Leaving home and moving to uni countdown

[Claymoreiron]

Is there a thread for this? In a matter of weeks many of us will be packing our DCs off to university. I am thrilled for my DS who has worked so hard and is so excited to start university life. However, I am also dreading it in equal measure and know that emotionally this transition will be tough for me.

How is everyone?

It does rather depend on the university. Many are longer than 2 x 13 weeks. DS will be away for 31 weeks (33 if he does pre season training) assuming he is back for the whole of every holiday.

It's still a lot of time back home though.

Ahh, im not bothering supplying most of those.

I took my YP shopping today and tried to buy stationery. He's absolutely convinced he won't need any but did eventually accept an A5 notebook and some pens!

Same, apparently everything will be on the laptop. Including notes.

I’m staring in horror at the pile of bags and boxes in the front room, we’re going to have to take 2 cars. Thankfully it’s only a 2 hr drive.

It's a different generation 😂

Im getting a bit worried after reading all these posts! You all appear to have mountains of things, I wonder if we’re forgetting things! 😟

That's how I was feeling. But I'm pretty sure we have essentials and anything else can be bought, unless they're going to some niche uni on an uninhabited island somewhere!

Ds has taken a pencil and a notebook. He does not plan on using it. I did tell him he needed a pencil that was small enough to put behind his ear. He has not taken me up on that.

DD uses our account and has the sign in. if she wants something prime, just has her own card registered.

if she wants something she doesn’t want us to know about, she uses her own, but can’t get next day. It also gives her access to films on Prime, but we all have an ID for thst.

My Ds’ accommodation is opposite a B&M (and an Aldi!) so I’m planning on buying stuff there! Just hope it’s not been raided by the time we get there! But if he finds he’s missing anything in the first few weeks he can pop over there.

We were moving house/staying with friends when dd went so it was chaotic. For a few weeks she kept messaging me about things she needed and we posted them to her.

Dd is packed and the car is loaded. 16 pairs of shoes, 3 suitcases of clothes, 3 bags kitchen stuff, crate of cupboard food, bag of fridge stuff, bag of freezer stuff, bag of stationery, 3 cuddly toys, extension lead, lamp, laundry basket of bedding and towels, jewellery box, tv, bag of makeup, speaker, bag of hair products, sewing machine, box of photos…. It’ll take hours for the two of us to unload and unpack!

I will be taking the large suitcase home. Leaving spare for weekend visits to home or friends. Also, student halls in London don't have parking on site so it would be a case of getting baggage from carpark to halls. We are just over an hour away and have opted to taxi in. It's doable by train then taxi, but more intense.

Some parents definitely over share, but sometimes it can be helpful. When my son started, a parent posted saying her son was struggling to settle in, couldn’t find a football team to join, hadn’t made any friends on his course etc. I mentioned this to my son, who played football and was on the same course, he made contact and 2 years later they’re great mates.

DD has 3 collapsible crates, 2 IKEA bags - bulky items, shoes, pillows, 1 large bag of bedding and towels, 1 large bag of clothes, 3 shopping bags of cleaning products and food, 1 bag of books. 1 holdall of underwear and nightwear. 2 plants. Self catered.

Ah thank you @Paddlinglikehell, that makes sense.

Just dropped DD and they have current students (who know their way round) decanting cars into shopping trolleys and taking them to your halls. Thought that was really helpful. DD had 3 trolleys and a suitcase which I was mortified at, but apparently the record today is 8 trolleys 🤣 and the dogs made it onto the uni instagram! She seems happy, coming back next weekend for her gran’s funeral though so I hope the buzz keeps her going.

I’m impressed anyone managed to fit eight trolleys into a car, and into a standard room in halls!

Yes, got to wonder what they took!

Just back from taking ds. He's got a nice room and currently it's tidy as I managed to help him put most things away.
Left him having lunch, and there's at least one person in his flat there today, so hopefully they'll get together at some point.

Dd1 went today... unfortunately at the last minute I was unable to go, so her dad and sister took her.
They're back now and she is settling herself in.
Am holding it all in, and keeping it bright and breezy.. but I'm struggling a bit, to be honest, especially having to miss the last bit after all the build up.

All done too. Took her for lunch as thought need to feed her before going! Another student she knew passed by and joined us, so we fed both of them and they’re going for drinks with a few freshers tonight.

Before and after photos.

What a lovely large room

Car all packed and managed to fit in one car. Dd is having a wobble and says she thinks she’s too old to go back to being a student and just wants to get married. I’m hoping it’s nerves. Her and her bf do want to get married and he’s literally half the world away which really complicates things.

Dropped DS at Brookes and got him unpacked before we went for some lunch. He’s out for drinks with his flatmates tonight so I know he’ll be fine.

I’ve just sat in his empty room at home and bawled my eyes out.