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 😬

You are welcome, good luck to your daughter.

If they don’t fix the walls, if I was your DD I would stick up a poster/print over the worst damage with some white tack to make it look more attractive.

@Fairnair Yeah she has posters and was looking forward to personalising the room with her lights and fabric and stuff. She said she might buy some fake ivy to hide the bit where the tiles were!

@tribpot sorry about his Dad, that must be tough. My DD would also have freaked at a shared bathroom, I think she's have decided to commute instead lol.

Is anyone else fighting the urge to phone/WhatsApp to check how things are going? Don’t want to be ‘that’ parent, but I’m desperate to know! Partly because ds (last of 3 to go) will, I think find it harder than the other 2. Moved in on Friday. Have been in contact since, but don’t want to be messaging all the time. Aargh! So difficult to strike the right balance between leaving them to it and…what? I dunno, being there if they need it?

DS is one of those kids who will either send a million one word messages or complete radio silence. So far we have had ‘mummmm where’s the cutlery?’ conversation (in the bag, the blue bag, wrapped in a Jiffy bag, yes it is’ we still don’t know where it it). He’s on the family group so can chip into the usual nonsense when he feels like it.

Shopping is weird - I usually get text messages when I’m at the checkout ‘mummmm - can you get me some Pringles?’ And it’s odd not to get meat for him too! He sent me a photo of the fridge ‘I’ve done my shopping!’ (I was impressed). Wonder what week 2 fridge will look like.

We've just installed DS in halls and have gone for a well earned drink. He's meeting us for pub lunch and then we'll leave him and his new flat mates to it. Also ££££ lighted due to big shop

I am also trying to decide whether to message DS or not. Have found his calculator he used for maths a level (he’s had a year out so was in 2022) and as he’s doing geography he might want it? I could send it I suppose.

I am pretty worried about dd sharing a bathroom. She is all about the personal space and hates sharing and being interrupted. Also I have seen the bathroom in her halls (the group chat found a video from last year) and it is pretty hideous!

That’s pretty much the only thing I’m worried about with her tbh. She’s extremely streetwise and independent and a bit of a tight arse, so very good at budgeting. I hate the word, but she is quite “alternative”. Lots of black lace, band T-shirts, fishnet tights, massive boots and black eyeliner. I just hope it doesn’t take her long to find a group of gig buddies because she doesn’t really fit in with a lot of people. She does have friends in Bristol though, so just a short train ride from Cardiff if she gets lonely.

@watcherintherye i know exactly what you mean. DS isn’t one for keeping in touch but I just want to know how he is, what he’s had for his tea etc but resisting the urge to msg and be that mum!

And the automatic yell of ‘wanna cuppa tea?’ and making lunch and not having to make for one more…

We dropped DD1 off Friday - got back yesterday - she very happy but is the only one in her entire block there yet.

Logistics with DH job and us not driving means she a week before freshers week. I've spent this morning sorting getting rest of her baggage up there with DH and DD1 both getting tetchy with me.

She seemed okay found way to supermarket on Saturday - and didn't need to see us again - just as well as there was a huge event on making travel into and across the city hard.

Just feels bit unsafe her in entire block by herself though there were staff around in the day.

Well that’s dd safely arrived, already met her flatnates and has a busy day planned before induction tomorrow. A few tears but I’ll FaceTime her in a bit to check she’s ok.

Seems very weird to think I won’t see her til November when I go and see her for a concert we’ve arranged. Unless she comes back with her laundry.

DS1 took himself back to York today - it’s brought back some memories of his first year reading the posts today. I’m sure the freshers are going to love it! Starting to collect DS2’s stuff together in one place ready to take him to Southampton next Saturday. Very much leaving it up to him to decorate his room though. I’m just checking essentials.

Feeling it a bit here right now. I'm at home and DS is at that stage where parents have left and the students are just going to have to bite the bullet and talk to each other. He was on the phone to me and said there were people in the kitchen so I told him to get on with it. Just waiting and hoping now. He is a shy person but can usually do it when needs must.

Yeah, this is the hard bit @Seaweasel . I remember when I started at uni, I knew I had to go down to the bar that first night (in catered halls, so no kitchen) and I was absolutely bricking it. Luckily as I was walking through the door to the bar, I bumped into someone I recognised from the open day - what a relief.

When DSs dad and I dropped him back off at his room after we’d had a meal with him, we could hear the noise of people in the kitchen so we basically told him to go and see them and as we left he was heading that way.

I want to be able to know more but most of all want to know he’s OK. He’s recently been diagnosed with IBD (colitis in his case) and has now been prescribed lots of medicines and I’m hoping they’re still helping. Only had a meeting with the IBD nurse on Tuesday and before that I was seriously unsure whether starting uni was going to work.

He'll be 20 in November and capable of getting in touch if he needs to but likely to put a brave face on. I’m glad his girlfriend is also at the same uni (although in a different Accomodation block) but also hoping he finds some other nice people too.

My twins have also both now gone - empty nest and feeling very uneasy !

I’ve caved at least 5 times and messaged/called her. Surely she owes me for 18 years of answering her questions, 😂. I’ll stop now as feeling slight shame.

Dropped DD off to her accommodation in central Bristol yesterday. She hadn't slept the night before, just too anxious, so after we made her bed she promptly fell asleep. I went to do a food shop for her.
Luckily she was meeting a friend from school and they went to a Freshers party Saturday night. She texted me at 2:30 to left me know she got safely back! Today she has been sorting out her room. Still not met anyone in her flat. It was awful leaving her yesterday, sat in the car and sobbed, had to phone her aunt who gave me a pep talk and then the 2 hour drive home. Her dad has been ill for the past month and was unable to come with us but if better in a couple of weeks will go visit. The house is so quiet, we usually hear her music and singing.

DS has his time table and he’s only doing 2 hours a day except for Wednesday when he’s doing 3. No study days just one hour here and there, lots of gaps inbetween.
All that debt and not much tuition.

Just getting all the last minute bits done - council tax exemption to accomm, bought all cleaning and first aid bits, written her CV for job hunting, passport photos for student ID, signed up to UniDays and StudentBeans. 5 days to go!

DD had her timetable a couple of weeks ago and it had a similar amount but more has been added since - apparently there were some issues finding lecture theatre space at first. You might find it changes nearer the start date?

We're getting the timetable through in dribs and drabs, he has the details for one module but not the other, and no deets for tutorials or practicals yet. Could it be incomplete? I do think maybe some lectures are not done live these days in the way they would have been in the past, as they can be recorded and shared online, and discussions happen there as well. I seem to think I read about students getting together to watch lectures so they could pause it to discuss as it went along.

@Lowther, snap with the music and singing - and also snap with the central Bristol accommodation. I wonder if they are living close enough to hear each other's singing . It's a nice thought.

Back from dropping her off and I feel as if I've been in a fight - just physically exhausted, so strange. It's not that long a journey.

@ZittiEBuoni @Lowther my dd is at Bristol as well. She’s in one of the Clifton Halls so not so far from the city centre ones. Such a lovely city, really hope they all have a wonderful time.