MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
She's a bit home sick and I want to take her a little box of goodies to help cheer her up. I need to keep up my 'cool uncle' image so nothing rude or offensive
Bottle of Vodka?
Definitely not Gin if she's feeling homesick.
Something cooked by her parents or in the style of. Pie etc
I need to keep up my 'cool uncle' image so nothing rude or offensive
[s]Big box of johnnies [/s] Sorry, I got nothin.....
Anything like home made cakes, etc if that's something she would have had at home.
And booze is generally well received of course.
Or a big portion of WTFU. đŸ˜‰
I think company is what she needs to cheer her up. It can be hard to fit in and first real experience of living away from home. So my 2 pence is that having some fun, taking her out for lunch/dinner at a nicer place than she could normally afford to or getting her to show you student haunts. Bottles of spirits for someone who's a bit depressed doesn't sound like a great idea to me nor indeed home make cakes to remind her of what she's missing.
So gifts I don't have much, something small. How about flowers which will brighten up her room, girls generally like flowers (excuse cliche). You might need to buy a cheap vase too as she won't have one.
my 'cool uncle' image
You don't have this, no one does.
getting her to show you student haunts
This. May make her appreciate how much she is learning about the area / settling in
[quote=dangeourbrain ]
my 'cool uncle' image
You don't have this, no one does.
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The best present I received at uni was when my sister sent me a tube of berocca in freshers week.
I'd say take her fotr dinner.
Doesn't have to be fancy or anything.
Wine tasting or cheese tasting?
Anything which she is unlikely to afford and is a break from people and usual student stuff.
And a toasty maker. A real one none of this sandwich press nonsense.
If you want to be the 'Cool' uncle, take her a box load of tampons or sanitary towels, hot water bottle (with a cute cover) a all in one PJ and a unhealthy amount of anything chocolate.
No offence but wine or cheese tasting. She'll get destroyed if her uni mates find out...
Alcohol, Rizla, tea bags, milk, sugar, some of her favourite sweets, etc and anything you may want while visiting.
when we visit our son, only thing he asks for is some home cooking food.
Normally batch cook stuff and divvy it into single portions and freeze also take him out for food and drink/cocktails.
Some home baking and a really nice framed photo of her family and friends that she has left behind.
Once she has cried herself to sleep for a few days ,she will be reet. đŸ˜‰
[i]Bruneep,is Kev your uncle?[/i]
Take her out to dinner somewhere nice (i.e. not Pizza Hut)
Chocolate/food/etc, i'm sure would be well received.
[quote=fasthaggis ]
Bruneep,is Kev your uncle?
He's everyone's uncle
đŸ™‚
Take her out, away form the university environment. Away for the stresses and the worries that are otherwise surrounding her.
my 'cool uncle' image
You don't have this, no one does.
I can think of at least one example, right here on this forum. On this thread even. Maybe even in this post đŸ™‚
Take a big bundle of your mail.
Gas bills, electric bills , council tax, mortgage statements, BT, SKY. whatever you have to hand.
Let her read through them and watch as the horrific realisation dawns on her of how much it [b]actually[/b] costs to live in the real world.
I'm sure this lesson in perspective will make her "homesickness" problems pale into insignificance.
Oh..... and a big box of johnnies.
When I was away, agreeing with much of what has been written, I liked it when my folks turned up and took me out for dinner somewhere a little nicer than I couldn't normally afford, perhaps even a little out of town where I wouldn't always go. I normally get left a baked at home fruit cake which was good too. They would also take me shopping allowing me to fill my fridge with nicer food than the crap I normally bought, this shop would generally include a bottle of vodka and some beers of course.
Assuming you're not too old, being shown around the student bars is no bad idea either, though it will be a real test of your "cool uncle" status.
I'd actually reverse the tables a bit, rather than you take the best bits of home to her - get her to show you the best bits of being grown up and away from home - show you the sites and places to go, or ,with your company for reassurance, find and try something new to do.
Keep it all forward looking.
You don't have this, no one does.
I manage it quite well.
To quote a 3 years old "I like uncle Sam, he gets me" 8)
Take her out, away form the university environment. Away for the stresses and the worries that are otherwise surrounding her.
+1, uni becomes quite insular if you're car-less and can't get more than about 3 miles from the campus/halls.
No offence but wine or cheese tasting. She'll get destroyed if her uni mates find out...
Depends who your mates are, if you're not up for doing new stuff at uni then when are you? We got upto all sorts of odd things (including cheese and wine tasting).
I'm sure this lesson in perspective will make her "homesickness" problems pale into insignificance.
Yes, and there are children starving in Africa.
Alternatively, you could show some empathy, and perhaps remember what it was like when you first left home.
Take her shopping for food, clothes and stuff, i.e. just have a day out and chat about things.
Get her to show you round the place and make sure you pay attention..!
Promise - and ensure you're good to your word - to visit again.
Dont forget Big bars of cadburys chocolate and some biscuits.
Promise - and ensure you're good to your word - to visit again
Or possibly... Promise - and ensure you're good to your word - to [b]NEVER[/b] visit again.
Whichever is most appropriate
Coke and hoo..... Oh no hang on, sorry, wrong thread.
Where's she at Uni? Does she like the town/city she's in?
If she's struggling with the place she's moved to, I'd be researching fun things to do in that area and take her out to some of them to show her the best bits of where she's moved.
That way she gets to experience her new environment and possibly do stuff she won't do with other freshers.
