Following on from the 'Exam Results' thread......

[hildasmuriel]

....... anybody want to talk about all the issues surrounding your child going off to Uni?

Or is it just me who's starting to panic about the Student Finance coming through in time, or the allocation of accommodation, or the list of stuff I need to buy or the list of things I need to tell him(!) or the fact that he can't cook....or a million other things.

I know he's not the first lad ever to go off, but he may just be the laziest!

So...anyone else?

 

[Dimplenose]

No, I'm panicking about finance too especially as we applied late. I'm not worried about supporting him until the money comes through but I am worried about the fee payment as that goes directly to the uni, so we can't pay it and then have him repay us once his loan arrives.

I'm also worried that the halls of residence have a sweet dispensing machine - knowing how he trawls our kitchen at 11pm I think he'll spend a lot of money here.

I'm also worried that he's not bothered about the practicalities of day to day living.

He said the other day, "How am I going to get all my stuff to uni?" it hadn't even occurred to him that we'd want to take him there - now I'm getting the "You won't hang around and embarrass me" lecture.

I want him to grow up and I know I'm very lucky that my son has this opportunity (having seen families at WDW this year with some very poorly children really brough it home), but it still hurts.

 

[CustardTart]

I just want to reassure you that it'll work out. We found the finance turnover quite speedy and at my Uni, for example, it seems they understand the situation and will wait for the fees for a while...

When my eldest DS went off to Uni, we were terrified as, unlike his sister before him, he just didn't seem to have a clue!!! He lived in his own world and did his own thing so I wasn't even 100% sure he'd get to any lectures on time... Anyway, he lived in Halls for the first year, made friends with bunch of people on his landing and they took it in turns to cook. Turns out all those years of making pasta sauce in front of him paid off and he was able to work out how to produce a rather tasty tuna & pasta bake... So he didn't starve and even worked out which supermarkets were the best to go to for BOGOFs etc!!! Now I don't do that so wow!!!

As far as the money side of things goes, he knew he couldn't afford to work part-time as he did Fine Art which was extremely time consuming BUT he managed to get occasional work - modelling, of all things!!! I've never quite gotten over how enterprising that was of him...

He finally got to use his long-hidden initiative because he had to. While we were around to take care of him, he let us do just that, but he quickly adapted and surprised us all with his ability to get on in his new environment. I bet your sons do the same...

 

[CustardTart]

BTW, I just went online to register for my 2nd year and it seems the deadline for payment of fees at my Uni isn't till end of January 2010...

 

[Tammy Stringer]

Yes I'm in full panic mode too. I think we have the student finance sorted - for what it's worth. India is hoping to get a transfer through Tesco to get a few hours work if possible to supplement the measly amount of loan she will get. If not she will be looking for bar work or waitressing.

We have been creating lots of lists and a trip to Ikea for the kitchen essentials is imminent. I am buying lots of BOGOF things so she will have the basic food essentials for when she gets there, but I am also worried about her lack of cooking know how. I am trying to give her some lessons but she is so busy working that we are hardly ever in at the same time, but I am sure she will cope with a few standard recipe books to follow.

Karen - what a coincidence- she did create a very tasty tuna, sweetcorn and pasta bake this week - so there is hope for her.

I know I will miss her dreadfully but I know she will have so much fun and with the wonders of the web we will be able to touch base and "see" her when she gets time.

Can't believe that in just over 4 weeks she will have moved out - still Georgia is very happy at the prospect of taking over her much larger bedroom

Tammy

 

[gemmybear83]

As a past uni student who survived a 3 year degree and a postgrad course I wouldnt worry.

I went into a university self caterered flat unable to cook (couldnt even boil pasta , my excuse is my parents were chefs and wouldnt let me in the kitchen at home!), and no real idea bout the big bad world (I lived in ultimate safe surburbia) and moved to Sheffield to attend Sheffield University.

I think making mistakes is part of growing up. I didnt get the university accomodation I wanted but more importantly I had fab housemates, one of which I now count as my sister, and who will be my bridesmaid next year

I wouldnt worry about fees either, my student loan always came through ontime but they are flexible. My housemate was an international student and her fees were £15,000 a year and they will were flexible/let her pay in installments etc.

 

[Dimplenose]

I lived away from home as a student but that doesn't make me worry any less about my son.

As for the finance it's being run under a different system for the first time this year and from what I've read have a 12 week backlog!!! So you can see why I'm worried.

 

[hildasmuriel]

Thanks to those who posted reassuring words.

As my son had to go through Clearing, he had to accept a place at a Uni he had never even seen, so today he went to their Open Afternoon, so at least he will have a vague idea about it. He hasn't heard about accommodation yet.

Aaargh - just thought about washing clothes. He will wear the same jeans, use the same towel, use the same bedding for a whole term. I'm sure he will!!!

 

[natalielongstaff]

still Georgia is very happy at the prospect of taking over her much larger bedroom

Tammy

every cloud has a silver lining !

 

[wideeyes]

Yes I'm in full panic mode too. I think we have the student finance sorted - for what it's worth. India is hoping to get a transfer through Tesco to get a few hours work if possible to supplement the measly amount of loan she will get.

