Another path- the first year ......

[chopc]

Apologies if I didn't tag anyone. Hopefully have inckueded all current posters

Chopc - Durham-History
@jano69 -Durham -History
@OnTheBenchOfDoom -Durham - Computer science
@Majaso12 -Imperial - Biochemistry
@bendmeoverbackwards -Bristol- History
@Pumpkintopf -Imperial -Physics
@ChimneyPot -Brown (US) - Open
@Stillcrikey -Bristol -MML
@Tenpastseven - Bristol -modern languages
@Longtimenewsee - Durham - Chemistry
@MidLifeCrisis007 - Durham -History
@BigWoollyJumpers - Exeter- History
@SeasonFinale -Bristol- History
@Notagardener LSE
@Revengeofthepangolins UCL - History
@raspberryrippleicecream ? -Maths
@derekthe1adyhamster Birmingham- Computer Science
@Vargas -Durham -Geography
@AvocadoPlant Exeter -History

@Overeggingthepudding It's just a relief that it is all sorted so they can focus on their studies. Your DD's increase seems reasonable. My DD's rent has increased by a small amount but as she is in the smallest room this year her housemates gave her first choice for next year so a much bigger room which she is very happy with.

Yes.. I think Dd and all her flatmates are really relieved that they are now sorted for accommodation for their third year.

Is everyone else’s Dc sorted for third year accommodation? It’s been a big stress for them all in Durham this year. I hope it’s been a bit easier elsewhere

DS's 3rd accommodation is now (almost) sorted, but a problem has emerged in that the landlord/agent wants the rent paid in one lump sum each month, rather than in a separate amount from each of them. Understandably none of his flatmates are keen to have £4000 passing through their personal accounts every month, and the risk of hundreds of pounds being taken of their own funds via direct debit if someone doesn't pay on time.

Not sure how it's going to be resolved. DH has said if need be, he will set up a bank account to manage it all for them!

@Jng1 That's a pain and as you say a big ask if someone doesn't pay on time. I assume your DS is moving to a different house for next year? M is staying with the same housemates but different house/landlord. Their current house has had lots of snagging to due over run of refurbishment, mould issues and rent hike of £20 p/w. I hope 2nd year is going well for your DS.

So lovely to read everyone's news. I tend to forget about this thread and then suddenly remember it is here. Ds secured his 3rd year accommodation back in October. As current tenants they were given first choice so he and his next door flatmate are definitely staying. He is in private halls so just booked the same room. He can pay a bridging tenancy of 1 week from the current to new tenancy dates meaning we don't have to empty his room out which is fantastic.

He comes home this Saturday. We cannot wait. And also how are we a third of the way through second year already? A a couple of months we will be half way through the entire degree. Ds decided not to do a year in industry due to housing and friendships. He has applied and is being interviewed for paid internships for summer so hopefully that will look good for future job interviews.

@Jng1 would any of the student apps like www.splitwise.com/ help in this scenario? Sorry not sure exactly how they work so you may already have considered this!

DS definitely not sorted for third year - I think they aren't sure whether they might like to try to move a bit closer to campus 🤷‍♀️

@Dobbyismyabsolutefav Yes, moving to a different house with a subset of his current flatmates.

@Pumpkintopf Thanks for the suggestion of splitwise.com, but it's not so much the knowing who owes what as the logistic of processing of rents into a single account so that it can be paid as one single payment each month.
I've never heard of this in the context of student rental - each tenant has always paid separately, but the landlord's agent is being a real ar$e about it and lightly threatening that the whole deal may fall through if they can't do this .

We don't want DS to have the hassle, or the responsibility, of checking and sorting this out every month and as he said, it would screw up his budgeting app massively .

Well dc1 shared with 4 others and they also had to pay the rent from 1 account. I don't think there was an issue but he would not have told me if there was...
Excited, as visiting Dc2 on Sunday, have not seen her new flat yet

Well dc1 shared with 4 others and they also had to pay the rent from 1 account.

Ooh lovely @Notagardener !

Can't wait for DS to come home for Christmas...he's super busy apparently with projects at the moment but looking forward to Christmas.

What loveliness does everyone have planned?

It will be lovely to have them home won’t it?!
Dd is home this weekend. Can’t wait to see her!
She’s the noisiest of my young adults so it’s v noticeable when she’s not around.

Tbf.. she’s already done a lot of lovely things with her flat and they had ‘flat Christmas day’ which sounded very sweet. She very luckily landed with a great group during those first few weeks before a hurried house sign up last year.

She wants to decorate the tree together and then there are Xmas yearly traditions that ‘must’ be done which she is looking forward to ( just daft things we do every year)

No big exams after Xmas this year but she says she has plenty of work (as ever) to consolidate and also some reports to submit in the first few days of holiday so will be doing that also I think.

She’s really enjoying her course right
now and is coping with the mad workload.
Fingers crossed it continues.

Such a turn around from a year ago when she wasn’t sure she was even going back after Xmas!

What course is she doing @Overeggingthepudding ? I am sure you have said before but my Perimenopausal brain can't recall your old username (even though you have probably told me that too!)

DS not home til the 16th as he has to wait for a lift with his friend so he can bring his golf clubs down. He is having a great term and is really enjoying himself.

