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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Deflated about son going to university - logistics

188 replies

manywanderings · 28/03/2026 22:53

So there I was getting all organised and excited about the bedding and kitchen items needed. We'd chatted about finances and accommodation choices put in. And thinking about when we drop him off in September and reading about how parents get them at least helped unpacked and settled in the room. And when I mentioned about driving him over and everything fitting in the car and maybe we'd need a roof rack he just nodded. Then he said maybe he could drive his friend over in his car and take his friend's stuff and we could drive his stuff over. We both said no. (Hard enough dealing with one boy's logistics and two would be too much). He just walked off. I feel quite gutted. Basically he doesn't want us there - he just wants to go off with his friend - they are going to the same university. He said I won't need much - just my clothes and computer. I said yes you will there's a big packing list - bedding, kitchen equipment, laundry bag and so on. So just offloading there. It affects us too - him effectively leaving home.

So I know that's the case, he suggested it twice and we said no twice. He was the same when it came to an open day - wanted to go independtly with his friend and didn't want us there. I know at 18, and driving, they are adults, but - it's a transition for us too. And it hurts because we are sacrificing a lot for him to go and we're going to be living on so little to help fund him (obviously I haven't told him that and it's not "pay as you go", but we're doing it out of love and ouch it hurts that he doesn't even want to share that first moment there with us. He just wants to go independently. I could almost accept that, except logistically we will have to go - there is too much stuff. And it'll be harder now knowing he doesn't really want us to. Presumably doesn't want embarrassing parents there. Even though everyone has that.

OP posts:
Aluna · 29/03/2026 09:37

Pettifogg · 29/03/2026 09:14

I find all this talk of them 'leaving home' and it being like 'the end of an era' ridiculous. Most unis only have two 11 week terms. I went to boarding school aged 11 and there were three 11/12 week terms! Did I think I'd left home at the age of 11? No.

They are not leaving home!

IKR.

He’s not even sat his exams yet. If he ends doesn’t get the grades/ ends up having to retake this whole thing will be by the by.

BerryTwister · 29/03/2026 09:38

cestlavielife · 28/03/2026 23:46

Help unpack?
No . ...
Load boxes to their toom, take for a meal maybe wave bye bye

Be lead by your ds.
Dont worry about packing list. There will be argos and amazon if anything missing.
Breathe and try step back.

When I dropped DS, every student in the hall of residence had parents helping them unpack. It’s a daunting experience all round, so it’s comforting for students and parents to tackle it together.

OP ignore all the people saying “I walked all the way to uni on my own, with just a backpack, so you should do absolutely nothing for your son, and let him sink or swim”. In reality, most of us love our kids and want to help them.

HoraceCope · 29/03/2026 09:39

dont give it any more thought today op
of course he wants his independence, that is understandable
but the logistics of that particular journey may rule that out

Aluna · 29/03/2026 09:44

BerryTwister · 29/03/2026 09:38

When I dropped DS, every student in the hall of residence had parents helping them unpack. It’s a daunting experience all round, so it’s comforting for students and parents to tackle it together.

OP ignore all the people saying “I walked all the way to uni on my own, with just a backpack, so you should do absolutely nothing for your son, and let him sink or swim”. In reality, most of us love our kids and want to help them.

We all love our kids but we don’t all insist on micromanaging them for our own emotional needs.

SatsumaDog · 29/03/2026 09:45

I can sympathise op, it’s a tricky transition for parents when their children head off to university. DS1 will be heading off this September and part of me is missing him already, even though he hasn’t left yet!

I have thought a lot about it and also remembered my own experience all those years ago. I still remember the excitement and anticipation of it all. None of those memories include thinking about how my father felt about it, although he’s not an emotional soul and appeared quite glad to finally see the back of me!

