Is there a general starting uni thread??

[Susiesue61]

I've seen a few threads for specific universities but not a generic one!
DD has gone to JMU in Liverpool and I'm finding it really hard going! Anyone fancy a support thread? Or direct me if there is one already!

How's everyone getting on? DD is ok but really hating just sitting in her room!

My DD is a bit better than earlier in the week. She went knocking on doors in her halls and met some nice people yesterday and went out with a couple of them last night. That was her 6th night out in a row! She says she's definitely staying in tonight (but said that yesterday ). She's still not eating much which is worrying me, says she has a nervous knot in her stomach. I hope once the nerves ease she will have more of an appetite. Hope everyone else is getting on ok x

Just back from dropping DS off at Warwick yesterday. He's my only one, so feel a bit lost the moment. I'm sure he'll be fine though ~ his room is really nice, but he was one of the first to arrive so not much socialising going on yet!

Dropped DD at Warwick today. Room looked quite nice. Left her at 14:00 to unpack and havent heard from her yet, so I hope that means she is busy socializing.

One week in and someone has tested positive in DD's house!

Judging by the lack of text/calls she's thrown herself into Freshers Week and is not missing home at all. She has a timetable that starts at 9am on Monday morning too.

It's her first evening working today (transferred her retail job), then a couple more shifts over the weekend. I'm guessing Saturday night will be spent partying.

DS is due to move into halls tomorrow and has got a stonking cold! He's done a covid test and that's negative but wondering should he go tomorrow?

DS3 successfully dropped of yesterday. Distance aside all reasonably relaxing. Arrivals seem to be spaced out over four or five days. He was the 2nd in his flat, six people, to arrive. Stunning view from his room.

Can I join?

DS1 left for university on Wednesday. He's not too far away but it's still really strange.

He seems to have taken to it like a duck to water. He's getting on with his flatmates, has been out to the pub with them last night for burgers and a pint, and has signed up for a couple of societies.

He's been pretty good at messaging so far, I've tried not to message him too much to give him space but he's kept me updated with what he's doing. It's really nice to see him enjoying, he's had to be really careful over the past 18 months as I was shielding so has missed out a lot on socialising.

@frantic17 that's good she's met some nice people 😊 DD is starting to learn some life skills at least! She's having to cook for herself and managed to burn herself tonight!!
That view is beautiful! DD looks out at another tower block

@boys3

DS3 successfully dropped of yesterday. Distance aside all reasonably relaxing. Arrivals seem to be spaced out over four or five days. He was the 2nd in his flat, six people, to arrive. Stunning view from his room.

Wow that is lovely.

Dd has a brick wall well it’s the wall of the halls next to hers. There’s a tree branch in the middle…!

Made a very smooth drop off in Bath, but absolutely drained by the time we got home in the evening. DC1 in self-catered hall, looks OK not too grotty. Seems to have socialised for a couple of days and taken today to spend by themselves, going into the city centre for food supplies.

Also a smooth drop off for DC2 in London - the only issue being low on fuel, we are close to running on fumes by the time we reached home. Haven't been able to fill up in the last 2 days (also having driven to Bath on Thursday), lucky to have had enough in the car for today!

DC2 throwing themselves into hall socialising, issues already with another flatmate (taking up more than their share of kitchen cupboards and freezer space). Hope they can all sort it out amicably.

Poor DS is really poorly...DH had a bad cold the week before and DS seems to have come down with it this week. He's been struggling on but we've just spoken to him on the phone and he sounds dreadful. Full on cold, hacking cough, really sore throat and this morning he woke up with conjunctivitis. He feels like he's missing everything, and there were tears.

@doistayordoigo that’s tough for your poor DS, and for you . Hopefully a few cold remedies, good night’s sleep - easier said than done in some halls - and he’ll soon be on the mend. Covonia seems to terrify a lot of coughs into submission, truly foul tasting though.

DS3 still not sure if the sixth person in his flat has arrived. He can definitely account for four others. He rang earlier and did say it might be a quiet(er) night in this evening. :)

Dropped Dd off at Sussex last weekend. Home to an empty nest.
She's hated the last year or so of lockdown and was desperate to go.
Barely heard from her since, apart from a couple of photos and two word messages. Assuming that's a good sign?

@NettleMania, there is an article in the Telegraph (I managed to trick the website into letting me read the whole thing on the second attempt; the first time it had just said I'd had my lot and please give us some money), comparing the different approaches of Sussex and neighbouring Brighton as term starts. The T obviously approves of Sussex - as much as possible back to normal - although possibly the Guardian and the UCU would view things differently.

