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Higher education

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

Original poster

Attending open days/tours alone -staying over aged 17?

27 replies

gardenhelpneeded · 07/03/2022 17:54

My son (year 12 just turned 17) may go to a tour at Sheffield Uni on the way to visiting his sibling in Liverpool. We live in Scotland.

He’s quite keen to be independent so I thought he might enjoy doing the tour then staying over in a hotel/youth hostel before he gets the train to Liverpool the next day. However I can’t find anywhere that will accept a 17 year old on their own.

What do others do when they’re visiting universities far from home?! It’s made me wonder - am I expecting too much of him? He’s not travelled much at all (or really had much life experience due to Covid) but I thought he would enjoy the challenge!

OP posts:
drawingpad · 07/03/2022 17:54

Premier inn. DD toured the uk at 16 using premier inn.

Lulu1919 · 07/03/2022 17:57

Youth hostel ?
Premier Inn might allow a 17 year old to check in ...how do they know he's not 18 ?

VariationsonaTheme · 07/03/2022 17:59

Premier inn have changed their check in age to 18 now. It’s a pain for my ds who does a lot of stuff independently. I’m not sure what the solution is. If he looks over 18 they’re probably not going to query it, but I’m not sure I’d want to take the risk when he’s quite a way from home.

drawingpad · 07/03/2022 17:59

Oh ignore me OP they must have changed the T&Cs in the last few years, it was 5 years since SD stayed and it was definitely 16 then!

That said, they are not going to be asking for ID or anything, and many of them have check in machines so you don't even have to talk to reception (if they are working)

drawingpad · 07/03/2022 18:00

DD

Lulu1919 · 07/03/2022 18:01

Ah it looked at Prem Inn
It's a no ....

Attending open days/tours alone -staying over aged 17?
UselessTrees · 07/03/2022 18:04

Youth hostel? Usually over 16 for those, I think.

Original poster
gardenhelpneeded · 07/03/2022 18:04

He is tall but I don’t think he looks 18.

OP posts:
Babdoc · 07/03/2022 18:05

What time does the tour finish? Couldn’t he just get an evening train to Liverpool afterwards, and be met by the sibling? It would probably be nicer for him than sitting alone in a hotel room, surely?

Wheresmytrainers · 07/03/2022 18:16

You could ring Halifax Hall in Sheffield. It’s right on campus and would be good place to get a feel for the accommodation. There is another hotel called The Jonas which I think is connected to HH but I haven’t stayed there.

BlackCoffeeInAPoolOfSunshine · 07/03/2022 18:20

www.yha.org.uk/faqs 16 and 17 year olds can stay in youth hostels without adults.

RampantIvy · 07/03/2022 18:25

I went with DD.

BlackCoffeeInAPoolOfSunshine · 07/03/2022 18:28

Although out of curiosity (because my 16 year old travelled between countries by plane and train recently by herself to visit family and came back pleased and excited about the idea of youth hostelling with a friend instead of staying with family next year) I just tried tosee what the YHA have available, with a 17 year old as the sole guest, for a couple of random dates in Sheffield and the nearest available hostels offered were Manchester on one date and York on another!

That's pants!

BlackCoffeeInAPoolOfSunshine · 07/03/2022 18:33

Back when I was 17 I visited my offer unis by myself and with a friend where we'd applied to the same one. It wouldn't have crossed either of our minds for an instant to take a parent and it was all a big adventure and the start of independence.

I know its different now and 17 now seems to be closer to 14 or so 30 years ago for a lot of families and with social expectations in sync with that, but its a pity for the young adults held back by it all. The whole pandemic experience has exacerbated it but it was happening before that.

Notagardener · 07/03/2022 18:40

Hm not sure it was very different in the past. I did travel through Europe 40 years ago aged 16 but it was considered a bit odd. None of my friends stayed anywhere on their own at 16

gogohm · 07/03/2022 18:44

It's easier just to take the train to Liverpool, the tours end around 4/5

BlackCoffeeInAPoolOfSunshine · 07/03/2022 18:45

Notagardener completely independent long trips alone at 16 weren't common but going to university open days without parents was completely normal! Parents only ever dropped their offspring off (because of transporting stuff - students didn't own cars) but they weren't along in a supervisory capacity!

RampantIvy · 07/03/2022 19:16

I didn't go with DD in supervisory capacity. I went because our local trains were on strike every Saturday for 3 months, and DD had no means of getting to any university. Plus she wanted me to go with her so she could get my opinion.

Lastly she didn't have any friends who were interested in the same universities and didn't have the confidence to go on her own.

Original poster
gardenhelpneeded · 07/03/2022 19:36

Thanks all. Yes he could get the train to Liverpool that evening but it means 3 nights staying with his brother who has university commitments. And for those who asked - he would love being in his own in a hotel room. Grin He likes being on his own/doing his own thing.

OP posts:
Original poster
gardenhelpneeded · 07/03/2022 19:38

Also it’s a lot of train in one day…

OP posts:
lljkk · 07/03/2022 20:20

i lied on on line form to book DD a room, she was only 5 weeks off of truly being 18.

Original poster
gardenhelpneeded · 07/03/2022 20:27

Yes he’s only just 17 last month….

OP posts:
FormerBoardingSchoolTeacher · 07/03/2022 20:30

I thought the Sheffield YHA might just not be open at the moment, but according to their website there isn’t one there.

Attending open days/tours alone -staying over aged 17?
Attending open days/tours alone -staying over aged 17?
QuebecBagnet · 07/03/2022 23:37

Check out Russel Scott backpackers hostel.

TizerorFizz · 08/03/2022 01:23

@gardenhelpneeded
Just tell him to go to Liverpool. Who wants to stay overnight on their own? Your days can be very busy and not always illuminating. Just book onto subject info sessions and maybe look round accommodation and the uni. Then leave at about 4. Most students with no parent present go with mates. So I wouldn’t stay overnight.