They settle in and we miss them. Uni Starters 2023 - Thread 2

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I wanted to get a news thread ready for everyone as you wake up in the Uk.

We are settling into a routine of talking to DS on FaceTime on Sunday mornings after our breakfast, which is early pm his time. It is so nice to see his smile and catch up on how he is doing. I know at some point he will have a bad day, but so far he seems to be doing so well, I am ridiculously proud.

Hope you all have a good week!

Thank you, everyone, I feel a bit less panicky and more in control of the situation with steps I can take to minimise dangers. I wonder if the university could do more to help with this - I fear all their excellent efforts to broaden access are going to be for naught with rental costs and poor quality accommodation like this. Dd's annual rent swallows her maintenance loan whole.

At least she hasn't had anyone drop out yet @Lowther , but one of her friends has. She's quite tempted to jump over to that house, but would feel bad for her current flatmates, so I doubt she'd actually do it.

I think with student houses there's a mixture of more expected at the better end, but also more money expected too.
I used to joke with dd1 that our idea of luxury at the student level was being given a blanket to kip on the village hall (in winter); they stayed in a 2* hotel...

So more is expected by students, but in return some of the landlords are definitely taking the mick and hoping that none of the students has the knowledge/inclination to challenge. Student letting is big business, and most of the students are respectful of the houses and the neighbourhoods, but some landlords treat them as though most aren't, and expect to withhold deposit etc.

I've met dd2's landlady and she seems lovely. The house isn't top décor etc, but, as I said to her: if it has been freshly decorated etc then it won't look like that at the end of the year so there's more scope for them to think they should withhold deposit.
We had a bit of a blip on the day over picking up keys, but she was really good about it, and showed she can be flexible which is lovely. She also gave some tips for the area and things like local parking/neighbours etc.

Is it Digs? Currently waiting on a deposit for one of my kids. Not hoping for much back…

Different agency next year.

It most certainly is. And yes, sadder and wiser next year.

Hello, long time no post, all the A-level results kerfuffle has made me think of this thread. Any posters have dc taking A-levels this year? (I had 2 in a row and it's a relief not to have to deal with it this year.)

DD went to look at her new place and it sounds better than I was expecting, but I'm still primed with the camera and the red pen for the inventory...

Hello @ZittiEBuoni. DS is going to pick up the keys himself I think. You've just reminded me to prep him on doing a thorough inventory. Thank you.

I was also thinking of this thread on Thursday @ZittiEBuoni - good to hear from the old gang again. Hats off for surviving two result days in a row, I was extremely relieved not to have another one to deal with this year.

DS is back at uni at the moment doing a summer internship, back in the same halls but in one of the refurbished blocks and it's so much nicer. He's moving into private halls when term starts so fortunately we haven't got much to do in the way of inventory.

Yes congratulations on doing two results days. DC2 has decided not to follow the sane path although there still will be results days, just not the intense experience that seems to be A'Level results day.

Lovely to see this thread resurrected again. Hope all your summers are going well.

Good luck on the house moves for your DC @PolaroidPrincess and @ZittiEBuoni.

@tribpot The summer plans sound exciting for your DS and all the best for the new digs come Sept.

DD never managed to secure a summer job despite being given a 0 hours contract for one she applied to but no hours given to date so far...

She's met a local lad that she's dating and it's going v well so they'll have "The talk" once she resumes uni in Sept. It's been fab having her around and I'll miss her come Sept however I get the feeling she'll have the pull of home re this lad so will probably be back a couple of weekends a month. She's worried the 2nd year will ramp up work wise as she only managed to keep afloat in 1st year as was busy with placements and lots of contact hours of course. Has lots of summer work that they set to finish too so she can hit the ground running so to speak come the start of term.

Do all uni's set summer work? Have your DC had much?

Good luck for your ds move @PolaroidPrincess , yes, get that inventory done!

I wish we had been able to sort a private hall @tribpot but dd was adamant she wanted to live in a house. Location couldn't be more convenient but I'm scratching my head trying to work out where we'll park to unload all her stuff as it's on a main shopping street.

Dd was told she had summer work @AnneOfCleavage but it's only just showed up online so she has 3 weeks to get it done before Freshers week (she is doing a stall at the Freshers Fair so has to be back for it). It doesn't seem too intense though, just some reading and a bit of practical stuff.

DD has a very ad-hoc summer job but seems to work for her and to pay for a few days out with friends. Living near London means we’ve had some of her new Uni friends visit and use us as a base which has been lovely.