I console myself with thinking about they do come back now and then (with bags of dirty washing!) and although they change over time, they’re always your child. You’ve done a good job raising him if he’s confidently heading off on this new adventure.

sittingonabeach · 29/03/2026 09:46

@BerryTwister but you should be lead by them. You can give support and any request from them should be reasonable

BerryTwister · 29/03/2026 09:47

Aluna · 29/03/2026 09:34

I have one who has left uni and one currently there, and my youngest goes to uni next autumn. So I know exactly how it feels and it’s completely fine.

How I feel is not relevant, and in any case. It’s not about you.

The pp is correct. No-one made such a big deal of going off to uni 30 years ago. And there’s no reason to make such a drama of it now.

Women really do need to have more going on in their life than their kids, it makes life difficult for them.

@Aluna so you’re saying that parents aren’t allowed to have feelings or opinions on things their kids do?

Pettifogg · 29/03/2026 09:48

Aluna · 29/03/2026 09:37

IKR.

He’s not even sat his exams yet. If he ends doesn’t get the grades/ ends up having to retake this whole thing will be by the by.

Edited

Thank you. OP, I'm not trying to be harsh or dismissive - just trying to get you to reframe it. Try to view it as not a big deal, it's actually a lot easier than leaving an 11 year old at boarding school. For one, the terms are shorter, secondly there are video calls etc these days, and thirdly, he's so much older than an 11 year old!!

Lilactimes · 29/03/2026 09:50

gosh @manywanderings I think I would be patting myself on the back that I had an independent grown up resilient son! Well done.

when my DD went to Uni she was so scared and upset, I had to coax her all the way there in-spite of it being her choice. I couldn't really show any upset as she was so upset I had to be bright and breezy.

I had a lot of tearful calls too for a long while before she settled.

Not sure which is worst TBH but I think I would be proud if my DC was this independent and happy to make their own plans and go on their own. And lots of kids do go with just a bag and settle themselves in.

Good luck to your son and his Alevels. X

Aluna · 29/03/2026 09:51

BerryTwister · 29/03/2026 09:47

@Aluna so you’re saying that parents aren’t allowed to have feelings or opinions on things their kids do?

Why would I be saying that?

There’s a difference between having feelings and imposing them on your kids, and insisting on micromanaging off the back of them.

thanks2 · 29/03/2026 09:52

We had twins go to uni last Sept - I understand your pain but really it’s a good thing he has a friend to support him. All you are missing out on is spending the car journey with him - he’s got to help you unpack your car with his stuff.
if he wants to do this with his friend maybe his friend doesn’t have the support ie a family car needed - it makes so much sense for you to be supportive of his decision.

FourForksSake · 29/03/2026 09:55

Follow the voices of experience on this thread. Every family does things their own way, there is no right or wrong or normal.
Be guided by your son. Say that you’ve made yourself and car available on x dates to fit in with what he needs closer to the time (check fresher moving in dates for firm and insurance as they can vary by up to a month!).
He may find that freshers aren’t permitted to bring their own cars, which may need a change of plan. Maybe you can drive in convoy then drive both cars back, if so.
If an overnight stopover is needed, make refundable reservations now on all the likely dates.
Quietly start buying a few bits and pieces if you must, but shopping can wait. We usually did IKEA once accommodation was confirmed.
As to moving-in day, loads have a parent or two, some families turn up en masse, others have a couple of suitcases.
We did one drop off during Covid, drop and run by necessity (I did sneak in to take a peep at the room); second one, quickly made the bed, took them for a quick lunch and supermarket shop, then headed home; third, college had loads of helpers around, so we got everything in, then the freshers were rounded up and whisked off to a welcome event, so that was that.

TLDR: be led by your DC, and be mindful that this is their time, not yours. Save the sobbing for the drive home, if you must. You’ll see them again in a few weeks.

Cyclingmummy1 · 29/03/2026 09:56

Just rein it in for the minute.

Lots of places don't encourage cars in first year so you may need to take him.

He and his friend may not end up at the same uni, and even then it might not be the same halls.

