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!

Sorry about your DS news @stilldumdedumming , it must be hard for you to think of him unable to get away from this girl now. But a grandchild .

DD has a million Christmas concerts then she's back I think in two weeks, doing more Christmas singing here, then going back to be in a Christmas panto thing, then coming back here, then... No, I'm exhausted already. I think that takes us up to Christmas week...

Yes, I was certainly hoping for a different outcome @stilldumdedumming for your DS.

DD is out tonight at her Xmas party with colleagues from her ‘year in industry’ placement. She’s quite a lot younger than her colleagues & a bit nervous but I’m sure it’ll be fun!

Lovely to come back and catch up on this thread.

Sorry to hear about all DS troubles with the girlfriend@stilldumdedummingbut congrats on the grandson cos if he hadn’t been your DS’s you would miss him as he’s several months old now.

Hope DD enjoys her Xmas party @NotDonnaand your DD her Xmas concerts @ZittiEBuoniand wow to your DS cooking a flat Xmas meal and how lovely he asked you how to cook a ham @BunnyRuddington

That cinema sounds great @Lowther- is it a normal one or one that shows old movies etc? In Bognor Regis DD goes to a cinema that costs £5 to watch any movie - she saw the new Wicked part 2 last week. It’s the same price whether you’re senior, student or basic.

What is DS doing in Utrecht @MirandaWest? I know it’s a placement but can’t remember what degree he’s doing.
Fabulous your DS is on track for a first @LittleRedRidingSnoodDD is the same but is finding this years assignments have ramped up and her Dissertation supervisor is super picky and all stick and no carrot so she’s worried she’ll be the reason she downgrades her degree but I’ve said a 2.1 is fabulous.

DD is driving home most weekends as misses her home and boyf and home friends and two weeks ago had to do a dash home to be in time to say goodbye to our beloved floofy boy who suddenly got poorly and the vet said was incurable. We are all missing him so much 😢

Can’t believe it’s nearly December!!

Oh @AnneOfCleavage so sorry for your loss of floofy boy 💐 A 2:1 is fabulous but I do understand her fears. Let’s hope that the stick (rather than carrot) is to ensure that 1st rather than a reason for a downgrade.

So sorry about your floofy boy @AnneOfCleavagebut so glad that DD made it home in time

We have sone good news here. After DS spending time applying for internships for next Summer then feeling down because he wasn’t getting anywhere, he’s heard this week that he has one. I’m so, so pleased for him.

Now looking forward to hin being home next weekend. Funny how quickly yoi get used to them not living at home but I do like it when he’s back.

Yaay!! 🥳🥳 Huge congrats to your DS @BunnyRuddington what field is he in? I’ve currently got all 3 DC at home since summer as DD1 (22) has finished her ACA degree apprenticeship & started a new job in London - she’s looking for a flat but I think she’ll stay home a while to save a deposit rather than rent; DD2 (20) is on her ‘year in industry’ so commuting from home; DD3 (16) is lower 6th so also at home. It’s so lovely to have them all here but I do know that DD2 (the one on this thread) is finding it the hardest adjusting after the freedoms of uni!

Fabulous news @BunnyRuddingtonGlad he didn’t give up trying as patience as prevailed!!

How lovely @NotDonna Do they all get on and does DH get first dibs on the bathroom? 😁 Must be lovely having all your chicks home at the same time.

@AnneOfCleavage with 3 girls we renovated the house so there’s a few bathrooms!! He does work away a lot though & has a shed at the end of the garden! 🤣

Great news@BunnyRuddington Brilliant news to give up and persevere!
DD is back next weekend, then back to uni for another week and then home until end of January. She tells me she has lots to do though. She is back and forth often. Her dad enjoys it when she is home, especially the midnight cooking sessions!

@NotDonnathank you, he’s studying Civil Engineering. It’s a big company that he’s landed an internship with and they’re only employing two undergraduates for the Summer so I’m very pleased for him, as I’m sure you can imagine

All of your DD’s seem to be doing well. I bet it’s taken a little adjustment on your side too though? My DC2 is still at home and loves having us to herself she when DS is away.

Do they cook together @Lowther? My DC are does for cooking in the night, especially at the weekend. Think I’ve finally managed to train myself to sleep through it all now though

I've been fairly quiet in here lately. Everything is going well for dd, her studies are going great, her friendship group is calm, her boyfriend is supportive. She has recently qualified as a coach in her sport, and now has British championships next weekend so is now mentally preparing for that.

Edited as some things don't need worrying about yet.

She is doing incredibly well! You must let us know hpw she gets on next weekend.

