First year of uni coming to an end. How has it gone?

[andweallloveclover]

For those with students who started in September last year how have they done? Is their first year now over?

I was on the Uni starters 2024 thread and remember how nervous we all were as parents of DC all off for their first year at uni. And now is OVER!!! (or almost)

How has your DC done? Have they enjoyed it? Settled in and become independent? Or have they struggled through.

My DD has had her last exam today and is out tonight celebrating the end of exams with her flat mates. She was the last of them to finish. She has loved uni life and has really thrived and I couldn't be happier for her.

She has a great new group of friends, and a new boyfriend and is enjoying her course.

She comes home tomorrow but as she still has her flat in halls until July will be flitting back and forth between there and here as she has a part time holiday job that starts soon and she has 2 holidays booked.

I really hope everyone's DC have had similar experiences but I know that's not always the case.

How is everyone feeling?

DD isn't the most communicative but I think it's gone well.

She didn't make the grades to go to Sheffirld two years ago and is now in her first year at Aberystwyth. Being slightly older has had its advantages, she's been surprised at some students not turning up for a few classes but says it's good as she gets more individual attention. Maybe two years ago she'd have been more inclined to be skiving off with them.

She's joined debating clubs and academic societies which I wonder if she would have had the confidence to do at Sheffield. I also noticed during the last holidays she seemed to be eating and looking after herself better.

I see threads asking how more middle achieving students can sneak into higher ranking institutions through Clearing etc but it's really worth considering whether this is always the best thing for them. Being in a place where you feel happy and confident to make the most of the opportunities might lead to better outcomes than being somewhere where you fear that everyone else is smarter than you.

My DS has had a good year although he has seen this year as a year to focus on social / drinking etc and next year to focus on study ...I hope he did get some sort of balance though so no exams are failed 🙈
He was adamant he wanted to go to the Uni (Exeter) 5+ hours from home and he did say that being so far away at the start helped him settle in quicker although now wishes getting home didn't take all day. Went back this week and only has 4 exams this term then social events. He is lucky, overall Uni is what he was expecting and he has embraced it.

I shall be having a quiet chat when he's home for the summer about pulling his weight around the house (which I let him get away with over Easter due to revision). You get used to them not being there and then the house descends into chaos when they get back 😆

DS has impending exams, but doing well so far, and having a blast. Never really found his tribe at school but has a big bunch of good friends now. He’s really grown in confidence, and really comfortable in his own skin now. Looking forward to year 2.

DS has had the time of his life. Unfortunately his first year modules don’t count towards his degree, he just has to scrape a pass. So he has done very little work but a whole load of socialising.
He is naturally bright and the first yr of his course is very much levelling up for those who didn’t cover the work in their A levels. As a result it has been very repetitive for him. He’s performed well on some modules but not so well on others. He has promised to buckle down next year.
He has fallen in his feet re accommodation next year, his best mate has bought a house and they will be renovating it over the summer. DS works for his mates dad, labouring in the construction industry. They can’t mess about because they have to live there in October.

They are looking forward to redesigning the layout and decorating. I suspect since they are doing the work they will look after it. DS is looking forward to a clean kitchen and not losing all his plates and cutlery.

My DD has been a little like this. Seemed more focussed during that first term on making friends and going out socialising and drinking with her new friends. But then after Christmas settled down a little and started to get more serious about her studies. I think looming exams may have helped with that.

She had the offer of a more local uni but was adamant she wanted to be further from home than that to 'get the proper experience' and she has coped well with it, although I think at times when she has had the odd moment of feeling homesick has wished she could just pop home and see us then go back again which hasn't been possible. But I actually think the fact she can't do that has helped her settle better. She has had no choice but to get on with things.

She has arrived home today as her last exam was yesterday although she will be going back and forwards as she loves the city so will be back there for nights out and shopping when she can fit it in.

All in all she has really loved it which has been great to witness as a parent. ❤

Wow, brilliant to hear. My DD didn't find her tribe at school either but did once she went to college to study A-levels and has a good new bunch of friends at uni now too.

Its really great seeing them grow into independent confident adults. 😊

Nearly done here. Mine is packing up today and heading home. The classes have been challenging and we have still had to provide a lot of support. I didn't expect daily phone calls!

I’m a bit relieved that my son isn’t the only one who has concentrated more on socialising and drinking than academics. He is happy though and seems to have made a good group of friends.

He won’t be home until the end of June although to be fair he has been back for just under 2 weeks from his 5 week Easter break. Exams start for him on Monday with his last one finishing on the 28th May. Then it is 4 weeks plus of chilling and partying with his friends.

He has a trip booked early July and will probably go somewhere in September as well. Otherwise he’ll be working as often as he can at his casual job which he has had since the end of Y12 and works really well for him. I will need to teach him to cook too as he has been fully catered in halls, but house sharing next year with 4 other friends.

I find it very de that so many are done or about to come home, when term 3 only started at most 3 weeks ago.