Most parents did stay and unpack, do the food shop and settle their child in. That seems quite usual in our university city as well. We then went shopping and went back to take DS for dinner at about 6 as we were staying over.

BerryTwister · 29/03/2026 09:59

Aluna · 29/03/2026 09:44

We all love our kids but we don’t all insist on micromanaging them for our own emotional needs.

@aluna acknowledging that going to uni is a big deal, and wanting to help them, is not micromanaging. It’s parenting.

When I went to uni we didn’t have a car, so I went on my own on the coach. I was the only one without parents there. It didn’t bother me particularly, but I was certainly in the minority.

When I dropped DS the first time, all the students looked like rabbits in headlights. Excited but nervous. It can be quite overwhelming, so it’s nice to have a helping hand.

This thread shows the nasty side of MN, full of people telling OP off for being sad that her child is leaving home. And I suspect many of those posters have young kids, so they’ve got no idea. What OP wants to do is completely normal. Some people are talking as if she’s proposing spending the first night sleeping on the floor in her son’s hall of residence!

roseandfrown · 29/03/2026 10:01

BerryTwister · 29/03/2026 09:47

@Aluna so you’re saying that parents aren’t allowed to have feelings or opinions on things their kids do?

That's quite the leap? Reading comprehension is on the decline. Parents do have views and feeling, but suffocating your child with them is never a good move.

ParmaVioletTea · 29/03/2026 10:03

It is quite natural for children to grow up and leave home. Please try not to spoil his exciting new beginning by making it about your feelings.

BerryTwister · 29/03/2026 10:03

roseandfrown · 29/03/2026 10:01

That's quite the leap? Reading comprehension is on the decline. Parents do have views and feeling, but suffocating your child with them is never a good move.

@roseandfrown do you consider driving your child to uni suffocating them? Are you aware that the vast majority of parents drive their kids to uni?

sittingonabeach · 29/03/2026 10:06

@BerryTwister it would be suffocating them if DC wanted to go on their own and had worked out the logistics for this to be possible

roseandfrown · 29/03/2026 10:07

BerryTwister · 29/03/2026 09:38

When I dropped DS, every student in the hall of residence had parents helping them unpack. It’s a daunting experience all round, so it’s comforting for students and parents to tackle it together.

OP ignore all the people saying “I walked all the way to uni on my own, with just a backpack, so you should do absolutely nothing for your son, and let him sink or swim”. In reality, most of us love our kids and want to help them.

Helping you child against their expressed wishes oversteps healthy boundaries. It is not helpful to enforce help. If the child wants help and parent is able to give it, all good. If the parents wants to help but son says no thanks, then enforcing help is unhelpful.

In OP's case, ideally his dad or op take son (and maybe friend) so he still has a parent there and also can go with his friend. If timings don't work for this, friend needs to ge there by himself.

It's primarily his mile stone, parent can stay discreetly in the background as is normal.

ParmaVioletTea · 29/03/2026 10:07

dotdotdotdash · 28/03/2026 23:00

Please don’t take this the wrong way, I’ve got a DS planning to go away to university this year so going through it too… but… his university experience isn’t about you. And the dropping off thing is just one day in your lives. And it’s not for six months yet and he might not end up at the same place as his mate even! Focus on the now and do something nice with him this weekend!

This.

Each year at least one of my personal tutees is guilt-tripped by his/her parents - they're required home to deal with something or other, or have to manage their parent's feelings as well as their own. It really isn't a helpful thing and in some (thankfully rare) cases, I've seen the impact of parental emotional demands on students' study & achievement.

roseandfrown · 29/03/2026 10:08

BerryTwister · 29/03/2026 10:03

@roseandfrown do you consider driving your child to uni suffocating them? Are you aware that the vast majority of parents drive their kids to uni?

Are you trying to pick a fight? 🙃

Not engaging with you in good faith again.

Needlenardlenoo · 29/03/2026 10:08

It's setting the cart before the horse though? Don't know if he'll meet his uni offer, what accommodation he'll get, what facilities it'll have...