Thanks @BunnyRuddington. She did really well, things didn't go her way, but she held her own. We knew it would be tough as aside from GB2 getting gold, a fair number are full time athletes.

We had quite the adventure though. The hotel we had booked into was not safe in our opinion, (we have similar in our town which is used for homeless people, usually with dru addiction issues) so we requested a refund and left. We booked through booking.com and I've raised a complate and now a dispute resolution as the hotel didn't respond. I've never done this before with them though so have no idea how it works. If anyone knows timelines, that would be fab.

The one hotel we managed to book in the area it turned out, also had the spurs team staying which cheered up a horrible start to the weekend.

Do hope booking.com sort you out @Downsidesupside

How’s everything going @stilldumdedumming? Hope you, your DS and baby are doing well. Think about you often!

DD2 is 6 months into her placement year and was offered a place on their grad scheme yesterday! She’s chuffed to bits and it takes a lot of pressure off. The bonus is she loves the work & the people so I doubt she’ll look elsewhere. It was only a verbal offer, nothing in writing as yet but there’s no reason to think it’s not a true offer. We expect they’ll want a 2:1 but that should be doable given her 1st & 2nd year grades.

Are your DDs/DSs applying for jobs yet? I think most here are doing 3yr degrees. Or is it a bit early?

@NotDonnathank you so much for asking. The baby is doing brilliantly. The rest of it is still pretty drastic. DS moved out on New Year’s Eve. He is trying to get to see the baby but she’s now trying to frighten him that she will post untrue things about him online. (Although one of those things is that he is gay - which isn’t the scare she thinks it is!). So it’s very hard. I am kind of hoping she goes to prison - and that’s not like me for a non violent crime. The evidence is damning. But it’ll be up to a jury.

I like to read the news on this thread. It makes me a bit sad but I really love to see our young people doing well.

Thanks @NotDonna they refunded in full and offered compensation. Fortunately the next competition is close to home so no accommodation needed.

stilldumdedumming that still sounds difficult for you all. Fingers crossed things start to settle for you all.

Dd is starting to look at job options post uni which feels weird. Ds1 profession has a shortage so he walked into a good internship, dds won't be so easy I think.

@Downsidesupside there’s professions with shortages???? Now I am intrigued!!

@NotDonnathat is amazing! I’m so, so pleased for her and should take the pressure off like you say. DS is on a 4 year course so not looking for jobs yet but hoping he can get a similar result to your DD wheb he does his Internship this Summer. It’s at the company he wants to work for doing in the field he's most interested in so keeping my fingers crossed.

@stilldumdedummingis DS back with you? All of this sounds so traumatic for all of you.

@Downsidesupsideglad that you got the refund and that the next competition is closer to home. Perhaps we all need to train in the field your DS is in

Ds1 is a vet. Not for the faint hearted. But yes, they struggle with retention so they have a shortage of (weirdly) male vets. When he was at uni, the ratio was 1:8 male/female.

Dds degree links to the NHS and they seem few and far between at the moment.

DD's ex bf is a 4th year vet student - good news for him! I'm glad, he was lovely.
DD just back from a research () trip to Berlin, all ready to crack on with her dissertation. She's applied for an MA, we shall see how that goes.

Really hoping all works out for your DS @stilldumdedumming and he can elude the grip of your grandson's mother.

Fingers crossed for the graduate job @NotDonna , sounds very encouraging!

The lack of male students is interesting. We go to a Vets which is attached to a Veterinary School and when I think about it, I think we’ve only ever seen one male student when we’ve been.

Just checking in with everyone. DS has just over 2 weeks until the Easter Holidays. I know for some of your YP this must mean that the end of Uni is getting pretty close?

Hi @BunnyRuddington crikey only two weeks til Easter! It’s not really been in my radar.
We’ve no Easter plans. I’ve a DD3 doing AS’s and wanting to stay home to study so…
DD2 (the one for this thread) finishes her ‘year in industry’ placement at the end of May and is then spending summer travelling. She has been able to live at home and commute to placement (& we’ve not charged her rent) so she’s saved pretty well; for the trip and for her final year back at uni. She’s found a flat share with another girl who has also had a year in industry (overseas!) - or I should say the other girl has found them a flat share. So everything is coming together nicely. I wonder if she’ll find it hard going back to student life.

Hello, all, yes, we know dd's graduation date and she will get her invitation sometime next month. Working on her dissertation currently, has a place on an MA course at the Royal Welsh but is thinking of deferring for a year, just to get off the treadmill and earn some cash. First night of her panto tonight, she is playing Mr Poe in A Series of Unfortunate Events . Wish I could go and watch but too busy at work alas. Still, as you say, Easter is creeping up... All the best to your young'uns, thinking of you all.