Annnddd they're off! Uni Starters 2023 Thread.

[Titsywoo]

Hi all,

I thought I'd start a different thread as the Alevels and beyond one is more geared to remarks and clearing at this point so didn't want to start derailing that with chat off packing and freshers week.

How is everyone getting on with helping their DC prepare and the idea that soon they will be moving away?

My DD is off to Cardiff to read psychology so will be about 3.5 hours drive away. I'm both nervous and excited for her right now! Packing is going well - pretty much all stuff has been bought and the induction pan set should arrive today. There is a large pile on the landing which keeps growing as we think of extra bits.

Due to a very lucky spot by me when scrolling Tiktok DD has found and been added to the Cardiff Psychology year 1 snapchat group. From that she got chatting to some others who aren't massively into drinking or clubbing and they have another chat for people who want to do other things than clubbing. They are organising meeting for some of the SU 'Give it a go' events such as an escape room and Ikea trip! Dd has also persuaded a couple of people to join the Hookers society with her (for crocheting! 😄).

Dd had a terrible time with bullying and social isolation from year 5 till the end of sixth form so I am praying this is the new start where she finally finds her tribe 🤞🙏

Looking forward to hearing how everyone's DC is getting on and how the first few weeks are for them. Not long to go now! DD leaves in 20 days 😬

Supermarket gift card is a brilliant idea. I'm going to get DD one of those. Sainsbury's is her nearest.

On our way to Edinburgh Uni today. Anyone else?
Car not too chocka. I obviously have a DS. 😂

Lovely drive through heather clad hills and open roads. 😊

We do the same as @Delphigirl . It's nice to leave them to unpack and settle but have an excuse to go back and see if they are ok and have set up devices etc before you leave.
Navigating the goodbye without turning into a blubbering wreck can be tricky but the above method can help, particularly if you call them down to collect the shopping. It's sort of done in stages then!

Yes I've bought when on offer too!
My thinking is cook the meals day before, decant into his little individual 500ml tubs, put these in a freezer bag with plenty of ice packs then unpack first and straight into freezer at uni. He has a whole freezer shelf apparently.

Also a huge Sainsbury's 5 mins from halls so he can get anything extra he needs from there.

Some stores have a parent/student card where you can top up their card, think both Sainsbury and Tesco do them.

DS was adamant he wants to be self financing using savings from his part-time job from last year but think he may change his mind once he sees his savings go down so might get one of these cards then

Brilliant, thank you!

We are lucky that his dorms are central and I know the area well (I work nearby) so know where all the supermarkets are. I guess we will drop him off and take him for a shop/show him around. I also got a subscription for washing machine tablets (that come through the mail in tiny little boxes) so he has 9 weeks supply in a teensy little box. Assuming he does his washing!

I’ve given him a fist aid kit, and some tea tree oil (always handy).

we don’t know the storage/cupboard space yet.

Bear in mind they may not have a lot of cupboard/fridge space in a shared kitchen so Best not to overdo the fridge stuff in the shop. Always good to have tea, coffee, biscuits to share, breakfast stuff (whatever time of day they eat it!) and some pasta and sauces/sauce ingredients.

I’m thinking I’ll make her a batch of cheese sauce and divide into freezer pots, then she can easily make macaroni cheese, lasagne, pasta bake etc. Maybe do the same with a coconut curry sauce and tomato sauce. Then she just needs to add veg/rice/pasta. It might stop her being lazy and eating ramen or pesto pasta for every meal!

We're too far away to take anything frozen, alas. DS has done a two week meal plan (including breakfast and lunch) so is gearing up to be cooking a full meal every other night, we've been practising for months. I can see his enthusiasm waning a bit when he has to shop for all this stuff on a regular basis - and wash up.

Good luck to everyone starting this weekend! we have a couple of weeks to go at Nottingham so going to try and teach Ds a few meals before then!
I’ve asked before but does anyone know when the maintenance loan is paid?

I have a big bag of cupboard stuff for dd. Noodles and pasta, packet rice, some pots of pasta sauce, ketchup and salad cream, coffee and sugar, biscuits, crisps and cereal bars, a box of cereal. I figure she can at least feed herself from that for a few days until she can get to the supermarket. We have no idea on fridge/freezer space yet but imagine there won't be a lot so I think she's better off doing her own shop when she knows how much she can buy.

Last weekend for dd to get sorted here. I've reminded her she needs to take the folding airer with her for when she doesnt want to pay to tumble dry. It is one of the ones that can be wider or narrower do hopefully will fit her room. We got over radiator ones for dd1 then they didnt for the radiator!

Taking a small bag of fridge and cupboard stuff to bagsie the space when she gets there, then we are off to morrisons which is around the corner.
The box trolley came and looks useful for helping lug stuff over the road from the car park to her place. And it will do for trundling supermarket stuff home too.

He can see the payment schedule in the Student Finance portal @Allloveisbeautiful but it's a pain in the arse to get into. I don't know if the payment dates vary between unis, I think it's based on the first day of term (i.e. excluding Freshers Week). I've got written down that DS' payment dates are:
25/09/2023
08/01/2024
15/04/2024

@Allloveisbeautiful if they log into their SFE account there should be a schedule there. It's usually a day or two after the start of term as the uni have to confirm that the student has actually turned up before SFE pay out.

@Allloveisbeautiful there isn't a single published date as payments are made to coincide with the start dates of each university. I believe this is because the university has to confirm the student has registered. Nottingham are due to receive payments on or around 25th September according to my son's student finance account. It says next to it awaiting confirmation of registration, or something like that. I think Nottingham Trent start a week earlier so should get theirs paid earlier. They will get a text or email when the payment has been made.

I see others have already answered while I was typing!

One week today til DD moves to Bristol and it's the first time I'm struggling quite a bit. I know we'll all be fine but it's such a big change to adapt to. Really feeling it today.

For ds1, we moved him in by train so I organised an Asda delivery to arrive within 3 hours of our moving in slot. I figured that whatever didn't fit in his cupboards could be kept in his room.

We have a list for dd which need to get at some point this week.

Same for ds to Bristol, too. The house will seem very empty…
Thoughts with everyone whose feelings re their dc’s imminent departures are somewhat mixed. We’ve had the best part of 30 years with various of our dc around. Not looking forward to it!

While I’m on here, ds’s halls indicate that he will need a separate tv license, if he intends to watch any tv content on any device in his room, rather than in a communal area. The uni halls license won’t cover that, apparently. Do people actually do this? I don’t remember it being a thing with the older dc, but maybe it was a case of ignorance being bliss!

is anyone providing laundry detergent to their dc before they go? It’s an expensive item and I thought it might be appreciated. But I don’t know what o get or whether it is provided with the payment for the washing machine or whether there might be restrictions on what is permitted etc? Nottingham catered hall in case relevant but a more general query for anyone!

DS has a ziplock bag with these in - this is what we use at home.

We got pods that go in the drum. Smaller box than powder. DS's university preferred that you don't use fabric conditioner and use all in one.

Some universities Understand don't like you using the drawer, hence the reason we got pods just in case

@watcherintherye Yes I don't remember needing separate licences when we went but saw that for Bristol. My DD said 'what's a TV licence?!' She never watches BBC programmes and just streams stuff on her laptop. In the end the iPlayer just asks you if you have a licence but I don't think they have a way of checking do they?

Yes I pack some laundry leaves which are easy to carry around and ecologically super friendly, like a pp. I like these. Good thing is you can tear off a quarter and use it for hand wash or use half a sheet for a small load.

https://www.ocado.com/products/wash-with-leaf-non-bio-laundry-sheets-50-600243011