Great read Sally. Two down one to go here too. Annabel goes into second year in September. When our middle daughter was at Brighton she used to send her luggage via DHL rather than lug it across the country at holiday times. Was really reasonable so a great tip for anyone who has a child miles away xxx
This is a great idea! My daughter is starting at Brighton in a few weeks and we are just outside of Liverpool, so it’s a looong way (sob) to carry stuff home on the train xx
Alex loved her time there. Such a vibrant town but not too big. She became a student ambassador and travelled to various uni events. We loved visiting as it felt you were abroad 🌴
Great tips! Both of ours (in later years of shared houses ) pooled with the other students to get Hello Fresh or Gousto boxes and made their evening meals into joint cooking/social events. With all the discounts and special offers it worked out quite well. Added bonus of picking up cooking skills.
So useful. My elder children graduated 15+ years ago, our youngest is just awaiting A level results, I’ll save this for next year when she’s home from her Gap Year travels.
Oh Sally this brings back memories! I have three boys too, they all went to different unis - Newcastle, Manchester and Bristol. I remember the day we took my eldest, the room was minute and there was an old puke stain on the carpet that my son didn’t seem to notice but I did and swiftly ran out to buy a rug! As you say, the spare bedding remained in the cupboard despite my weekly reminder to change it 🥴 and I’m not sure the cleaning products that me and all the other mums took ever got used, but they all survived uni, didn’t starve, and look back on their time there (which flies by) with happy memories. We all still have each other on find friends, it’s a must when they’re travelling the world 🌎 and thats a whole other stress level for us mums! 🫣xx
Thank goodness for emergency rugs!! And omg yes they definitely can’t go off travelling the world, willnilly, without find my friends! The little dot moving about - like the Harry Potter marauders map- is very comforting isn’t it!
Lovely to read this, we are way over this stage but brought back loads of memories, good and not so good.
We've just got on the Find my phone apps, even though they are 31,29, & 27 but it's very useful. They quite like it too as they know where I am, roles reversed!
Thank you for this! Reading it on my sun lounger on the last week of our family holiday, before the looming A-level results day for our eldest can no longer be ignored!! Unless she takes a gap year (she’s still undecided …), I will definitely be referring back to your list and all the helpful advice ☺️
I think that's definitely everything covered :) My youngest of 4 (boys) graduated last summer...it didn't get any easier leaving them on moving in day - except perhaps knowing that they WILL be okay. You don't want to prolong the agony of leaving, but the one thing I would do, if they are in a rush to move you along (haha!), is make their bed... (I felt I had had a limb amputated when I left my eldest son for the first time...crying on the streets of London with son no 2 looking mortified!) Good luck to first time parents doing it this year...they'll have a ball!!
Ours has 2 years left at uni but we used this list in her first year and thank you because it was invaluable!!
The cushion with arms was a game changer (no room for an armchair) as was the heated clothes dryer.
We also got ours a mattress topper and wrap around mattress cover which worked well for her.
She bought herself a coffee machine - I’m not sure it’s a big money saver tbh but it meant she didn’t need to get out of bed in the morning to get a coffee 😂
Storage was her main issue and we end up getting her foldable and stackable crates in various sizes. Over door hangers are really useful.
Oh gosh… I think I’ve got something in my eye 😭 my just turned 18yo is off to Brighton very soon and I just now the long drive back to Liverpool will require many tissues. The list has been really useful, thanks Sally xx
Great read Sally. Two down one to go here too. Annabel goes into second year in September. When our middle daughter was at Brighton she used to send her luggage via DHL rather than lug it across the country at holiday times. Was really reasonable so a great tip for anyone who has a child miles away xxx
That’s GENIUS!! Thanks Shiralee! 😘
This is a great idea! My daughter is starting at Brighton in a few weeks and we are just outside of Liverpool, so it’s a looong way (sob) to carry stuff home on the train xx
We’re in Chester!!! Our youngest is going into her second year in Liverpool 😍
Oh wow! Any helpful tips about Brighton generally all welcome! Xx
Alex loved her time there. Such a vibrant town but not too big. She became a student ambassador and travelled to various uni events. We loved visiting as it felt you were abroad 🌴
Great tips! Both of ours (in later years of shared houses ) pooled with the other students to get Hello Fresh or Gousto boxes and made their evening meals into joint cooking/social events. With all the discounts and special offers it worked out quite well. Added bonus of picking up cooking skills.
Oh that’s GENIUS!!!!
So useful. My elder children graduated 15+ years ago, our youngest is just awaiting A level results, I’ll save this for next year when she’s home from her Gap Year travels.
Oh Sally this brings back memories! I have three boys too, they all went to different unis - Newcastle, Manchester and Bristol. I remember the day we took my eldest, the room was minute and there was an old puke stain on the carpet that my son didn’t seem to notice but I did and swiftly ran out to buy a rug! As you say, the spare bedding remained in the cupboard despite my weekly reminder to change it 🥴 and I’m not sure the cleaning products that me and all the other mums took ever got used, but they all survived uni, didn’t starve, and look back on their time there (which flies by) with happy memories. We all still have each other on find friends, it’s a must when they’re travelling the world 🌎 and thats a whole other stress level for us mums! 🫣xx
Thank goodness for emergency rugs!! And omg yes they definitely can’t go off travelling the world, willnilly, without find my friends! The little dot moving about - like the Harry Potter marauders map- is very comforting isn’t it!
Lovely to read this, we are way over this stage but brought back loads of memories, good and not so good.
We've just got on the Find my phone apps, even though they are 31,29, & 27 but it's very useful. They quite like it too as they know where I am, roles reversed!
Haha yes! My lot check where I am too 😂 (usually incase I’m near a food shop 🤣)
Thank you for this! Reading it on my sun lounger on the last week of our family holiday, before the looming A-level results day for our eldest can no longer be ignored!! Unless she takes a gap year (she’s still undecided …), I will definitely be referring back to your list and all the helpful advice ☺️
It’s such a big time in their lives isn’t it! Hoping she gets the results she needs & everything is ok whichever path she chooses 🙏🏻
I think that's definitely everything covered :) My youngest of 4 (boys) graduated last summer...it didn't get any easier leaving them on moving in day - except perhaps knowing that they WILL be okay. You don't want to prolong the agony of leaving, but the one thing I would do, if they are in a rush to move you along (haha!), is make their bed... (I felt I had had a limb amputated when I left my eldest son for the first time...crying on the streets of London with son no 2 looking mortified!) Good luck to first time parents doing it this year...they'll have a ball!!
Making the bed is a must, I heartily agree 🙏🏻💙 somehow makes us feel better !
Thanks Sal. I have a year to go yet until my son goes to Uni but found it so useful.
Not sure how I am going to cope when he goes!😢
This is such a good article Sal, you covered everything! 👏🏻
Yes, loads of tissues. I got ‘something in my eye’ just reading this and remembering….and it was 10 years ago!!
Ours has 2 years left at uni but we used this list in her first year and thank you because it was invaluable!!
The cushion with arms was a game changer (no room for an armchair) as was the heated clothes dryer.
We also got ours a mattress topper and wrap around mattress cover which worked well for her.
She bought herself a coffee machine - I’m not sure it’s a big money saver tbh but it meant she didn’t need to get out of bed in the morning to get a coffee 😂
Storage was her main issue and we end up getting her foldable and stackable crates in various sizes. Over door hangers are really useful.
Oh gosh… I think I’ve got something in my eye 😭 my just turned 18yo is off to Brighton very soon and I just now the long drive back to Liverpool will require many tissues. The list has been really useful, thanks Sally xx