My sister does that and also transfers back to our local tesco during holidays.

I am sure they will all be fine as they will be loads of peole in the same position and it is a good way to make friends and muck in together. Uni will also be understanding about waiting for loans for tuitions fees and some uni's also give loans to students if they are stuck while waiting for the maintence loan.

 

[A Small World]

Thanks to those who posted reassuring words.

As my son had to go through Clearing, he had to accept a place at a Uni he had never even seen, so today he went to their Open Afternoon, so at least he will have a vague idea about it. He hasn't heard about accommodation yet.

Aaargh - just thought about washing clothes. He will wear the same jeans, use the same towel, use the same bedding for a whole term. I'm sure he will!!!

Yes you are right

Dont worry they will survive - DS1 did and he was not used to doing anything before he went - although I remember us taking him and all his stuff to Uni then bringing him home again with us so he could go to watch the football that afternoon

 

[hildasmuriel]

Dont worry they will survive - DS1 did and he was not used to doing anything before he went - although I remember us taking him and all his stuff to Uni then bringing him home again with us so he could go to watch the football that afternoon

 

[Latte Lover]

Aaargh - just thought about washing clothes. He will wear the same jeans, use the same towel, use the same bedding for a whole term. I'm sure he will!!!

Yes, and then he'll bring it all home for you to wash! Our DD brought home 6 full loads of washing plus a pile of delicate handwash items when she came back for the summer hols! I wouldn't mind, but she had a washing machine in the house she was living in!

 

[CustardTart]

Yes I'm in full panic mode too. I think we have the student finance sorted - for what it's worth. India is hoping to get a transfer through Tesco to get a few hours work if possible to supplement the measly amount of loan she will get. If not she will be looking for bar work or waitressing....

I think a lot of students do that. In her GAP year, my DS's girlfriend worked at Monsoon part-time, earned quite decent money and got a good staff discount. She didn't want to give that up, so transferred to the Uni branch and, with the build-up to Christmas in the 1st term, was able to do plenty of hours before the studying intensified...

...Karen - what a coincidence- she did create a very tasty tuna, sweetcorn and pasta bake this week - so there is hope for her...

Apparently it's the sweetcorn that makes the difference! Tho' he now waxes lyrical about adding frozen peas directly to spag bol...

...As my son had to go through Clearing, he had to accept a place at a Uni he had never even seen, so today he went to their Open Afternoon, so at least he will have a vague idea about it. He hasn't heard about accommodation yet...

Hope his afternoon went well...

...Aaargh - just thought about washing clothes. He will wear the same jeans, use the same towel, use the same bedding for a whole term. I'm sure he will!!!

One word, Febreze!!! Or maybe he'll meet someone to take pity on him...

 

[hildasmuriel]

He did like it, thank goodness, as he has already accepted the place.

New question.......TV licenses. My son insists he will not need one. He has a portable that he uses only for his PS2. He rarely watches telly and if he does, he tends to watch on iplayer. I am worried that the one time he makes the mistake of watching live TV on his laptop, he will get caught. He says he will make sure he never watches live TV.
I'm a worrier, though......

 

[Dimplenose]

We weretold at DS uni open day that everyone in halls needs a TV licence even if they're just using a computer to watch programmes. I think if he owns equipment capable of receiving TV then he needs a license whether he watches it live or not.

 

[hildasmuriel]

It makes no difference how you watch telly - whether it's on your laptop, PC or mobile phone or through a digital box, DVD recorder or good old-fashioned TV set - if you use any device to receive television programmes as they're being shown on TV, the law requires you to be covered by a licence

(bolding is mine)

This is from the TV Licensing website. My son insists that he will not be using a device to watch programmes as they're being shown on TV and so is not liable to pay.

 

[hildasmuriel]

If you use the BBC iPlayer to watch TV programmes at the same time as they are being shown on TV (live) then you will need to be covered by a valid TV Licence.

If you use the BBC iPlayer to watch BBC programmes after they have been broadcast - either to download, or via streaming 'on demand' you will not need a TV Licence.

This is the other bit I meant to add - also from the TV Licensing website.

 

[MaddieB]

New question.......TV licenses. My son insists he will not need one. He has a portable that he uses only for his PS2. He rarely watches telly and if he does, he tends to watch on iplayer. I am worried that the one time he makes the mistake of watching live TV on his laptop, he will get caught. He says he will make sure he never watches live TV.
I'm a worrier, though......

We weretold at DS uni open day that everyone in halls needs a TV licence even if they're just using a computer to watch programmes. I think if he owns equipment capable of receiving TV then he needs a license whether he watches it live or not.

I've just finished my second year of uni and only bought one tv license for the kitchen/communal area which was split between me and my housemates. You do need a seperate one for each individual room with a lock though (i.e. in Halls) but most people don't bother to watch live tv in their room so don't need another license. If you're just watching prerecorded shows online like BBC iplayer, 4oD etc then you don't need one.

 

[Dimplenose]

DS has just checked his loan application online and it says "Awaiting Signature". Who's signature - if it's his then he's nothing to sign as he applied on-line. I'm getting more confused by the day!