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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Another path - now we have a map

999 replies

chopc · 10/08/2021 14:27

Chopc - Durham-History
@jano69 -Durham -History
@OnTheBenchOfDoom -Durham - Natural Sciences
@Majaso12 -Imperial - don't know subject
@bendmeoverbackwards -Bristol- History
@Pumpkintopf -Imperial/Cambridge -Natural Sciences
@ChimneyPot -Brown (US) - ? Subject
@Stillcrikey -Bristol -MML
@Tenpastseven - Bristol -also modern languages?
@Longtimenewsee - Durham - Chemistry?
@MidLifeCrisis007 - Durham -History
@BigWoollyJumpers - Exeter- History
@SeasonFinale -Bristol- History

OP posts:
Original poster
chopc · 02/09/2021 13:26

@OnTheBenchOfDoom I wonder which of his 8 or so guitars DS will take. I think Collingwood has music rooms so I don't think he will need to take the keyboard ..........

We do have a huge list but the stuff doesn't come to much. I think as he is catered for, we don't need to take kitchen stuff. Plus I bought a collapsible laundry basket and will make up the coat hanger when we are there

OP posts:
Original poster
chopc · 02/09/2021 13:43

One of my friend's DS is going to ETH in Zurich - he has to rent a private flat and furnish it himself. Apparently student accom is mainly for post graduates

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bendmeoverbackwards · 02/09/2021 14:15

I've been looking for a personalised doorstop as a gift for dd. They have some cute ones on Not on the High Street but weight is 1kg and I'm not sure if that's heavy enough to hold open the door. Has anyone seen any good ones around?

bendmeoverbackwards · 02/09/2021 14:17

@OnTheBenchOfDoom you are so organised! We haven't even been shopping yet. I want to do it next week once dd3 is back at school, unfortunately her autistic meltdowns have put a dampener on the whole summer this year and we are exhausted. I'll be able to think straight once she's back at school.

Dd and I are heading to Enfield, North London where apparently there is an Ikea, Dunhelm and The Range.

Original poster
chopc · 02/09/2021 14:28

I got the below from Amazon. I know I know ....... I did go to B and M and pick some things which were cheaper there than on Amazon

Another path - now we have a map
OP posts:
OnTheBenchOfDoom · 02/09/2021 16:03

Ah but my lovely @bendmeoverbackwards you are probably working and so are very busy doing that along with lots of home admin stuff whereas I stopped working a very long time ago to improve my health, which was a great success fortunately.

I am a list maker, I like to be organised. I like admin, I like researching stuff. Therefore I have excel sheets with items to buy that I added to watching uni haul videos or other what to take to uni lists. This is my role in the family.

We did Ikea, The Range, Wilko and Dunelm over a couple of mornings. I live close to all of these places. Dh always takes time off in the summer holidays and loves shopping as it is a novelty to him as I do most of it; the man practically skipped to the car. We were in and out as Ds had already seen everything online so had a list, knew what he wanted.

It must be challenging having a child with autism, I cannot even imagine what that would be like. I hope you have a lovely time at Enfield (yes, I did have to look that up on a map, me being in Yorkshire and all) I have only been to London twice, once as a teenager and last time was a few years ago and I was part of a Q&A in a cross-party initiative. I was inside the houses of parliament and caught the tube at 6pm, that was an experience. Like ants all crawling into a tube station. Thank goodness I was with someone who lived in London.

BigWoollyJumpers · 02/09/2021 16:49

OnTheBenchOfDoom. I suspect the difference may also be boys v. girls (apart from the guitars!). DD is taking a lot of "stuff". Cushions, throw, rug, lamp, make-up mirror, hair straightners, hair dryer, fairy lights Grin, posters, plants (fake and real), picture frames, cuddly toy (limited to one). Additionally, lots and lots of cleaning stuff, both for herself and her room. Clothes for all occassions and weathers, shoes and boots and trainers, bags. All that plus all the crap for cooking.

Oldowl · 02/09/2021 17:16

DD took everything she needed to university in 1 large and one small suitcase and travelled on the train. Fairy lights, lots of photos and a couple of fake plants was the limit of 'the stuff' taken. Luckily, a lamp, bin, duvet and pillows were supplied by the hall.

ChimneyPot · 02/09/2021 20:22

DD did a lot of room decorating cushions, rug, pictures,throws, chair and all sorts of storage solutions, even a vacuum cleaner!
I wonder how long it will stay tidy.

Within 48 hours of me leaving her DD is on crutches with a sprained ankle. Hmm
And was notified she was a close contact as the girl she had lunch with tested positive later that day.
But she still seems to be enjoying herself.

Original poster
chopc · 02/09/2021 20:33

Oh dear @ChimneyPot !

What's the food situation at Brown? I assume they will have to buy their food as opposed to being catered for or self catering?

OP posts:
ChimneyPot · 02/09/2021 20:55

They have various options for meal plans but freshman have to take one of the full catering plans.
They have a number of dining halls and cafes around the campus they can use their dining cards in but they are not all open until college starts properly next week.
She says the food is quite good. Loads of choice in each dining hall, a bit like a food court.

Notagardener · 02/09/2021 21:54

Well Owl, DC supposed to move in about 10 days, and what I ( not her) has put aside , can fit in 1 suitcase. She won't start packing till the day before as not back home till Friday evening and moving Sunday...

Xenia · 03/09/2021 09:27

Every family and student is different. I bought nothing for the twins - really absolutely zero and they took their duvets and pillows and sheets off their beds and threw those in the car (they were in Bristol catered halls so no pans etc needed). I think that is very unusual and I am sure they bought some things once there once they settled in. I did find a spare plug extension lead for them.

