Another path ....... the journey begins

[chopc]

Hello @321zyx @AvocadoPlant @bendmeoverbackwards @BigWoollyJumpers @Braveheart35 @calculatorqueen @ChimneyPot @Dobbyisahouseelf @Eastisup @jano69 @Majaso12 @MidLifeCrisis007 @NCTDN @Notagardener @OnTheBenchOfDoom @Parsonage63 @Pumpkintopf @Peaseblossum22 @quest1on @Peaseblossum22 @SATSmadness @SeasonFinale @Tenpastseven @Vargas @Xenia

Apologies for anyone I omitted to tag

[quote chopc]@Jng1 does your DS know the type of meningitis his colleague has?[/quote]
Not sure - the email says “probable cause being the meningococcal bacteria” does that make it B?

@Jng1 nope - could be any one of them- all meningococci are bacteria. However it sounds as though it is not definite it's bacterial. Hopefully viral and will have a milder course 🤞🏽

@Notagardener - of course! All welcome in the dance troupe 💃🏼 🕺

I look at TSR every now and then as DD (year 13) is applying for medicine this year.

I was a bit saddened to see the results of this poll. I do hope students will get the support they need to help them settle in better.

@MidLifeCrisis007

I look at TSR every now and then as DD (year 13) is applying for medicine this year.

I was a bit saddened to see the results of this poll. I do hope students will get the support they need to help them settle in better.

It's still very early for a lot of people. It seems quite positive that they feel they can be honest. I think it would be a bit odd if they all felt as though they were loving it at this stage. I've just had a long chat with my dd who's very confident and self-sufficient and who feels that she's just finding her feet and feeling at home at uni - she says it's really tiring meeting new people all the time and having to be smiley and personable with every single person. Honestly I think that survey is pretty much what one would expect at this stage?

Hmm I thought more people would still be loving it as it's all still new and exciting........

@Stillcrikey

Ooh *@bendmeoverbackwards* have a lovely time.

We’re off down to Bristol next Saturday 😁

@Stillcrikey are you staying over or going for the day?

@ChimneyPot nice to read about another performer on our thread! She should definitely have a go. I’m a big believer in supporting children to follow their dreams rather than put them off. It may or may not work out but if you don’t try you’ll never know.

Well done to your dd for her college exam. What the next step in the process?

Sorry to hear you’re missing dd, that’s tough. Must be comforting to know she’s being looked after. Not quite the same as you being there but the next best thing.

I’m missing dd too. Been feeling a bit strange since I got back from Bristol yesterday, can’t quite work out why.

Had an early dinner with dd on Friday night which was lovely, then she had to get back to the theatre to get ready for the show. It was fantastic, dd was so funny. She had the stage to herself at one point and got laughs and cheers. I was so proud. Afterwards I walked her back to her halls, she was exhausted so wanted to go to bed. I went back to my hotel and left early the next morning for a family commitment.

It’s weird there’s this whole part of her life I know nothing about. I mean we get updates etc but it was strange to see her in her new environment. I thought I was ready for her leaving but I’ve been a bit tearful since yesterday. I know it’s stupid. And menopausal hormones do not help!

Aw @bendmeoverbackwards no wonder you’re feeling strange. It’s a massive adjustment. No doubt I’ll feel the same next weekend. We are staying over. Booked somewhere for dinner on DS’s recommendation and also booked The Cozy Club for brunch on Sunday. Not sure if ds will join us for that though.

Your dd’s show sounds amazing! Well done her.

Be kind to yourself. These ‘farewells’ are tricky.

@bendmeoverbackwards huge hugs

A lovely update though

Let's see how I feel after visiting DS next Sat ......

Hey folks how's everyone doing this week?