Havent could yet all paid for accommodation etc? Even if exams are over, isn’t anything going on? Genuine question. Seems that if they only plan to be in residence for 20 weeks they really might as well live at home and save the vast costs??

My DS has had a really good 1st year at Durham so far. He was anxious about making friends so housing could be sorted (was aware that people often sign in Oct after being there 2 or 3 weeks) and was really lucky to meet great people quickly and felt much reassured once housing sorted. Fortunately, says they are a great bunch still and he’d choose them again. I’m sure there will be hicups along the way but I know they are looking forward to their house - which they start paying for on 1 July. So that’s 3 months rent (and low bills) needs before autumn term starts!
He loves his course. It’s low contact hours but he reads for hours a day and has felt stretched. We talked about it at Easter and he said he felt his analysis, knowledge and writing have come in loads. He works hard and is aiming high, so can’t ask for more than that really.
He has been involved with college volunteering scheme, a couple of clubs and is in a local church. He’s busy and likes the collegiate lifestyle, with bar quizzes, formals etc making socialising so easy. Being fully catered has really helped and he says he’d recommend it to freshers as it gets everyone out of their rooms and mixing and they have long lunches and dinners. He knows people in other colleges too and seems to mix quite widely.
He had a job at home for a couple of weeks at Easter and wil do a month in a the summer as well as some work experience/internship thing. And he’s going on holiday with a school friend and with his uni friends - so not too hard up!
can honestly say it’s been all I hoped for for him. I think he was ready for living away, up for meeting people and up for an academic challenge and so far has been so lucky to not face any major challenges or difficulties.
It takes me back to happy student days when the world feels like your oyster with it all ahead of you and you don’t realise how much you have no clue about.

@WombatChocolate- re the "why does everyone go home straight after exams" I'd turn that question around to "why do those at Durham stay on until the end of summer term?"

As a Durham graduate, the answer, to me, is the collegiate system. Once exams have ended, there are/were always things going on in college, culminating in the summer balls for most colleges.

Those May/June weeks, in my 3 years there, were some of the best times of my life - no work to do, living with your friends, long summer evenings, social life planned out for you etc etc.

Obviously some other universities may be the same, but for a lot there's just no focal points once exams have finished so people drift off to work, travel, go home etc.

Mine is overseas so the timings are different. They started earlier at the beginning of Sept.

DS is in Bristol and has absolutely loved it, has had a blast I thought he would as he loves the City. It helped massively though that he had a group of mates from home and another few from our old home town all go. There are 7 of them living together next year, he has almost finished for the year but isn't heading home until being forcibly removed from halls, all his mates are still there and he has a job so will hold off coming back for a while.

My DD has had a good first year, she had become more confident and independent and when she is at home she notices ask the jobs that need doing so so when I get home the washing and dishes are done. She found getting housing for next year really stressful but has a shared house in a group of 4 organised. Like many others get first year doesn't count towards her grade but she put a huge amount of pressure on herself and somehow convinced herself that she needed to get 70% in everything but after getting her to chat with others and her tutor it turns out she is actually doing ok. She has exams for the next 2 weeks and is then hoping to get a job over the summer. She is wanting to stay where she is for most of the summer as there are more jobs available than where we live

Mine is at a uni with a 2 semester system so last exam Tuesday. She’s home next week but will head back up to pack up room.
She’s enjoyed it and made friends. Very happy with her choice of uni, glad went with her gut feel. It’s 4 hours drive or 2.5 by train so she’s been home a few times but not lots and I’ve been to see her.
Academically she’s done well but don’t think spent hours a week studying, yr1 doesn’t count towards degree. Been on a uni trip abroad.
Just sorted her accommodation for yr2 with her friends it’s easier in Scotland as they don’t do it until now.
Off to camp America in summer.

Great thread to read, with just a little thought from a voice of experience.

My DS struggled more during his first summer home, at the end of his first year, than during his time at uni.

School friends returning home all did so at different times, some also had family holidays or uni friend holidays booked so were away at different times. He missed city life too, with everything on hand. As a group of school friends returning ‘home’ they didn't seem to get themselves organised to meet very often either. He was, at times lonely, unfocussed and bored, sadly. I can remember suggesting things he might do.

Maybe quite personal to him, though he is such a social lad with many friends - something to watch out for.

DC’s deadline is the end of next week for their Foundation year diploma, and then exhibition planning (Art). They have an unconditional offer for their degree in September so will be staying put for the next 3 years.

And they’ve loved it. A few hiccups, and most on their course are local students so not in accommodation, but mine was determined to go (hours) away and it’s been amazing. I’ve watched them survive, grow and thrive. The best quote was ‘mum, I’m actually ‘cool’ now’ which made my heart sing.

My eldest DC went abroad (Eu citizen). Started early in Sept with freshers type thing late Aug and won’t be back until July and then for only six weeks. Was home for Christmas and we’ve visited twice. No halls, had to go into a private shared house with mostly other international students. The uni experience there is full on. Quarters not semesters and exams after each. Seems that many fail exams and resit to get a better grade.