Good luck to everyone with children about to leave. Both my sons are based at home this year (one left Bristol last year after his post grad) and doing a one year law course so nothing to pack or move for once - for the first time in years.

Original poster
chopc · 03/09/2021 10:01

@Xenia did you have loads of "spare" stuff from the previous three that they would have taken?

I also remember taking hardly anything to my catered Halls apart from clothes but why do I feel we are different to our parents and so are the students?

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Longtimenewsee · 03/09/2021 10:20

Yes i don’t seem to remember taking much either. I remember taking a plant and a poster or 2 . My mother went through her cupboards and gave me some old pots and pans and a decent knife . I bought a cheap set of cutlery and a couple of mugs from Woolworths.
I took my hamster after Xmas hols and hid it in another students room when it was my day for the cleaner to mop the floor! Grin

BigWoollyJumpers · 03/09/2021 11:14

I took my hamster after Xmas hols and hid it in another students room when it was my day for the cleaner to mop the floor!

Best "extra" ever Grin.

BigWoollyJumpers · 03/09/2021 11:16

Just needed to share with you all.... how stupid I can be.

Just realised my MOT expired three weeks ago - eeeekkkkkk! Been happily driving around, and giving DD lessons without a care in the world. Completely missed my radar with last years being delayed by Covid, and then not being with my dealer any more as it's now past it's inclusive service deal. Oooooppppps.

Original poster
chopc · 03/09/2021 13:48

Oh dear @BigWoollyJumpers . It is difficult to keep track of things...... especially now you don't get a physical disc with the expiry date

OP posts:
ChimneyPot · 03/09/2021 14:18

Irish exam results finally came out today.
DD got 7 H1s and a H2. The H1s were the exams she sat and the H2 was an assessed grade.
The 7 H1s would be 4 A stars for U.K. university purposes.

It was a bit irrelevant as she has already started college but I think she will ask Trinity College Dublin if she can defer her place there until next year as a safety net.

Revengeofthepangolins · 03/09/2021 14:46

@ChimneyPot. V cunning !

Original poster
chopc · 03/09/2021 15:02

Well done to your DD @ChimneyPot and absolutely why not? (Defer Trinity place)

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bendmeoverbackwards · 03/09/2021 17:16

Well done to your dd @ChimneyPot and I would definitely do that, nothing to lose.

bendmeoverbackwards · 03/09/2021 17:17

@OnTheBenchOfDoom

Ah but my lovely *@bendmeoverbackwards* you are probably working and so are very busy doing that along with lots of home admin stuff whereas I stopped working a very long time ago to improve my health, which was a great success fortunately.

I am a list maker, I like to be organised. I like admin, I like researching stuff. Therefore I have excel sheets with items to buy that I added to watching uni haul videos or other what to take to uni lists. This is my role in the family.

We did Ikea, The Range, Wilko and Dunelm over a couple of mornings. I live close to all of these places. Dh always takes time off in the summer holidays and loves shopping as it is a novelty to him as I do most of it; the man practically skipped to the car. We were in and out as Ds had already seen everything online so had a list, knew what he wanted.

It must be challenging having a child with autism, I cannot even imagine what that would be like. I hope you have a lovely time at Enfield (yes, I did have to look that up on a map, me being in Yorkshire and all) I have only been to London twice, once as a teenager and last time was a few years ago and I was part of a Q&A in a cross-party initiative. I was inside the houses of parliament and caught the tube at 6pm, that was an experience. Like ants all crawling into a tube station. Thank goodness I was with someone who lived in London.

Love this post, thank you @OnTheBenchOfDoom Smile
bendmeoverbackwards · 03/09/2021 17:19

Dd finally has her moving slot - 11am on Sat 18th September. Two weeks tomorrow!

Dh and I are trying to decide whether to combine it with a night away for just us two. We really need a break, this summer has been very stressful. I was thinking of maybe booking a nice hotel in Bath for the Saturday night after we drop dd off. Or will she want us to stay around? Will I be too emotional to enjoy it?

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 03/09/2021 17:26

@Xenia Ds has a single bed here but a 3/4 bed at uni so he has a new duvet and sheets. Plus he is only a short train ride away so we want him to be able to just jump on a train and everything be here if he wants to. He's in Durham, we live in Yorkshire.

He has raided the kitchen for old mugs and a tin opener but we have bought new pans for him as I really don't have a plethora of pans in the first place. In fact we don't have several of anything. He just has a frying pan and a sauce pan. His cutlery will be taken from the first ever cutlery set Dh and I bought about 24 years ago when we moved in together which is now used for picnics. I have just realised in 24 years we have only ever had 2 cutlery sets. I suppose it isn't something that gets changed that often.

Congratulations to @ChimneyPot's DD. @Longtimenewsee a hamster, adorable and much nicer than the tarantula that my flat mate had hidden in her room. I cannot tell you the fear living in the next room to that. I hate spiders.

@bendmeoverbackwards Ds will be taking some cushions we just need to buy them first and some throw blankets. He loves home comforts and is taking a cuddly toy! But yes, when I think of all the hair stuff I have it does add up. Mind you I bet your DD's feet aren't a whopping size 10. Shoes take up a lot of room.

I think book a night away, enjoy it being just the two of you. Your DD probably won't want you around, it is best to just let them get on with it. Plus wasn't your last holiday a bit of a trauma with DD3? And Bath is beautiful. Treat yourself.