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!

Wishing all those moving in this weekend the best of luck! Can’t believe it will be us this time next Sunday

She's in Bristol

No one else is in her flat yet - it's supposed to be 5 sharing a kitchen. 1st day is Monday but her friends from home are going to visit her today

My youngest is leaving tomorrow. The last one to leave out of five children. I've got mixed emotions. He's so excited have watched all his older siblings set off to university. I'm excited and proud. It will be just me and the cat at home after tomorrow. Ive had strict instructions that he needs a facetime with the cat once a week 😂

Well, she's there and dh is back. She's sent me a video of her room and seems to be ok at the moment!
Apparently it is very nice and everyone seemed friendly and organised (dh)

@Blushingm Ah not the same one as my DD. How lovely her friends are visiting her today!

We are en route, having just stopped at a supermarket to buy it out, including purchasing a toothbrush & toothpaste because DD, as per family tradition, forgot to pack hers.

@Tortiemiaw I love how your DH observed that everyone seemed “organised”

It feels a bit bizarre going to do the move- in as a parent rather than a student, despite my standard student-age days being decades behind me.

I went to see her Wednesday too. I felt awful thinking of her there on her own. The accommodation is used by lots of unis so I'm thinking the others don't start as early.......she's the only person on the whole floor and there should be at least 40 per floor

It's exciting but I really worry

Well its done. DD dropped off at LJMU and unpacked. Her flatmates are really nice and she seemed okay when I left her and has since text me to show me photos of her room all done and has said 'don't worry, I'll be fine'.

Since being home its hit me like a ton of bricks. The house is already so quiet and empty without her and it hurts to think I won't see her now for a while. It will be so strange not seeing her everyday and not knowing all about her day. I have been upstairs and had a good cry to let it all out but I feel a little sad. I know it will get better, as I went through the same feelings with the eldest DD but this first few weeks is tough.

Hope everyone else dropping off has got on well today and is okay.

DD not going until next week but I worked a Saturday today which I should have been doing next week so I can take her.

So it feels we've started the journey now.

It's hard to imagine what our own parents felt when they were reliant on their kids being willing to queue up for a phone or write a letter! I've asked DD to send me a photo if she gets dressed up to go anywhere and then just Whats APP when she feels like it.

Well my firstborn is dispatched. Halls are nice, the other students seem nice. The campus is gorgeous (UEA) launderette right in front of his building so no excuses 😅 Had a few tears and some hugs. Got a chirpier message from him as we got home. Trying not to cry a lot. DH sobbed most of the way home. Unmumsnetty hugs to @Lulubellamozarella and anyone else who needs them.

I just want to say THANK YOU to everyone who has posted. Reading all the comments I don’t feel so alone and know that I’m definitely not the only one who’s been in tears over this. Hard isn’t it.

Sobbing over Danny Boy on the last night of the proms. It’s silly really - fortunately I am not at death’s door but it is so sad and DS is so far away 😭

We’re taking DS on Monday, have only had a week to get my head around he’s leaving, he had deferred his place until 2025, change of plan, Uni still had space on his course and he found accommodation. Been to busy helping him get his things together but feeling it tonight, 2 more sleeps.

Sounds like many are getting settled in - have to admit I didn't think at all how my parents felt about me leaving! No internet or mobiles back then!
So update since my earlier post. Looks like our older dog (15), which we got just before my DH passed away, will need to be put to sleep this coming week. He has gone downhill so fast - he had a wellness check four weeks ago and was fine, if a little slow and deaf! This is an added blow to an already emotional time.
My DD is finally organising her clothes (we go in the 28th to move in 29th). Not sure why some posters are being cagey about what city - my DD is moving to Durham. No parking and we have about 15 minutes to unload and move car to a parking lot. But there will be plenty of year 2s to help move stuff and everyone says it's a well organised operation.
@radiator2 my DD has a chronic disease, diagnosed just before A levels. It's a worry but she will not let it stop her from her goals!
Has anyone applied for DSA? She had her assessment three weeks ago but no sign of anything - she got the report but I thought the assessor said we would get approved within two weeks. She is rather relying on the new laptop and software!

No parking and we have about 15 minutes to unload and move car to a parking lot. But there will be plenty of year 2s to help move stuff and everyone says it's a well organised operation. This was the set up when we dropped DD at York today. It worked really well.
She seems to be settling in well and the freshers' activities seem really well organised. DH and I keep randomly bursting into tears though now we're home and she isn't. 😥

Just want to say to everyone- this was me last year. DD was put up a year at school so started at 17, and only just- she’s a July baby.

I was an emotional wreck for a week and it didn’t help our adopted daughters had just come home but eventually I got used to it. She had a wobble on week two and I was set to go and get her but DH convinced us both to give it a few days and she (and I) were fine. Couple of hiccups and silly mistakes on her behalf but nothing we haven’t got through relatively unscathed.

She goes back Monday morning after 4 months being home and honestly? I can’t fooking wait 😂

Wait until they move into a “proper” house. Now that’s weird. That’s what DD is doing this year (student obviously but still it’s a normal house from the outside)

You and your little ones will be fine :)

Sadly, they can’t stay with us forever.

