make a big effort to meet people early on.
We stayed in a hotel in Leeds and met her for breakfast this morning.....was v hard saying goodbye- but easier knowing that she has plans!

Just back from dropping DS in Leeds yesterday. He didn't want us to go in the flat so we dropped his stuff outside took him for a coffee and left him to it. We stayed in Ilkley last night, apparently the people in his flat are nice and someone cooked him dinner last night . Haven't heard from him today but will try and catch up later

@choirmumoftwo asda click and collect, not a bad shout that. Hope you have a nice holiday:)
@Swarskid2184 @geogteach @billydilly Daughter went to leeds on open day. Its a great uni :) glad they are settling in well :)

@GaribaldiGirl, my dd had to have some minor surgery and the nhs finally offered her an appointment this week. She's hoping to come to Edinburgh next week. She's a little anxious about joining later but is looking forward to starting her course and hopefully making new friends!

DD moves into halls next Saturday, she's pretty much packed, just clothes left to sort.
While I shall miss her when she's gone, I shall also be very glad for her to go!

Just got back from taking DD2 to Glasgow ( left at 4:30 am yesterday morning to catch a flight.) DD1 came with me and we managed to get all of her clothes, her guitar and and some other bits into our cases. Spent a small fortune setting her up with all the other stuff she needed ( bloody induction pans cost a fortune!!!- why would halls have an induction hob FGS) We stayed in a very nice Air bnb in the city centre close to her hall and all the shops.
Totally exhausted- about to go and get a Chinese - definitely not cooking!

Will be odd with her being so far away but so pleased she finally got into the school she always dreamed of.

Well Dgd deposited in London. Good journey there and back left at 4.30 am got into London before 7 am! Had a coffee or two at a 24 hour Mcdee then managed to get her in accomodation an hour early. We were home by 1 pm considering it was supposed to take 3 and half hours each way! And we stopped on way home. Dgd already out with flatmates this afternoon taking in the sights!

Not long back from taking DD to London. We went by train as OH didn’t fancy driving in the city. Check in to the private halls was 4.30 so we went food shopping & for a quick burger after.

@MarchingFrogs thanks for your comment. I don’t think she will be able to take meals in college but would be able to go for the formal dinners( of they are ever held!) . The college has over offered as a result of the exam fiasco. My dd did meet her offer on A level results day but I don’t think they prioritised people in her situation. 🙄😥

@BrigitsBigKnickers induction is pretty standard now as it is safer and energy efficient. You may have been unlucky in where you looked, you can get pans from most places now, this one is £4.50 from Ikea www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/annons-pot-with-lid-glass-stainless-steel-80298474/

Uni2020 - perhaps your daughter is in one of the empty rooms on my DDs corridor 😀
I don’t think coming late will be so much harder as they haven’t all been out doing freshers activity and social connections are taking longer to make. She mostly needs a good bunch sharing her pantry I think. My daughter has met people on her course who are really nice but nobody is in Pollock with her.

Glad to hear everyone is arriving and settling in. I felt absolutely exhausted yesterday - the day after drop off. Partly due to carting boxes up stairs, partly due to the drive and no doubt, partly, due to the emotional element too.
She's settled well and socialising just about to the letter of lockdown law.
She has heard from a school friend in another city whose drink was spiked and had to be taken by flatmates to hospital. Not nice to hear. Such exciting times, even with covid. Hope all stay safe

Waves to the Leeds crew!

All went well at drop off yesterday. I helped DS lug his stuff up to the 2nd floor, then took a sneaky peak in his room, as other parents were doing the same. Then we left him to it and popped over to visit nearby friends who have offered to be his emergency ‘parents’ if needed in a hurry, as we are 4hrs away, which is very kind of them.

Woke up to a video clip of a kitchen party, sent by DS at 2.30am. He’s forgotten to switch the tracker off on his phone, so I can see he was in a pub this afternoon, and is out again now...

PS - not sure there is any rhyme or reason to room allocations. Leeds was DS’s first choice and he ended up in a very random hall - out of the massive group chat, only 2 people had actually requested it.

Reposted from medics thread, just in case anyone’s off to Newcastle soon.

Just to say — we’re in! Dropped DD into her hall today (Newcastle) All very relaxed. A 10 minute drop off and 1 hour parental settling in wasn’t enforced in any way. We were advised it wasn’t busy, so just to go as quickly as we could. We were in and out in 90 minutes and the car was able to stay outside the whole time. We had a great weekend. DH’s home town and he qualified there too, so it was a bittersweet trip with lots of catching up with friends and family and some lovely meals.

Home now after an endless (and sniffly 😭) trek south. Much younger DS sobbed the whole time but was happy to FaceTime his sister on our arrival. She’s having a fabulous time with new ‘friends’ and is out with flat mates for a meal tonight and is making plans to meet up with seemingly half of her school who are all off to Durham in the next few weeks - restrictions permitting.

I am going to have a massive glass of wine and hope this euphoric feeling lasts, for a while at least. All the best to all still to set off. It really was so much better than I’d feared. Hope it’s the same for you!