This post is a collaboration with TV Licensing (TVL), but all thoughts and experiences are my own
Making Sure You’re Ready for Uni
Heading off to university is an exciting time and it is easy to forget something as you pack up and get ready to start this new part of life. However, one thing you don’t want to forget is that students are likely to need a TV Licence.
A uni checklist will also help you remember other essentials and maybe a few things that you wouldn’t have thought of.
Preparing for university life throws up a whole host of emotions and leaves parents and carers questioning just how prepared their sons and daughters are for independent living. Therefore, this fun TVL Family Quiz looks to discover just how ready your young people are! You might be surprised by some of the answers!
This is the second time we have been through the university prep as our daughter went three years ago. This experience has helped us understand what the essentials are and what the process is like. Chloe definitely went with some things that are just not needed, this included taking a printer which was never once used. Yet her heated clothes drier was well used for getting her hockey kit dry quickly.
I ran through the questions with my 18-year-old and there were some dubious answers which have left me wondering just how prepared they are for student life! I also got a few wrong about my son.
The quiz has two rounds of questions, and they were great conversation starters about life at university. I am going to share a couple and our answers!
Round One: How Much Does My Son Know?
How Often Should Bedsheets and Towels be Washed?
The first question was about how often to change the bedsheets and towels! Worryingly my son thought once each term was adequate and actually suggested changing them too frequently makes them hard and not soft enough! He clearly doesn’t appreciate my weekly cleaning schedule!!
Unbeknownst to my son, it is recommended to change bedsheets and towels once a week. Although, I suppose I could forgive him for washing his bedding once a fortnight!
How Much Does a Load of Laundry Cost?
Another question asked how much a load of washing costs in a laundrette on average?
Considering I have already discovered he doesn’t plan on washing his bedding or towels more than once a term or semester I don’t think the cost of washing will break him!
He estimated a wash costs £2, which is about half a typical university cost.
I don’t think he had really thought through these additional costs as at home he wears his beloved designer tops just once and then throws them in the wash. I also know that on occasion clean clothes have ended up in the wash as he hadn’t hung them up in the cupboard and then couldn’t decide if they were worn or unworn. He will definitely miss me doing his washing and ironing.
Round Two: How Much Do I Know?
The second round of questions focused on parents guessing the right answer. These questions really opened the opportunity to share my expectations or at least hopes, for example how often will you call home?
When my daughter went to uni a few years back she was in contact most days, sometimes multiple times a day with questions about how to cook certain foods, or just engaging in general chit-chat. I know my son will be different, but I was able to make some suggestions!
The other question I had to guess was how much he expects to spend on food each week.
He set himself a low figure despite us working out that he will have £50 per week to live on… I don’t think he has any idea just how much he eats a day!
He has little idea about the cost of a loaf of bread or bag of pasta, let alone all the sweet treats and snacks he munches throughout the week! I think one of us will have quite a shock. However, it did lead to a great conversation about the sorts of meals he could cook up quickly and cheaply.
Information for Students about TV Licensing
This question about whether students need a TV Licence comes up time and time again and there is often misinformation and a load of conflicting advice out there, which is why I am partnering with TV Licensing to bring you the facts as they stand!
You need to be covered by a TV Licence to watch or record programmes as they’re being shown on TV or streamed live on an online TV service. And that’s not just the BBC; it’s all channels on any platform and on any device. You also need to be covered to watch BBC iPlayer.
In halls of residence, you need to be covered by a TV Licence if you plan on watching live TV in your room. But the biggest benefit for students who buy a licence for the year is that when they go home at the end of the academic year, they can apply for a refund for the unused time! This means they can claim a refund on any months they didn’t use their TV Licence if they live in their student accommodation for less than 12 months.
If you’re not sure if you need a TV Licence, the TVL website can offer more guidance.