Aluna · 29/03/2026 10:08

BerryTwister · 29/03/2026 09:59

@aluna acknowledging that going to uni is a big deal, and wanting to help them, is not micromanaging. It’s parenting.

When I went to uni we didn’t have a car, so I went on my own on the coach. I was the only one without parents there. It didn’t bother me particularly, but I was certainly in the minority.

When I dropped DS the first time, all the students looked like rabbits in headlights. Excited but nervous. It can be quite overwhelming, so it’s nice to have a helping hand.

This thread shows the nasty side of MN, full of people telling OP off for being sad that her child is leaving home. And I suspect many of those posters have young kids, so they’ve got no idea. What OP wants to do is completely normal. Some people are talking as if she’s proposing spending the first night sleeping on the floor in her son’s hall of residence!

What’s nasty about advising OP to let her son do as he pleases? What he wants is completely normal.

I didn’t feel overwhelmed going to uni but then I’d lived abroad for a year. But what you or I or your kid did is not relevant, this is about OP’s DS and what he wants to do.

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · 29/03/2026 10:10

manywanderings · 28/03/2026 23:38

I suppose I have this fear that that will be it - he won't need us any more! I don't think he'll be homesick - he has a couple of friends going. It's like we don't matter any more. I think it's maybe easier with girls - is that the case?

I mean this kindly, OP, but you really need to start letting go. You need to accept the fact that your ds is an adult now, and the truth is, he won't need you as much as he did, because you have effectively raised him to be a confident, independent young man who is capable of standing on his own two feet. And that's wonderful!

The transition into adulthood doesn't mean that the relationship ends there, though - it just evolves gradually into a different sort of relationship in which parents are still needed for support - emotionally and often financially - but the child inevitably starts taking the lead, making their own decisions and acting more independently. And we have to let them do that because that is exactly what they're supposed to be doing at this stage of life. Would you rather see your son lacking in confidence and afraid to branch out on his own? Of course you wouldn't.

I think the key to maintaining good relationships with young adult children is respecting their growing independence and the transition to adulthood while letting them know that you're still there for them if they need it. My dd wanted us to drive her stuff up to uni but didn't want help unpacking etc so we stayed in a hotel overnight and met up with her for lunch the next day. It was fine, and it was what she wanted - and it was her milestone, not ours.

Of course, you're right that this will be a big transition for you too, and it's sensible to plan for this, but I think you're focusing on the wrong things - you're focusing too much on the stuff that is actually your ds's stuff to plan, instead of thinking about how you're going to find meaning and purpose in your own lives once he has gone. My own mother had a major depressive episode when faced with an "empty nest" and being very close to my dd, I was worried that the same thing might happen to me, so I planned as much as I could to try and avoid this. Maybe you could start thinking about what you want your life to look like after September. Is there a new hobby or project you can start working on? Volunteering? Career progression? Can you plan more time in with friends? Anything that you and DH could do together? What is this next phase of your own life going to look like?

I understand that it will feel like a big change. I was incredibly close to my dd and worried that I would miss her terribly. And I do miss her, but actually it's fine. She is home for holidays quite a lot in any case, and we stay in touch by phone/text and visit occasionally. And in any case, you adapt to the new reality. DD and I are every bit as close as we once were, it's just a different relationship now because she is grown up, confident, capable and pursuing her own dreams - which is all I ever really wanted for her anyway.

In your shoes, I would stop stressing about the logistics for now and start planning stuff for yourselves to help ease the transition. It is actually very nice that your ds wants to help his friend move in - what a kind and thoughtful young man you have managed to raise. I would try to facilitate this if you possibly can. Think about it as a way of building the foundations for a new and different relationship with him as an adult that will hopefully continue far into the future.

Haribitch · 29/03/2026 10:14

What?!

This isn’t your decision! This isn’t your moment or your life, it’s his.

Be pleased he feels confident enough to do this on his own. The more you act as you are, the less he’ll want you involved!

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