For those mum's waving someone off to uni for first time

lotties_mum

msmyth18 wrote: »

From a student point of view, yes please with the chocolate cake and unpacking and also if you 'rents' could provide a weeks worth of shopping.... but then please leave and let us meet who we are living with!

One lads rents just wouldnt and although they did cook us dinner it made it awkward... it wasnt until we were leaving for the guild welcome party that they took the hint!

Well said:T

Jinx

Amanda65 wrote: »

However it is not being helped atm as despite her offer being changed to unconditional in June following her art foundation results, and applying for the accommadationas soon the same day, she still hasn't received details of where she has been allocated (had to put down 6 choices :exclamati) or anything about her course, which is making her a little jittery and not helping with the nerves. Fingers crossed she hears soon.

My DD had to reapply as due to cuts in government funding her place was gone :eek: She had deferred for a year so had to then scrabble around trying to find a new place/course and the HASSLE with getting paperwork sorted was just incredible. Shes had her new place confirmed for months now and just received her accommodation pack yesterday AND the correct loan/grant notification after about 6 incorrect ones.... It will actually be a relief in some ways to get her there, been such a long journey....:j

themole_2

Agree totally with all the positive comments. I have seen two of mine off to university, a son and a daughter, both of whom approached the experience in totally different ways. I just drive them there, help them unpack. I left them to do the sorting in their room and busied myself about in the kitchen unloading stuff and chat to everyone I see in the flat, in the halls, anywhere. I find most of the other mum's are feeling exactly the same and we tend to sit and have a coffee and leave the students to sort their rooms. I then take them off to do the shopping, which I pay for! When we get back we unload and mark our territory in the fridge and cupboards! Agree with the overdose of junk food and drink for the first and only time... it does break the ice. I normally get a couple of pizzas, which I leave in the kitchen for them to eat over these first few days. I normally take them out for a meal and then drop them back at their halls... say my goodbye and head off to pull off into a nearby layby and cry my eyes out! Yes, but they don't see that bit... just the bossy mum doing all the organising and aranging as usual. One thing I have made a point of doing every year since is renewing their NUS Extra Discount card... its called a student card but really it has saved me a fortune. Best £11 spent! Saves money on insurance, food, travel, books, etc., etc., etc.

http://cards.nus.org.uk/buy/default.aspx

Most of all, enjoy the day.... they will soon be returning home with their washing and to enjoy a good home cooked meal!

slightlyconfused1

Hi Pimento

My son worked for Tesco on a Sunday here and so asked for a transfer. He had a summer job last year and he got kept on. I have spent the past year encoraging him to be flexible and to work extra shifts at short notice in order to build up a good reputation within the store. Luckily it worked. The Tesco he will be working in is very close to Halls and he has already arranged his shift pattern (fri night and all day sunday).

He was given the transfer before he met the manager but then went up to introduce himself etc. We are 3 and a half hours away so it was a full day just to go and say hi but he also had a look around the town and familiarised himslf with the area a bit more.

It might be an idea for your son to visit the town he will be living in to see if there are any vacancies and pick up a form. He might just get lucky.

pimento

Thanks for that slightlyconfused1! My son works at the Co-Op currently at weekends and the odd shift here and there. he did ask about a transfer, but it's not possible bevause it's a different part of the country. Saying that, there are seven Co-Ops in the the city he'll be moving to.

One thing I can be proud of my son for is that he isn't workshy and likes the feeling of a pound note in his pocket, so I don't think it will take him too long to get a job.

minerva_windsong

Snacks and hot beverages are definitely a good ice-breaker for a new student, especially in halls. Keeping your door open when you're unpacking is good as well, as is getting involved in the activities - our uni organised various different events in the first week, including 'quieter' ones for those who didn't want to go out and get drunk every night.

It was actually my dad who was worse than my mum when I went to uni, although my mum did cry (as my sisters had predicted) and I felt awful about it. I think it was compounded by the fact that I'm the youngest out of me and my sisters, so it was very much an 'our baby girls are all grown up' kind of moment. That said though my mum did say that she was glad I didn't come home before Christmas, because if I had she'd have worried that I didn't like being at uni.