DC has thrived despite feeling sad when uk friends are home and meeting up. Made friends in house and on course. Really enjoying the subject and has become much more fluent in second language. I feel proud and looking forward to the summer when I’m sure they will drive me daft by being messy!

Ds's exams haven't even started yet, they start next week. He is at Warwick. He has had a great year, attended every lecture, loves the course and lecturers and is involved in societies. The main downside has been group work because there are always some who just don't contribute what they are meant to. This added to Ds's workload as he had to chase them constantly to do their bit so he could then do his.

He has enjoyed the independence, shopping for food, meal planning and cooking. Flat mates have been good and the kitchen has been very tidy and clean which I thought would slide as time went on but it hasn't happened thankfully. He loves the campus and enjoys walking around it, exploring when he first arrived and finding the best routes to his classes. He has rabbits and deer outside his window as he is on the ground floor so this has added a nature watching element to his days. He is so funny.

Contact with him has been brilliant, happy to facetime chat to us as a family which we also did with his older sibling when they were at uni so it is just routine now. Lovely to see him so happy. We are very much looking forward to having him home, he is very missed.

DS is doing a degree apprenticeship so there is no long summer holiday, he'll finish his first year at the end of August and start his second year at the beginning of September! He loves it, prefers his work x100 compared to the uni part though and would happily stay in the job forever. He has no debt, is paid decently, lives away from home but quite nearby, has a good group of apprentices/work mates and feels really lucky to be where he is.

There was quite a time through secondary school where I worried if he'd ever be employable due to his autism, but thankfully he seems to have found the perfect place for him.

Good to see these updates and thanks to the poster mentioning summer holiday isn’t always easy.

I can see that. If old friendships have slid a bit, or many are away lots when DC is at home, it could be tough. FOMO is real for everyone really.
DS will be staying at uni until end of term. He has a holiday and an internship/work experience in early to mid July. Then he will work for about 5 weeks, with 2 week long holidays in Aug. Sept will be another week away with uni friends, plus probably some applications for holiday schemes. I’d imagine he will go back to uni before term starts in Oct as he will have his house and also will be involved in setting up some of the fresher activities.

It sounds busy to me. He is lucky that he has a flexible job on zero hours where you can say when you are available. Am hoping he manages to work at least 4 weeks though - earning some cash is def good and being in the workplace gives useful skills. I’m surprised how many students by 20/21 still haven’t ever had paid employment.

I have loved reading all your posts about your DC and their experiences. Lovely to see how most have grown and thrived and been happy.

It feels good to be sitting here feeling relaxed and proud about the whole thing. This time last year the Uni preparation had started and the feeling of dread and worry within me was massive (although I never showed this to my DD) 😁

DS is at Loughborough doing Sports Science. Long story (I posted on here about it) but he ended up taking a Gap Year to get there after being rejected initially and then having to have his A-Level papers reviewed so it felt like it was a 2 year process to get there!
His first year has gone really well, he comes home mid June and it feels like it’s gone so quickly. He hasn’t had the best halls experience as he is in a flat with all 2nd/3rd years but has made some brilliant friends on his course. He was the only one out his friend group to go to Uni so the fact that he has friends who all want the same thing as him is really nice. He isn’t into partying/drinking but has been out a few times.
He has got his last set of exams to do but has done really well so far, consistently getting over 75% in assignments and exams. Not bad for a YP who was told he wouldn’t cope academically with the course as he didn’t have the A star grade that Loughborough wanted!!

Mine still has one exam left but has been home since Easter and has just travelled back a few days here and there to do exams and coursework. They have changed but in a good way, so much more confident and sure of themselves. Has a house with some of their flatmates from their first year and we have student finance all sorted. Have a few bits to buy but they have been careful with their stuff, only one plate and mug have been casualties, then we are ready for year two. They are working at their old job getting some money behind them for next sept.

I agree @andweallloveclover it's so lovely to feel happy and excited for the second year and not have that feeling of anxiety about them going.

Well DS has come home now. He had about 3 weeks post- exams with lots going on socially. His contract for his 2nd year house starts next week, so he’s been getting his head round bills etc and will get the keys soon and check it over.

I think he’s enjoying seeing old school friends, as well as slobbing out a bit.

He got his end of year exam results and the overall module results. There wants an overall mark for the year, but I think that’s because it doesn’t count, but he was able to calculate it and was pleased with how he did, so that’s good. Can’t believe it’s gone so fast. Makes me realise it will be the blink of an eye and he will be finished.

Dd didn’t really do so well in halls. 5 flats sharing 1 kitchen and no social area. The other 4 were international student who seemed to stick with people from their home countries

she did make a few good friends on her course, one of whom she’s moving into a flat with next week

shes grown in confidence in some ways but felt quite isolated sometimes too

her halls had students from about 6 different unis too