DS has been gone two weeks. It feels longer. We've been lurching from crisis to crisis- so far there's been the night at the club with the forgotten ID, the oyster card that doesn't work with the travel card, the night at the club where the sewage pipe burst and he was covered in urine, the hurt ankle from clubbing, the sore arm from ice skating, the starvation through lack of cooking, and the 2am text that simply said 'I've lost my wallet'. That was fun to wake up to. Out on a night out with people he didn't know. Said wallet containing the oyster card that was finally working with the travel card. Plus his phone died that night so he had to ask a local hotel for a phone charger to order an Uber and get home.

Having said all of that he is certainly enjoying himself. Work has kicked in now and I think 'adulting' including washing and cooking is proving a bit of a shock. I'm hoping he might come home at some point but if not we're hoping to visit briefly in the next few weeks.

Was reading this thread in Twitter earlier. Terrifying.

twitter.com/lucymirandaward/status/1450495088082227204?s=21

Gosh that article is scary and awful.Did anyone hear that sport socials were cancelled at Exeter?
Good few weeks for DS ,still enjoying London with some formal socials.
DS is still 18,therefore has free bus travel and some subsided travel On tubes which has helped with cost.

Hope all DS recovered from freshers flu and enjoying their courses,now that work has set in.

*DC

Had anyone’s DC mentioned the boycott of night clubs that a number of universities are taking part in after the rise in both drinks (and people) being spiked?
Students are protesting and raising awareness by boycotting clubs on a particular night (varies by uni).

The FB group WIWIKAU had a thread over the weekend about students across the country (literally Edinburgh to Plymouth) where either they or the drink was spiked.
Some really horrific stories with bouncers accusing students of being drunk and refusing to help, students in A&E, students now having your wait weeks for tests to rule out HIV or other infections where they’ve been jabbed with potentially dirty needles.

@Pumpkintopf what an adventure your DS is having and how smart to think of going to a hotel to charge his phone!
What happened with the lost wallet and replacing cards etc?

It is so worrying about the drinks being spiked and people being injected ...... it is good if boycotting the clubs will make them more diligent about carrying out searches on people before they enter a club. It is assault and people concerned should be jailed.

You are allowed to be drunk. It doesn't mean people have the right to spike your drink nor inject you. This is assault. What's with the victim blaming? Those bouncers should be held to account

More info

Thanks @chopc - he reported the lost wallet but it hasn't turned up so we've just ordered replacement cards (at a cost of course!) and ordered him a wallet with a chain he can clip to his trousers- he did agree it was sufficiently cool, I did think I was in danger of getting the equivalent of mittens on a piece of string!!

Radio 4 covered the drinks/people spiking this morning- but focused very much on Nottingham which clearly , looking at that thread and the articles, is not the only place this is happening. Have sent it on to DS to raise awareness. He forwent a club night he had booked tickets for last week as one of his female friends was very unwell on the way to the club - he took her back to his room and let her sleep in his bed so he could watch over her and make sure she didn't choke or anything as she was being quite sick. I think he had an uncomfortable night on his floor as all he had was a cushion and a cheapy IKEA blanket- when we visit I might take a camping mat and sleeping bag just in case of recurrence. I was proud of him for doing the right thing and looking after her though. He seems to have a nice group of close friends and the lost wallet night out was mainly an issue because he'd gone out with people from Beit hall he didn't know and didn't end up getting along with terribly well hence deciding to travel home alone!

Hi Can I ask which banks charged for replacement cards?!

DS has sorted out a group for next year's house and they hope to look for a house after reading week (November)

@Pumpkintopf oh no, your poor ds! Sounds like he's handling all the mishaps well though. I think all the adult chores do come as a shock however well prepared they are. But they all get there in the end. I pointed out to dd over the summer when she was having wobbles about not being ready, that is the partly the point of university - to MAKE you independent. They will grow up a lot in the next 3 years.

That's awful about the drink spiking. Dd is sensible, doesn't leave her drink unattended and is only an occasional clubber but even so.....

@bendmeoverbackwards the scary thing was these girls kept their drinks covered - but they were injected! How do you stop that?

@chopc who the hell are these scumbags and what are they injecting them with? Where do they get these drugs? Very scary.