It’s for the best. We are North Yorks and DD is in London. Far enough that if she visits it has to be for a full weekend/holidays but not so close she can just pop round and spend the odd night here and there and not get settled properly which is the problem I had when I went to uni- I went to Newcastle and moved into student halls but my mum and dad lived 15 minutes away so rather then grinning and bearing it when I didn’t get on with my flatmates the first year, I chucked money at a room I didn’t stay in 70% of the time.

Dd installed yesterday. We've stayed overnight nearby. I'm feeling very stressed. She's autistic and social interaction is so hard for her. She phoned last night saying she'd met some of her flat. They're all scary and she thinks they don't like her - this is standard for her. She's always convinced people don't like her. I'm dreading leaving this evening.

My DS is starting this year but is staying at home.
We looked all over the country but his favourite was a 30 minute drive from home. I did ask him if he wanted to live out with the option of popping home for his dinner but he told me that was ridiculous.

Sweet to hear of the emotional dads. DH is a sentimental soul but doesn't spend much family time with us with one thing and another, so it's been touching seeing him gradually coming to terms with his little girl's upcoming departure.

DD goes in three weeks, but is halfway through a two week pre-start course at the uni. It's the longest she's ever been away. We're trying not to bother her too much but have had the occasional message and a couple of longer exchanges which indicate she is missing us a bit (mostly home cooking 😄). She definitely wants to keep in touch when she goes properly, but I worry a bit that it will tail off once she gets into the swing of things. She knows we'll miss her but we know she's going to have the best time. We'll survive!

Dropped DD on Friday and the house feels very quiet and weird without her (even though she's probably the quietest in the house!)

We all cried on Friday (on another thread that was a no-no - to cry with/in front of them ) and she was in tears as we left which was horrible. She has social anxiety and took at least 2 hours to put any food or kitchen stuff away because she could hear her flatmates in there, and was putting off going in the kitchen. They have a group whatsapp though and she messaged later to say they had all gone in the kitchen/living space in their pjs at 11.30pm to have a chat, so I'm glad she did that.

We took loads of stuff, clothes, books, kitchen stuff, bedding, bath mat, bin, shelf for toiletries, a massive box of skincare/make up etc, and because she's doing a creative course, lots of materials for that.

The biggest thing I'm worried about - apart from her being homesick - is that she eats properly. She barely ate anything on Friday and I was sure that was from nerves, and we bought lots of food from a click and collect order, but if her anxiety is high, I'm worried she won't eat it

Has anyone applied for DSA?

Yes @mondaytosunday my DD did. She applied months ago, had her assessment in early June, got approved, got sent equipment within a month (may well have been sooner) and her online training for software in the past few weeks.

It’s bound to be a really busy time for DSA right now and as your DD seems to be starting a few weeks later than most, maybe they’ve been prioritising those who start this coming week?

Yes, we applied for DSA several months ago. She had an email saying she is entitled to some in June, but we've heard nothing since

Thanks @WriterOfWrongs - I don't think they know when unis start, he didn't ask and it didn't occur to is to say! I think we just assumed oh it's a good five weeks away (from the assessment) surely it will be fine! She applied for DSA in May but I think ignored the follow up email and by then the earliest appointment was in August - she was also on her course til the end of June then two weeks in Spain. We're in London maybe they are busier? I've told her to chase them.
Glads yours is sorted though!

@mondaytosunday Durham has loads of Freps who help carry all their stuff up to their rooms. It is a big party atmosphere, music playing, college mascots, second and third years with pom poms welcoming you in, cars beeping horns (there are signs asking you to do it) this was for the hill colleges.

Depending on which college she is in I would aim to just get everything dumped into her room and then move the car. We had 2 or 3 Freps carrying stuff, everyone is falling over themselves to help. No one seemed to be forcing anyone off to move their car so don't feel pressured. It runs really smoothly. The park and ride car park in front of Butler is sectioned off for Durham college cars for the move in day. That cover Butler, Stevo, South and Snow I believe.

Best of luck, I hope she has a wonderful time. Ds2 is off to Warwick which is a campus but again we get a time slot and have to move the car too and if we want to stay and help him unpack we have to pay for the parking on campus. If anyone else is going to Warwick their term time address seems to be on the direct debit set up page for their accommodation fees.

DD dropped off at LJMU yesterday. Yes it was carnage but not quite as bad as I thought. She took it all in her stride but was exhausted and had a take away and a 9pm bedtime on her first night. I swear they are a different breed this generation, because I’d have been straight out dancing the night away!

DD is my only child and I had her at 16. So we are very close and have grown up together really. I feel like I’ve lost a limb and sobbed all the way through the Mersey tunnel. But I’m so proud and excited for her, she’s going out for a little bit with her new flatmates tonight which I’m glad about it because she’s very shy so my biggest worry was her not putting herself out there and enjoying herself.

I am also proud of me, as some (horrid judgemental) people told me I had ruined my life and my daughter’s life by having her at 16. But we are both smashing life and that’s the best feeling in the world 😊