Uni starters 2025/26 all welcome

[NCTDN]

Following on from a year 13 support thread, thought this might be nice to ease us into their new chapters. We had a lovely one for my older DC so created this to help us navigate everything!

My son is going to Chichester (Bognor campus) next Sunday to do Musical Theatre triple threat. I have boxes of stuff everywhere, although he hasn’t started packing his clothes yet….he is very laid back so will probably do it the day before!!

DD off to Durham in a couple of weeks. I am wondering how everything will fit in the car (including my suitcase for my little holiday after dropping her off). Ideally we pack the car on one day, drive north the next to a holiday let, and then she moves in the next.

Hello, that sounds tricky @Ineedcoffeenow that’s great that your DD has done something positive - poor that 3 people who know each other have been put together like that.

DS is heading to Uni of Manchester to study Management (international business economics). He’s really looking forward to going but has some ongoing health problems. I am trying to be practical not emotional but it is nerve wracking seeing him go as parents because of this. We will be empty nesters which probably doesn’t help as all the focus has been on DS.

DS will be in a flat of four, doesn’t know flatmates names but knows there is one returning year 2 student plus 2 other newbies.

Wishing all the DCs a great first term!

Durdham Hall, also in the North Village.

Talybont North. Halfway between the University and the hospital - he has lectures in both I think.

piscofrisco sorry about your Dad, it must be hard for you all to get excited about Uni at the moment.

DD doesn't go to Lancaster until the end of the month and every weekend another friend seems to be going off and I think she just wants to get going now.

I think she's applied for a student bank account but we're trying to leave a lot of it to her now.

DS is off to the Royal College of Music (flute) next weekend. Our main concern is that he eats enough as he easily loses weight and struggles to put it on. When his weight drops he catches everything going and has no energy. Having looked at his Freshers week activities they don't seem to allow for a lot of eating. He is our youngest and our eldest is in Australia so we will have an empty nest too

My two kids are leaving at the same time later this week, headed north. It is going to be so quiet, but also, so CLEAN without them.

My DS going to Dundee to do CS on Saturday. It's a weird time isn't it? You're inside crying but not showing it on outside as you know they're nervous. And praying they get a nice group in their flat.

Very odd time. I picked up some bits for DD whilst I was doing our shop at Tesco yesterday and got really emotional. Crying over a jar of Bovril for gods sake! (Bovril is our family drink and I maintain it’s a meal in a mug so don’t judge :) )

For any student with health needs or learning needs make sure they have ticked the box to get a support plan in place; extra time in exams, etc etc.

DS1 also going to Durham. I’m going to miss him so much.

Morning all, may I join? DC also off to Lancaster end of the month.

Rite of passage in that he got properly drunk last night - I had to go and collect him from he and his friends' last big get together, because he was throwing up - and was sitting with him til 3 AM! He was a very chatty, happy and affectionate drunk...and probably better to have that experience here and learn from it I guess!

DS2 is going to Liverpool to study Civil Engineering.
We’re driving 5 hours on Saturday.
I keep thinking things like, this is the last time he’ll see his grandparents for months, this is the last Sunday together for months etc etc.
The main thing is that he seems very enthusiastic and focused about going.
DS1 lives away so it will just leave DD.

@Millionsofmonkeys
I would definitely agree with you that it’s better for him to have that first experience whilst living at home.
I went off to Uni having hardly drunk any alcohol…it was quite a steep learning curve!

@piscofrisco so sorry about your dad.

We're home from settling DS2 in to his accommodation at Exeter, studying maths. We'd panic-booked it as he got his insurance. It's not near his campus and he's got a studio room, as he needs his own kitchen and bathroom, so he's not got any housemates. He's autistic and never really had friends as he's so quiet. Term doesn't start until 22nd but he's got a session on Wednesday and the logistics meant it made sense to move him in this weekend.

He's also got a session tomorrow for autistic students but it's online.

I am worried about him being on his own. There's a gym in the accommodation so I'm hoping he uses that at least. And goes and explores the city and gets to grips with the bus routes etc.

A few texts this morning and he says he's fine and no problems.

I've got 3 others at home, all autistic. DS1 is nearly 20 but he's got more significant difficulties. We'd left him with the dog and the younger 2 went to FIL. All coped really well and I'm proud of them all.

We need to leave the house in 1 hour to get DD to registration in Belfast. Shes not dressed and more suitcases are appearing, things she "forgot"!
Thankfully I have a hotel room booked in Belfast tonight, I'm looking forward to a quiet G and T once the chaos is over.

Another heading off to Lancaster in a few weeks. She is bored at home now and sees other friends off and settling in!
Wish it wasn't so late a start for her as the waiting is making us all anxious! She has a part time job but it's still hard knowing this big change is coming and just hanging around!
Still waiting to sort out final accom info and when they send the invoice etc.
Thinking of everyone already dropped off or in process.

DC has just vomited again. He has learned not to drink spirits in quantity.....ugh.

I think this new generation of students drink less then we did, back in the day. Statistically this is what I've been told, at least.

Yes - this is the first time he has drunk more than a single can of cider. He was drinking vodka. I didn't think to tell him to avoid spirits because he set off to the party with 4 cans of cider which I thought he would drink, maybe might be a bit drunk but not alcohol poisoning level.

I did something very similar but at 16! Definitely taught me not to drink quickly or mix my drinks.

My son is off a week today. I feel very relaxed about it tbh. His big sister is about to enter her third year and I was so nervous with her. Her first week was an absolute rollercoaster, happy texts one minute, sad the next. She didn't make friends with her flatmates in halls so that was hard. She did settle well once lectures started though and is now dreading the end of uni.
My ds hasn't packed anything as far as I know... we'll do an IKEA run on the way there and grab some nice bits for him. I think we over thought and over bought with his sister and got ourselves stressed. I'm taking a more relaxed approach this time.

We were having this discussion at work, because I was worried how DS2 has zero social life experience, and will be so out of step with his university peers. The general consensus was young people are more sensible with alcohol, and the drunk in a park at 15 that I did, was less of a thing now.

DS2 had a chicken cookery failure, but has tried again and had success.

DS' older brother was similar - very little drinking before uni, and drinks very little when he's at home - but he and friends did certainly party a fair amount and they do go to the pub.

Incidentally DS1 was at sixth form during COVID and had only been to the pub once before uni. His "blind drunk and vomiting" episode took place in term 1 at uni and required me to drive through the night to rescue him as his flat mates didn't know how to deal with him! He survived and has never been quite so bad again.

I’ve had similar concerns. DD has never been to a night club and only been in a pub a few times. She’s been tipsy, but never drunk. Having said that, she hates spending money so she might not be willing to buy enough drinks to get really drunk.