Students unprepared for university

[RampantIvy]

I have read such a lot of posts recently on the WIWIKAU Facebook page from parents who are proud of their DC's (usually son's) poor efforts at shopping and cooking and generally looking after themselves.

Why on earth aren't they teaching their DC to cook, go grocery shopping, use a washing machine, wash up and other life skills before they go to university?

Teach them to claim the top shelf in the fridge if they can, to prevent stuff dripping on their food from above.

But only one person can do this or course.

And the top shelf of the fridge is warmer than the bottom, so a stupid place to keep meat for more than one reason, especially in an over-stuffed fridge in a communal setting. The top shelf can potentially be far too warm for raw meat.

Also, why teach your children to be selfish twats - aiming to drip their poorly packaged food all over other people’s by keeping it all on the top shelf, rather than following advice on how to properly store food and on which shelf of a fridge is appropriate for which type of good?

I'm sure the flat mates will ensure it doesn't happen again!

My son had to lay his carton of milk on it's side as his flat mates had all taken the space in the door. He didn't realise the inevitability of what would happen! Needless to say, it was a lesson learned for all - for my son not to put milk cartons on their side, and for his flat mates, not to be selfish twats taking up all the door space!

That's kind of irrelevant if they are in a situation where they get a shelf or half a shelf each. Which is the only way I've seen it organised in student flats. Really they won't all be organised enough to keep their meat on the lowest shelf.

Of course there is only only one top shelf. But being aware of how grim others can be, does at least mean they will put their fridge stuff in tupperware or at least keep it covered.

But the reality is that the poor sod who gets the top shelf doesn't have a choice and has to store his meat there. It's always "one shelf per person" so someone has to have the top shelf! There are never enough shelves for there to be a spare, especially in multi-occupancy student flats.

It’s not the law that there should be one shelf per student, that’s just a lazy, unhygienic and potentially unsafe way of organising it.

Besides, BytheGrace appears to think the top shelf is the prime spot, not the apot for the poor sod.

DD is vegetarian and an excellent cook. She categorocally didn't want catered accommodation to eat poor quality mediocre food at set mealtimes, which is what was available at the only catered halls at her university.

The perpetrator had come from a rich overseas family with servants and had never set foot in a kitchen before, and didn't have a clue about food storage. TBH, I don't know why no-one challenged him, but they only shared for 6 months because they all got sent home in March 2020.

@Walkaround It wouldn't have mattered that DD got the top shelf because she doesn't eat meat or fish.

@RampantIvy - it doesn’t hugely help your argument about being prepared for university, though, given that even those who supposedly know about food safety and hygiene still meekly go along with unsanitary fridge arrangements.

I do, but it's not the be all and end all 😅

It's just unusual to have a student fridge organised so everyone keeps their meat at the bottom.
In reality if no student left stinky (or even fresh, but badly packed and bloody) meat and produce in the fridge it wouldn't be an issue. But then there's reality.

All mine can wash. They didn’t want me in their rooms as teens so I could no longer collect their washing. Also had full time parents who separated so they had to be more independent. The lack of going in the room also means they learnt to change the bed, Hoover and clean. At first in desperation but as they age because they want it tidy. Eldest 2 can cook stuff. Eldest wanted to prep and eat more what she wanted rather than the family meals so I allowed it as I felt on balance it would skill her up. Youngest can sort basic stuff. He’s not shown an interest in a full meal but I think he will get there.

That said, I did absolutely nothing at home before leaving for Uni at 18 and I picked it up no problem.

That said, I did absolutely nothing at home before leaving for Uni at 18 and I picked it up no problem.

Do you suppose that when our generation went to university we didn't have a parent hovering at the end of a smartphone/laptop/tablet with a variety of different methods of keeping in touch, so we jolly well had to get on with it?

DD still contacts me to ask specific questions about employment, baking, getting rid of stains out of work uniform etc.

@Walkaround not all 18 year olds are self assured and confident.

My DDs went to boarding school so I didn’t fuss over them all the time. They did learn how to cook at school and did at university, DD2 straightaway. DD1 did have better food at school than university but she’s not fussy. She enjoyed meals with friends in the hall instead of being separate. She survived quite happily and didn’t have food issues with other students! She preferred set meal times and having way less hassle.

I think the convenience or not of having set meal times depends on the course. DD had quite a few late lectures and a couple of her friends who were catered had to run in order not to miss their evening meal. Also I would have been paying for a breakfast that would never get eaten.

Interestingly, there were a lot of ex boarding school students in the catered halls.

It is no wonder they get ill. Apparently bins are another issue, being left for ages without being emptied the flat next door to DD was crawling with maggots 🙈

@RampantIvy - I feel the need to point out you are quoting someone other than me in your post, as you don’t make that clear… No, of course not all students are self assured and confident. Not all have common sense, either. And some are just selfish and lazy. You are criticising a subset because you feel their parents are to blame for their behaviour. I am pointing out that your children apparently behave like the subset you are criticising in some respects, thus risking food poisoning. An outsider might therefore think your dd was one of the numpties whose parents have not done enough to prepare them for university…