Hopefully your DD is getting well stuck in, as the saying goes. I am hoping the same for DS2 up at UEA, which has similarly declared itself open.

Ds1 is off next Sunday to Oxford. He has no life skills whatsoever so heaven only knows how he will cope🤣🤷‍♀️

Think we have everything we need, slight panic when DH read he needed a suit and black tie, now sorted!

We are going up Sunday and staying overnight with the hope of some time to explore Oxford but also to pick up anything DS1 needs that we may have forgotten.

I am apprehensive due to the lack of life skills, just hoping he will step up when has to, he always has so far but just needs that pressure to do it I guess.

Main worry right now is fuel. Have just about enough for next few days at work and to get to Oxford and back hopefully but won’t then have anything left for work next week if things don’t improve. It’s hell finding fuel here on the south coast right now😩

Same! DD is full of cold, feeling homesick, missing her friends. Two other girls in her flat but they aren't sociable. She didn't enjoy Freshers even though she's out all the time at home! She's lonely, not sure about her course etc!
She's already been offered a job in a hotel so hopefully that and joining a couple of societies will help her settle. I'm at a loss to know what to say to her 🤷

@SS67 I've tried to remind DS that freshers is one week out of 5 years (he's doing vet med, so 5 years in total), and some of the quieter people may not even have been out yet, and will be waiting for courses and societies to start before even trying to make friends, so he's got plenty of time to meet lots of new people still, and lots of nights out are still to be had.

@doistayordoigo

Poor DS is really poorly...DH had a bad cold the week before and DS seems to have come down with it this week. He's been struggling on but we've just spoken to him on the phone and he sounds dreadful. Full on cold, hacking cough, really sore throat and this morning he woke up with conjunctivitis. He feels like he's missing everything, and there were tears.

Aw that is very sad

I hate to think of all these young people feeling low and lonely. It’s a huge step for all of them.

My dd is also full of cold. She has a temperature and a chesty cough. I’ve told her to do a Covid test and take paracetamol and if she’s no better tomorrow to seek advice from the on site Gp.

It’s horrible feeling she’s poorly and so far away.

@Bagelsandbrie DS has done several lateral flows, all negative. I asked him this morning whether he wanted us to come and get him, and he said "God no, why would I give up on five years at uni and my career because I've got a cold?!" I pointed out meant to pick him up, bring him home until he was better, and then take him back. Muppet

[quote doistayordoigo]@Bagelsandbrie DS has done several lateral flows, all negative. I asked him this morning whether he wanted us to come and get him, and he said "God no, why would I give up on five years at uni and my career because I've got a cold?!" I pointed out meant to pick him up, bring him home until he was better, and then take him back. Muppet [/quote]

Well we are two weeks and it has been a bit of a roller coaster ride. My DD was very wobbly when we left but I knew she would be. Thankfully her flatmates are lovely and there has been lots of partying which meant they all come down with freshers 'flu'. There have definitely been wobbly days but we chat most days and that helps.

I think once lectures start there is a bit more structure to the week and that has made a huge difference. With a bit of a nudge my DD has signed up to a few societies and she has met some lovely people through this route.

I think someone comment that their teenager hadn't made good friends, my DD said this and I had to remind her she had only been there 10 days! Each week gets a little easier as they get to grips with cooking, washing and uni admin. Good luck everyone.

DD is another one not well, she is still finding clubbing very difficult as she doesn’t drink alcohol. Not sure I have ever been to a club sober. She is looking forward to lectures and some structure and to make a few friends outside of her flat mates.

I am apprehensive due to the lack of life skills, just hoping he will step up when has to, he always has so far but just needs that pressure to do it I guess

Same here, my ds is very lazy but if he has to do it himself without the Mummy Magic Fairy swooping in, he will do it. DH said he did nothing at home yet when I met him he'd been living on his own for a few years and was very domestic and house-trained.

We dropped ds in York this Saturday. DH has had one whatsapp from him saying everything is fine at 1am this morning. DH commented that it was reassuring that he wasn't so drunk he could write a coherent message

We have had tears this morning, feeling ill, homesick and no lectures until Wed so she's feeling even more lonely. "It's only been 2 weeks, give it more time" I keep repeating to her. She's going to a society this evening so I hope that will work out ok.
She says it's hard to make friends outside of the flats.