A housemate's dad used to bring up ganja, out-of-date food, and Swedish pornography on his visits.
He would also start jamming in our living room by playing the bongos. Our house parties didn't get so busy after.
Definitely go for a drive, sometimes I would go for months on end as a student without being in a car.
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Where's she at Uni? Does she like the town/city she's in?
Given the number of threads here about "what's X town like to live in" and "where to go for a day/night out in X", this might give you some useful suggestions of things/places to do/go.
Don't pressure her to introduce you to her friends - she might not have (m)any. University life for lots of people isn;t one long string of parties and "poking" a pig's head….
PS Don't wear your 'Driving Slippers' when you go to pick her up đŸ˜³
Hash, cider and johnnies
oh, and don't shag any of her housemates - it will only make life awkward for her.. ;o)
How about a T-SHirt saying
IT'S OK
DON'T CALL POLICE
I'M HER UNCLE
we used to love it when a mates mum turned up with loads of cakes
We used to love it when a mates dad turned up with loads of hash*
Pick one of these and we know what the cool uncle would do đŸ˜‰
*We would have really loved it had it been the same week
Tube of Canesten.
Definitely take her out for lunch & dinner. Bring chocolate, biscuits and any snacks she likes. Ask her if she wants anything from home?
[quote=dangeourbrain ]
my 'cool uncle' image
You don't have this, no one does.
[img] 
?oh=b0b4a31ff3fc30316b77b78fd966ce7f&oe=56B2ED91[/img]
I think my nephew thinks i'm cool but old
A chunder bucket đŸ˜¥
Bruneep and the others I think I've possibly offended, I should maybe clarify.
My nephews also think I'm cool, they're six not sixteen, my niece thought I was cool when she was six, now she's sixteen and I'm embarrassing.
Coffee machine, load of nice roast coffee, some good cocoa powder and a thermos flask
And a really nice snuggle blanket for watching TV under
Could save her a load of money
Loving these replies
A large capacity USB memory stick so that she can backup all her coursework and e-books. Boring, but could save lots of heartache and frustration when a deadline looms and she suffers an IT mishap.
A large capacity USB memory stick so that she can backup all her coursework and e-books. Boring, but could save lots of heartache and frustration when a deadline looms and she suffers an IT mishap.
Your talking about the good old days (or even better a floppy disk).
It's Dropbox these days.
Take her and her house mates out for pizza/curry,a few drinks....have a laugh.
Then break out the hash brownies...;-)
Gah, only a part of my reply made it through. I was going to say, she's at Southampton uni. I love the ideas for taking her out to somewhere new or showing her areas she hasn't explored yet, she doesn't drive so I imagine she would love to see some 'sights'
All this is really useful. Got my first " visit the sprog at uni" visit in 2 weeks..
Suspect he's having a good time judging by FB.
Good luck OP. I've looked forwards to this for years. Son becoming adult with his totally separate world. Wondering how I can help.
Bring money.
Bring alcohol.
Bring food.
Sod off quickly.
A student care kit is basically things they miss and things they can't justify spending their limited money on (and because, Beer).
Photos. Get a big card or a nice notebook (think 'guestbook') and get all the family to leave messages and sign it. Chocolate. Good quality bog roll. Condoms (sorry). Tampons if you know what she uses. Bottle of something nice. Herbs and spices (can't stress this enough, you can make any old crap edible if you've got sufficient seasoning). Big huggable soft toy. More chocolate. Phone credit. Play / iStore gift card as appropriate. Big box of biscuits. Catering pack of Hot Lava Java coffee. Subscription to Hotel Chocolat. Paracetemol / Ibuprofen / Pro Plus tablets.
wrightyson - Member
No offence but wine or cheese tasting. She'll get destroyed if her uni mates find out...
No offence but you're clearly out of touch with how students live now. That would be met with outright jealousy from any of my student mates at uni.
I'd still say experience rather than dumping a shower of gifts then leaving.
Although bogroll isn't a bad shout.
Just take her out somewhere nice, sit in a coffee shop, talk, and generally be the "home" that she is missing. I'd suggest a nesspresso machine would make a nice present for socialising.
Teen1 has barely phoned or texted, but he has been home a couple of times for the RWC games, illness and a party.
new forest, winchester, or hamble would be worth a visit. great for scenery/ pubs & lunches. if your getting out of town.
southampton has some great places in the city - it just hides them really well! takes time to settle into it ime.
I was going to say, she's at Southampton uni.
Get straight in to Clowns, buy jugs of beer for everyone, with a straw each, of course. Then, head downstairs to Jesters and go mental on the shots.
Then, cap it all with a late night 'bab from the mighty, mighty Portswood Grill.
My uncle sent me one of his pieces of artwork, a bowl, still one of my favourite possessions and still a cool uncle.
If it wasn't something like that, something for which there was no need, but would be cool to have.
A friend visited for a Uni' open day with his dad, one of the rowdiest nights out.
how about an ex tractor fanI need to keep up my 'cool uncle' image so nothing rude or offensive
You can say hello to Teen1 while you are there - he's at Southampton too.
As a Southampton alumni I can say the correct answer is CFH's suggestion +1
freeagent - Memberoh, and don't shag any of her housemates - it will only make life awkward for her.. ;o)
Don't shag their mothers, either! đŸ˜€
Levonorgestrel (for her housemates obviously, not her).
Some music anf something good to play it on?
Even in 1997 when i started uni it was cool to do cheese and wine tastings!
My wee sister has just started at SO uni too.