Starting Uni - The next chapter

[Groovee]

So results day is here and I knew it would happen but in just over 3 weeks Dd will be moving to Dundee.

Thought I would start a thread to get us through those moments that we as parents find hard.

Ds said that because he is sitting Scottish exams, he should still get wherever he wants as the Scottish results come out before the English ones . He says that Scots with Conditionals still managed to get New Carnegie, which is one of the first to fill up (because people want the en suite facilities).

Having been forced reluctant to apply for non-ensuite facilities, ds now acknowledges that the 2 loo flats are much better value

DS didn't even look at the en-suite ones when he saw how much they cost. I'd forgotten our results are out first! He's happy to forego that cost but currently seems to be mainlining conditioner for his hair - that's an expense that could disappear if he'd get a hair cut.

It took until ds realised that he - not us - would be paying for his accommodation before he realised that the en-suite was a luxury too far

As in, even though we'd told him this but it hadn't sunk in : we weren't going to be giving him separate spending money on top of whatever he paid for his accommodation; that he would be getting a set total amount, including his loan and it was up to him to choose how to spend it

At least it has taught him priorities!

My niece swapped accommodation easily when it didn't work out. Since swapping she's been much happier.

Since we are already paying for DS1s accommodation, food/toiletries and travel (albeit he is living at home) then we need to be fair and pay for DS2s too. That will obviously cost us more in terms of actual cash given that DS1s bedroom really isn't costing us anything and technically we are still paying for DS2 to have a bedroom at home too...Also just paid to renew the insurance on their car but DS1 will get more benefit from that than DS2 as he'll be away.

So in reality all he should be paying for is his beer money and any clothes/luxuries. I'm thinking of giving him a stock of shopping to start off and then an amount each month but I've yet to work out how much that will need to be. He can eat a box of cereal in a couple of days so I think there will need to be some cloth cutting coming up. We are in the position of being able to eat well so he's used to the finer things unfortunately.

He's very easy going so I can't see him being too much of a problem or having that much of an issue with others other than his general untidiness. It's good to know that swaps can happen if need be though - we'll keep that under our hat to see how he gets on at first. IF he gets there of course.

There's a Lidl close by where the students do most of their shopping

I did get shocked when ds has been home this week about how quickly a demolished a box of choco rice!

Ds is incredibly untidy in his own room and admits this (Why put clothes into drawers when you are going to wear them again? ) but has surprised himself by being the "tidy and clean one" in the public areas of the flat - to the extent that he is the one that gets annoyed when the others don't tidy up after themselves (or have cake throwing games ) and does deep cleans when they are away not shown any of this when he is back at home

Your ds might surprise himself and you !

ds is in New Carnegie but I’ve not been in the flat since last September. Their flat has had warnings due to the state of it. Ds had to get Oven Pride to clean the oven or face being fined...I hope they do better in their private accommodation next year. Ds does do some fairly basic cooking - fajitas, tacos, stir fries etc. Also cooks salmon and asparagus in the oven! A lot of the time it is ready meals or takeaways.

Ds got back to Aberdeen today after 2 weeks away and the first thing he did was WhatsApp us to say that the flat was a tip He was most pissed off

I just wish he showed a similar sense of house pride when he is at home He did admit that his 2 weeks at home were good for studying as he could treat the house like a hotel

We've already had to rescue and soak a cereal bowl from his room which had left over choco rice stuck like concrete in it He admitted it warned us about it when we were driving him in to catch the train (took him for breakfast at Sarti's as a treat ).

Ds has been better with dishes since he caused an ant infestation in our holiday villa. 'cos well, you know, insects.... :o

This all sounds familiar ! My DS is in New Carnegie and hasn't admitted to his flat having been given warnings, but I bet it's been a close run thing... although today he fried chicken and cooked pasta (he's also home for 2 weeks) and tidied up after himself, even switching the dishwasher on. So he has learned something this year!

Ds has not yet advanced that far superjaggy - I live in hope

Although to be fair, he's now bringing his plates back downstairs except for the dried on chocorice one and putting them in the dishwasher (Well, sometimes most of the time ). He did have the grace to look embarrassed when I pointed out that he should empty the dishwasher too - and that he couldn't use the excuse that he didn't know where to put things

He's pretty good about cleaning up after himself when he cooks though but it still hasn't crossed his mind to cook a meal for all of us, just "extra" ones for him

Haha yes, the fried chicken was only for one in this house too . At least they are actually cooking from time to time rather than relying on fast food / ready meals all the time - DS has admitted that he's had a few McDonald's in the last few months, despite being a long-time hater of the place!

Random question re catering at St. Andrews - does anyone know if you are self catered can you still buy from the dining room on a sort of pay as you go basis ? Thx.

Hi Susie I think it depends on the hall. My son was catered at DRA but I think you could also buy meal cards if you were self catering.

Thx ...

For all those on last days of school ...

I love this one too.....

Lovely @Aurea ... it’s such an emotional time isn’t it ? I’m so excited for DS (he’s decided on St Andrews) but also will miss him so much. Trying not to think about September just yet though !!

I read the Dr Seuss to my registration class last year before they moved on. I'd taken them from Primary transition all the way.

They were torn between sobbing and observing that I was still a "vast bucket of cringe " .

Cannot believe Dd is home til Sept... she's blinking messy!

Wax, you can buy spider catcher thingys from amazon, they suck the spider up and hold it there till you get it outside and let it go. Might be reassuring for u your ds to have something like that?

Thanks ssd I've seen those and loads of folk recommend them but he wouldn't be able to get that close - I wouldn't either...

Ds is coming down to Glasgow tomorrow afternoon to see a film with friends (the new Marvel movie) and then going back up to Aberdeen the following morning

He has a rugby game on Sunday in Perth and then 3 exams, 3 days in a row from Monday

So that's dd's first year and placement finished and passed. Flat emptied today and we handed the keys back. She has 16 weeks at home before she moves into her new flat as a MA2 student and it's a 3 minute walk to uni.

How has everyone else got on recently?

My niece is finished and moves out her flat on Saturday.

Ds1 finished at the end of March so has been his bedroom since. 4 months still to go before 2nd year starts! DS2 fi ished his exams last week so that's him for the next 4 months too and then hopefully he's away to Aberdeen. It's going really fast.