Uni starters 2024

[radiator2]

The countdown is on. Uni move in has started for some unis and is right around the corner for others. How are we all feeling? Wishing the best of luck to all freshers!

DD is going back tomorrow. She's off for another week but has exams the week after so wants to go back to study. I've tried to convince her to stay longer but I work at home so can understand her need for peace. She actually said, I've not been alone for four months, I'm looking forward to having the flat to myself for a week!

I'm going to see her at the start of March for her birthday, then she's back towards the end of March for Easter. Trying to tell myself that this is less time than last term, but I do want to cry when I think about it. In the end, last term flew so. She's abroad for Y3 so next Christmas might be her last one at home too 😭

DD is also back tomorrow, she’ll be home again for around a week in a week or two after exams before teaching starts again. Definitely feel more at ease than when i first dropped her as i know she’ll be ok. I don't know who’s more nervous for her exams, me or her. Crazy how fast her first year is going, i think they finish in May so she really doesn’t have that long left in first year. I’m sure second semester will fly!

DD went back a week ago. The worst year was when DH tested positive for covid on Christmas Eve and I drove her back to Oxford that morning with a Christmas dinner to keep her safely out of the way. That one was hard.

DD is going back on Monday - she doesn't have to be back as early but has some choir things to do. Also boyfriend at the same uni is going back in the next couple of days too :)

DS is in 2nd year at a different uni and is also planning on going back next week to work on assignments. And DH is off to America with work on Wednesday - the cat and I may rattle around the house a bit!

DD currently travelling back to Aberystwyth. Due to railworks there are two changes and a replacement bus.And with the TV dooming us all day about the terrible weather conditions.....

Anyway, we got a Whats App saying she was on the last leg from Shrwesbury to Aber and thought we could relax for a while. Then got a panicked Whats Appp because the conductor had asked to see her railcard, she couldn't remember the login and it wasn't sending a reset link to her Email. Turns out it's registered to her Dad's Email because he bought it for her and we managed to set a new password that she could then log in. What an absolutely ridiculous system - why can't the Card just be something you download once and it sits on your phone???

So I'm just hoping she gets there safely now.

The worry never ever stops does it?

Ds going back tomorrow although his exams don't start until Tuesday. I think he's really enjoyed not having to adult for a couple of weeks, meals on table, laundry done etc. Apart from a couple of days off for Xmas he seems to have been working hard, making notes, doing past papers. It's a shame the exams weren't before really so he could fully relax. He's hoping to go away next weekend with friends.

Just to say there is a Railcard App, it’s “live” all the time so you just click on it and it shows the railcard. I’ve got a Friends and Family one and DS has got a 16-25 one and it works for both.

Thank you, we only got a fairly garbled version of what went wrong but it seems she managed to get it sorted in the end.

I always have print-outs of tickets etc when travelling - it would just stress me out far too much to be relying solely on a phone!

@HPFA glad all was ok in the end. I imagine conductors see a lot of new students struggling with phone tickets and rail cards. Christmas/new year and Sundays tend to be rubbish for subs on trains, I don’t miss those days!

Thank you, apparently you get one chance a year where you can reclaim any extra fare or fine if you can subsequently prove you actually had a railcard. I know these things are all part of the learning process -hopefully her next trip she'll check the day before that she can access it easily - but it's so damn hard to watch it happen!

I've just had a Whats App to say she's back in her room. So she made it safely through the weather.

He’s gone (with DH), he was crying when he left. I’m sitting by the fire shovelling down the remains of the Christmas chocolate and feeling miserable.

DS1 went back yesterday morning to Loughborough before the snow started. He’s fully stocked with avo annd protein 😄 and ready to settle down for his exams. I don’t feel as sad now when he goes back as he is year 4 and an independent lad. Still got DS2 here so will be bereft when he goes back in a couple of weeks

Dd was meant to go back on 17th but she’s got a job interview on Wednesday so May go back earlier.

It’s so difficult when they’re upset, I’m sure he’ll be ok. But it definitely doesn’t help the worries.

