Students living at home

Oh I forgot to say my grandaughter worked a number of jobs all through Uni which also gave her not only a good CV but added to her growing

I had to be pushed to leave home for university, but I’m so glad I did. Those student years in London were the best of my life, once I’d got over initial homesickness.

When it came to my own children, I insisted they went to universities away from home. One of them was keen to leave, one took a little more persuading, but they both enjoyed it in the end.

My grandchildren aren’t quite old enough yet. We’ll see!

We couldn’t afford to pay for either of our children’s university accommodation, both lived in expensive areas, Oxford and Brighton.

Grants had gone by this time. Eldest, had fees of only £1,500 a year, DD were £9,000 a year. Both had annual maintenance loans.

There’s 12.5 year ga between these two.

Son worked to supplement his income, DD lived with (then) partner and they shared expenses. Partner got a huge maintenance loan and a grant as her mother was single and unemployed. Partner also worked part time.

Our other three children chose not to go to University.

The assumption that ‘ we all’ enjoyed the freedoms of university is incorrect because few went to university. In the mid 80 s when I graduated 23 years after leaving school, the percentage was 5.

Most people like me left school at 15 to start work, or some ‘stayed on’ until 16 taking two or three GCEs. However its noticeable from their posts that a number on GN went to grammar schools and onto universities. They were the lucky few.

I had two children at primary school so no clubbing or high jinx for me. I was there to get my degree, appreciating the opportunity and not to party.

Your gd appears to have just started at university, once she gets to know more people I am sure she may stay over at fellow students accommodation, so she won’t miss too much of the social life.

One of our DS attended a university which was amongst the top in the country for the subject he studied. It was 10 miles from home, so for his first year he went into halls of residence in order to get the full student experience.
The only difference was that the students came into our city for night life on a Saturday, so DS spent that night at home taking advantage of Sunday dinner before returning to Uni.
For his subsequent years ( 4 year course) he lived at home, preferring it to student houses! I wonder why?

My BF’s DGD, just 18 has opted to live at home for her first year, when she starts Uni in Newcastle next month and will commute from the coast near Sunderland. Also a shy girl, her parents are respecting her choice, but hope she’ll be confident enough next year to move out and house share. Cost isn’t an issue.

It is a shame I know it costs an arm and a leg but one of my grandaughters went away the shyist, least confident girl you have ever cone across and has ended up at the finish of her masters a totally competent , confident and a fully strong young lady who secured a very grown, up fantastic job in a completely different area. She has faced so many new challenges with great maturity that I m sure she wouldn’t have had the confidence to do if she hadn’t gone away to Uni, and you justvcan’t put a price on that