Student tips and recipes book - her 1st time living away

mrs_motivated

JackieO wrote: »

When my grandson Ben started at Uni two years ago I started a 'Ben box' which was a square plastic box with all the things he likes in there, and every time he goes back after his break I have a full Ben box to keep him going
One of those ones fromWilko's for a couple of quid.He has a large jar of coffee,tomato ketchup, rice ,pasta,biggest box of wheetabix I can find soap,shower gel,loo rolls baked beans he likes those revolting fray bentos pies in a tin and says they are brilliant for a quick cheap hot meal take the lid off bung in the oven ,cook and eat in the tin (saves washing up )


He has discovered the delights of shopping in Aldis and can buy 10 stubbie lager bottles for £1.99, the boys in his shared house get these in on a saturday night as its cheaper than the pub. fresh fruit and veg he buys as he goes along but he now cooks a mean lasagne and a pretty good chilli as well He has a delightful french girlfriend who likes to practice her cooking on him.They learn as we did years ago by trial and error I think

I did exactly the same for my daughter, although she wasn't to far away and did come home every few weeks. She learnt to cook very quickly and seemed to budget quite well for food, it was toiletries she was always grateful for and things like toilet rolls. I also did her a fresher survival pack, tissues, paracetamol, vitamins in prep for the almost inevitable 'fresher's flu'

[Deleted User]

Once Ben got his grant coming through (it often doesn't appear until alomost mid -September) not much help in the 2nd year when you have to pay the rent from June irrespective of whether you are there or not. We worked out a system until he got some part-time bar work that I would have all of his terms rent in my account, and pay an month at a time via online banking into his account two days before it was due to go to the landlord.Stopped him panicking about his rent being paid. This year he not only moved to a new student house closer to Uni than the other one(slightly cheaper too)He paid for the deposit himself in advance and has got his rent all up to date on his own and even has September's in his account already.His new grant doen't even come through until about the 16th September.Our boy is solvent at last :) half way through his course with two more years to go.

Youngsters soon adapt to working things out for themselves,I know DD and I worried dreadfully when he first went away,convinced he wouldn't last the first term. I am so proud of how he has just got on with things bless him,its been the making of him.

miniondancer

JackieO wrote: »

,I know DD and I worried dreadfully when he first went away,convinced he wouldn't last the first term. I am so proud of how he has just got on with things bless him,its been the making of him.

She is the last one in that family to go and as her mum keeps pointing out to her that she will have to budget, cook for herself, be responsible for herself, clean, wash and sort her clothes.

Hopefully the next one to look at heading will be her niece who is a couple of years younger than her

She has a lovely idea it will be all partying with a couple of lectures thrown in :rotfl:

the book is like a "fall back" guide if she feels out of her depth (which is very likely) and something familiar to reassure her as her siblings and their partners also are making "envelopes for her to open at different times" so that if she is finding it hard and doesnt want to "lose face" she can have some friendly words from those who love her

Plus its something she will have many years beyond university and only takes time to do which i have plenty off and a bit of effort and unique to her

Thank you all your help so far, i appreciate it