We are just back after dropping off. It’s a 6hr drive for us so we stayed overnight and what was nice this time is DS was happy for us to hang around and come out for dinner and breakfast this morning as he wasn’t under any pressure to go and make friends with new flatmates etc. Bit heart wrenching leaving though. Hope everyone who was dropping this weekend got there and back safely in this weather.

I've got my yp going in a week's time for exams then they are back for a few days after that. It's been so lovely having them back, and I'm not looking forward to them leaving but it seems easier then it did the first time 😕

Thinking of you all having just dropped off or about to say goodbye in the next few days. ♥️ Glad to hear it has felt easier for some of you - here's hoping.

DS should have gone back to Loughborough today but he only has 1 hour lecture this week on revision techniques (they have exams) so he has opted to stay here and revise instead. Feels a bit like he is truanting but he is adamant he can just watch it online and it’s pointless going back for an hour!

Both DS went back this weekend and I had a little cry.

When we dropped off in Sept there was so much to do and I was so busy dealing with DD(8) emotions that I didn’t allow myself much room for reflection.

It hit me pretty hard yesterday, we had such a lovely Christmas and I miss having all the family home all the time.

They are thriving, I couldn’t wish for better for them. Time is a beast.

I think January is always a tough month anyway. The come down from a lovely Christmas and festive period puts many people on a bit of a downer. But this year feels much harder now the kids have gone again and youngest DD has head back to uni. I have loved having a full, busy house and it feels quiet and strange now. I do wonder if I will ever get used to it, or properly adjust to my empty nest. 😕

Dropped DD off at the train station this morning. Feel a bit bereft tbh. I am happy she is happy at uni but I'll miss her being around. Even if she does have the ability to take over the whole living room.

He seems chirpy this morning. I packed him a new diary with an arty cover, some nice hot chocolate and his favourite crisps which he found when he unpacked his stuff yesterday and that cheered him up a bit. He has exams next week so is getting on with revision now.

Got a bit of a weird situation here, just looking for some advice. Uni started again for DD today so she went to the gym after lectures (her uni gym) when there she noticed a man looking at her very intensely. They were on different machines, he was behind her on a rowing machine but every time he pushed back or went forward he made an effort to stare at her in a very suggestive way. She looked at him though the mirror trying to sense if it was coincidental eye catching but said he was trying to catch her eyes through the mirror. She was on her machine for around 15-20mins with him behind her looking at her strangely, apparently making weird expressions at her I think a bit of lip biting etc. When she moved machines he stopped rowing completely to stare and smile creepily at her, turning his head to see where she was going. Her gym changing rooms are unisex so she briefly went on another machine to try and hide in the crowd as she felt he might approach or follow her. She then rushed off. She’s been catcalled etc before but this seems to have really shaken her up. She said the only reason she noticed him was because she had a gut feeling something was wrong and to look in the mirror. She’s never been hugely bothered by catcalling in the past (obviously didn’t like it but it didn’t disturb her) however she can’t sleep because she feels weird, She doesn’t really overreact so I know it’s deeply shaken her. She’s not sure if he was a student or not as he looked 30ish and anyone can become a member despite it being a uni gym. But now she doesn’t want to go back onto campus for fear of seeing him. I’m at a loss as to what to say as it’s highly unlikely she’ll see him again but she’s very spooked considering he didn’t even speak to her and seems genuinely scared about seeing him again. As mentioned she’d been catcalled and had negative experiences with men before but this time it seems different. But she has to go onto campus again.

Sorry to hear this @radiator2 She is right to trust her instincts. My son’s uni gym is all on camera, and this would’ve been caught on camera. Does she feel up to making a complaint?

As a general safety thing, the Hollie Guard app is wonderful and worth downloading - for everyone, not just young adults.

That sounds really unpleasant, @radiator2. It might be worth her asking around to see if it's happened to anyone else, if she knows other women who also use the gym. There may be and strength and comfort in numbers.