We have a few bits and bobs planned including carols at royal Albert hall. Hope to also catch another musical or a play. I am not a fan of panto but that is also an idea

We are 24 for Christmas. If anyone has any idea for any games we can play, that would be wonderful

Chemistry Chopc. I was lontimenewsee
Your Christmas plans sound lovely. 24 for Christmas! ( we are just 4 on the day) Does everyone do their bit? or bring food?

Anybody else keeping a watch on the weather forecasts?
I was feeling a little bit smug as DD will be driving home rather than rely on trains, but now I’m concerned the weather might take a turn for the worse and create some tricky conditions!
Even though we’re in the south west the weather forecast for the end of next week has changed a lot.

@chopc 24 on Christmas Day! My goodness, sounds fun but hard work!
re games, we had one last year called Poetry for Neanderthals - really is good for all ages, very funny.
you’re basically given a word or phrase that you have to describe to the rest of your team but can only use words of one syllable, against the clock.

@Overeggingthepudding It sounds as if your DD has really settled at uni and found good flatmates.

24 @chopc you're very brave, I'm sure it will be good fun though.

I was keeping an eye on the weather @AvocadoPlant as I'm off to Exeter tomorrow but it looks as if the snow forecast has shifted to the end of next week. Safe travels to your DD.
I'm hoping for snow but for the Alps not the UK as we are away for Christmas.

Thanks for the reminder @Overeggingthepudding

Thanks for the game tip @AvocadoPlant . Wonder if I can create this game for free somewhere instead of buying. Will investigate

@AvocadoPlant @Dobbyismyabsolutefav yeah we are used to having big Christmasses. When I was growing up with my parents people used to joke our house was a hotel. I had to share with the nanny so that there could be a spare room for someone to always stay. Yes most people will volunteer or have done already and will be allocated a dish. The only guest I am dreading having is my sister who was estranged on and off for years as we never know how the day will end with her presence . But I think it is important for her boys to spend time with their cousins (my kids) after not seeing them for so long that I sincerely hope it all goes well.

DD had booked a train for 15th Dec which has now been cancelled.
Then booked a coach for the evening, to travel after finishing a 4 day course. Now that course has been cancelled....

Oh no @Notagardener . Is she coming back quickly before strikes or sticking with coach? It might be easier to stick with coach now.. Dd said trains were pretty hellish yesterday

DD has a ticket on the Exeter to London coach at 17.20 on Friday 17th that she no longer needs. It's sold out. For sale at cost! (£29.50).

Hi everyone, hope you are all enjoying having your dc back at home.

Dd is finally home from Bristol, we went to collect her on Saturday. She had to pack up her entire room in her house as she is off to Prague in February for the Study Abroad programme. She's excited but understandably nervous and feels sad to leave her lovely friends in Bristol until September.

Third year house is finally sorted so she can relax about that.

Her room was a tip when we arrived on Saturday! She hadn't even started packing, blaming both her dyspraxia and an essay that was due. Luckily she has very patient parents and it didn't actually take too long to pack up. We just about managed to get everything in the car, dd was wedged up against her (full) laundry basket!

In other news, I decided to duck out of our family holiday to Mexico sadly. Dd3 (15 and autistic) has GCSE mocks as soon as they go back in January and was stressed about travelling especially such a long way. I'm a bit sad but it was the right thing to do and I'm pleased dd3 wants to prioritise her exams. Dh, dd1 and dd2 left this morning, they are currently on the plane. It feels a bit weird but I'll be ok once I get into a rhythm. I've got a few things planned to do and will take dd3 out to break up the revision.

@bendmeoverbackwards I kind of feel your pain albeit for a different reason, DS2 school decided to bring their year 12 summer exam dates forward by 2 weeks which means he will now start them 9 days after a long awaited trip to Japan during Easter. We will loose too much money to cancel and don't want to leave him alone and travel to the other side of the world so have taken the decision to take him and facilitate study. Not sure how he will get on .......

Merry Christmas to one and all. I hope everyone remains healthy and has a lovely time.

@bendmeoverbackwards totally understand why you would stay back but must be very difficult. I hope you manage to have a lovely Christmas with DD3. Prague sounds very exciting, surely you will just have to visit her whilst she is out there. Have you been?

@chopc awful timing for year 12 exams, you cannot be the only ones affected by them moving the date. It happened to my nephew and he scheduled revision in to each day.

We are having a lovely quiet Christmas eve, the calm before the madness that is Christmas day but I wouldn't have it any other way. Ds has managed to secure a paid summer internship in his subject so is incredibly happy. There were a lot of stages to the interview process and technical aptitude tests so he feels he has earned it. Also lovely that it was confirmed before Christmas so he can enjoy the holidays.

Merry Christmas.

Happy new year everyone! (Previously on these threads under a different name with older child).
Younger child wants to come to Exeter and, though trying not to get ahead of ourselves, can any of you recall how much before the start of term your children went for freshers? I can see term starts on Monday 26 September next year and I was wondering when 1st years would be expected to arrive?
Thank you.

Hi @Thepaintedgarden my DD is 2nd Year at Exeter, from memory I think freshers events were just a week before main term started. Good luck to your DD with her application. What is she planning to study?