Y1 exams went well for DD but don’t count to final grade. She was in the top third of her Oxbridge faculty cohort which puts her in 2:1 territory, a friend at a south coast Uni was just inside the top half of her cohort and she was on track for a first so seems it is all very fluid on who gets what grade.

Good to hear you again. What with A level results day, it brought back all the memories and huge relief that I didn't have to go through it all again and that DD is happy where she finally ended up. Not been a good summer holidays as my DM died after a short illness, so was unexpected, even though in her eighties. DD has been a great source of strength and compassion during this time. We are doing OK.
Now have to find time to move all her things back to her new accommodation. She has found a summer job and done some travelling. A festival at the end of the month and then off to Greece with one of her old school friends. She has done uni work/reading and is working on a piece for the uni magazine. The distraction is what she has needed. She has enjoyed her course and is looking forward to the return. Lectures start end of September but she is returning in time for freshers week.

I was also thinking about this time last year! Thank goodness we're not doing that again!!

Dd starts uni this year but with grades (and baby) in hand!

Hardly seen ds - he stayed on jn London for work. I'm glad to see dc's all sorted with accommodation. Ds left halls yesterday but hasn't got anywhere else yet. He thinks it will shake down with friends. It will but probably a bumpy ride.

Summer uni work? I better give him a shove on that! His work has taken off. He does a lot of quite swanky stuff for work which is odd because our whole family is pretty scruffy and he is the worst and always late! (Eg he was meeting me at 1pm yesterday to buy me lunch (!) and he still hasn't shown up!).

I always knew he'd be ok but I expected him to spend his life working at festivals with no money but lovely times and with any luck a friend with a van he can sleep in. I try not to pigeon hole my kids but it seems I do it quite a lot which is one of my many flaws (Must try harder at that).

@Lowther I am so sorry I didn't see your update.

I am so sorry for your loss. It's lovely that you had dd to hold close. What a relief that dd is doing so well though. Her summer sounds like the perfect balance.

So so sorry to read about your loss @Lowther. So lovely you've had your DD close though this summer. This was me last year and DD on a gap year was a great source of strength.

Is your DD staying at home and going to a local uni @stilldumdedumming? Hats off to her juggling both a new course and a baby. Hope you get your owed lunch from DS soon haha 😀

So sorry for your loss @Lowther

Summer work from uni definitely not a thing here. Bearing in mind teaching finished in April it would appear they're not that bothered about teaching during the other seasons either 🙄I'm actually hoping year 2 ramps up somewhat, as year 1 was really a waste of time.

@AnneOfCleavage - excellent nn! Yes she is staying local. She is at her dad's who has more room. The childcare grant is quite good and she has booked into a lovely nursery round the corner where they eat and sleep outside!

Well ds is now on a train. So it's possible!!!

So sorry for your loss, @Lowther, glad you have dd there with you.

I'm so sorry about your DM @Lowther. It doesn't matter how old they are, you still feel the grief. I'm glad your DD has helped with that somewhat .

@stilldumdedumming I hope your DD is looking forward to it. The Nursery sounds lovely. And I hope you get your lunch from DS 

That's not good @tribpot. DS had had some an intense timetable in the first year. His only complaint was the quality of the Maths Lectures which is usually his favourite subject.

Big news Saturday lunch happened on Sunday evening. Ds looked really well.

Yay to lunch last night @stilldumdedumming 😂
So pleased your DD has got a lovely nursery sorted and that she's local so you still get to see your GC.

@tribpot in DD's case it's good we know she's getting her monies worth 😀 but she does resent her flat mates being able to go out several times a week and join societies as they have more free time 😜. Hope there's more hours for DS in year 2 and that the maths lectures come good.

Meant to tag @PolaroidPrincess in the maths lecture comment.

Thank you all for your kind messages.
Hoping to be off to see DD's new room and meet some housemates this week. She has moved a little but still lots of bags with pots and stuff to move. Anyone know about insurance needed - whole house or just room?
@stilldumdedumming glad you had a great catch up over lunch and congratulations to your DD and you.
I think this year DD intends to join a couple of societies, she lacked a bit of confidence last year. She is hoping to have Mondays off again but not sure that's happening, otherwise the she said the workload was manageable and certainly did not affect her nightlife!

Check your home insurance policy, @Lowther, as sometimes students are covered by that as they are only temporarily away from the home address.