DCs off to uni—anyone want to join?

[Ineedcoffeenow]

Now DD has got her grades needed for uni, I’m starting to get my head around that she’s only got 4 weeks before she leaves. I’m going to miss her so much! But im also very excited for her to have the uni experience. Hopefully it will all go according to plan.

The preparation (aka shopping) will
start soon.

Anyone else also going through this?

Me 🙋🏻‍♀️ DD accepted her offer a few months back but it’s been a busy time with Prom and various school leaving events plus younger DC exams etc that it’s only really sinking in now that she’s actually going away.

I am so excited for her but I also want to cry 😭

My son is off to uni but staying at home for year 1 (at least).

It makes sense financially and geographically, but I can't help feeling like he's missing out on a formative experience.

Best of luck to your DCs in their adventures!

Absolutely! DD now has her accommodation sorted, which has made it all very real. I’m a bit worried about her managing money/feeding herself. We’re going to send her out to buy her own food for the week in the hope it helps her to get to grips with it before she goes away.

Yeah I’m dreading her being away but also really happy that she’s got a place at uni.

there is a thread on here that I will find and post here about what they need for the accommodation.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5385174-what-does-dc-actually-need-for-uni-first-year-hall-hopefully?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=app_share

Yeah my DD says she is going to live off takeaways. 😂 she’s going to get a shock about how quickly her funds will disappear.

We got Hello Fresh for a while before DD went to uni and it was her job to cook as she had lots of free time, it really increased her confidence in cooking and when she got to uni she ended up cooking (not Hello Fresh!) and her flatmates did the dishes which suited everyone! So you could try that or Gousto in the next few weeks.

Thanks for that @purplepie1

A couple of shopping days coming up and then the logistics of the move to organise, and I just have to trust that DD will remember things I’ve tried to instil in her over the years regarding safety and eating properly. I’m not too worried about her budgeting skills (at the moment) as she’s tight as anything with money. Sorry rephrase that, her OWN money 😂

DD had her placed confirmed a few weeks ago (she's IB). Must be odd for those onky getting confirmed now.

I expected to be in bits but I'm actually fine...But she is only going to be an hour away

Thanks for the link @purplepie1

DD is still a bit lost as to what she will be spending her money on (we’re paying accommodation, she’ll cover everything else with her loan). She is pretty good with finances, but I’m not sure how much she will need. We’re basing it on £100 per week for food/supplies/going out. Not sure if that’s too tight, though.

. I must say that she doesn’t seem particularly excited…

I tink I may have scared DD. I’m a uni lecturer so have been warning her that nobody will help her to plan work like teachers do/nobody will read drafts of essays/nobody will guide her through stuff. It’s entirely down to her. And I won’t be there to help either! She’s heard the stories of students not being able to study independently and failing. But I think I’m going to have to dial it down a bit! I’m just trying to prepare her for the inevitable shock at how different uni is to school.

My daughter met her condition and is off to Glasgow. Our elder daughter is already there but I feel like I remember nothing about the experience! Apart from crying!
she’s been accepted to Queen Margaret residences like her sister was so at least I know what that’s about

I am worrying a bit about DD getting lost in the workload but she’s reminded me that she had to do most of her work for S6 independently - online for two subjects, and a Baccalaureate that she had to organise and execute pretty much on her own.

Your DD will be fine and she probably appreciates you being honest with her. They’re adults now I guess so we have to just tell them like it is.

Well done to everyone’s DC for meeting their conditions 👏👏

Oh and I bought some coat hangers today so I’m feeling pretty smug about being prepared 😂😂😂

DD has a gap year and is off to uni this year. We've had her halls and room confirmed and we've started getting some supplies in. She travelled this year and did some cookery courses while she was away, so we've been encouraging her to cook some of the dishes she learned on SE Asia. It's increased her confidence to try cooking other dishes, so I'm hopeful she'll manage.

@YouBelongWithMe don’t worry about it too much, I was the same and it has all worked out well. ds is at uni in Glasgow and commutes in from Ayrshire each day (engineering so in most days).

He has a great group of both uni and local friends (some also at uni but different courses) and a great social life in and around Glasgow. He found most of those in halls hung out together, but there are lots of Scottish students who commute or have flat shares away from the uni and they all tend to hang out together.

Other than providing a roof over his head he now manages his own PT job, money, phone, car, washing, most of his own food (he regularly cooks for his gf here), going out, going on holiday in summer with lads (paid for himself - we gave him a bit extra spending money) etc etc. We are just the base and see him occasionally, he and sometimes his gf is respectful coming and going in the middle of the night so we leave him to it. We never stopped his monthly allowance £150 but other than that he sorts out his own things, and now end of 3rd year is still debt free.

He looked into moving out last year and we said we would financially support a flat share if the student loan didn’t cover it all. He did his sums, and thought about it practically and decided he was happy with the setup he had - he enjoys his local bar steward job, they give him flexibility and is close to the people he works with, loves supporting his local football team most weekends, and Glasgow is easily close enough with free buses to socialise in.

What’s everyone doing with regard to getting stuff for uni (especially cooking stuff—pans, plates etc.)?

i want to go out and just get her what she needs so she’s all set up and doesn’t need to mess about. DH thinks that we should leave it and she can buy whatever she needs over time (bar very basics of a couple of pans and plates).

We have started to buy stuff and will be making a trip to Ikea soon to pick up everything she needs.

we will be buying the basics but enough to cook with. A couple of pots, frying pan, utensils, can opener (probably will be the most used item lol), couple of plates, cutlery etc.

No where near an IKEA unfortunately, although there is one in uni city.

There’s an Argos collection point just around the corner from the halls. Might get duvet and other large stuff to collect from there. We don’t have a huge car so will struggle to get everything in there.

DD is planning her freshers week activities. There’s puppy yoga 😁.

My Ds off to university in September. He's a quiet boy and never even been to a party or a pub. I worry ( about everything) that from what I can see fresher week is all about partying and drinking. There doesn't seem to be anything else on that I can see. Also these uni accommodation shared kitchens do they provide anything? Will they need own crockery, cutlery, pans everything?

@swaninbay congratulations to your son. If he’s in self catered accommodation he’ll need everything. We’re not taking a kettle, toaster etc in case the flat ends up with 6 of them. Quite often they will buy those as a group or someone buys the kettle, someone buys a toaster etc. Everything else they will need. I reckon 2 plates, 2 bowls and so on. They will also need their own bedding and towels etc.

Universities have societies for everything and he’ll be able to meet people who he connects with. Obviously lots of students do go a bit wild on freshers but lots won’t at all and still make friends and find their groove. Maybe take ear plugs though!

We have always been told not to buy your plates, glasses etc from ikea because every kid in the flat has done that and so they all look the same and no one can tell whose is whose. Tkmaxx or dunelm are good options.

Bit pissed off that the uni didn’t let DD know that bookings for freshers week had been released. It was just by luck that I tripped across it. It means some of the activities she wanted to do are booked up. Also the price! Paid £58.

He will most likely need everything for cooking. DDs halls provide a kettle and toaster, but nothing else. Then bedding and towels.

I’ve also heard about getting plates etc that are a distinctive colour/design so you know what’s yours.