Freshers want mum and dad gone within three hours of arriving at university
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Nearly eight in 10 students want mum and dad gone within three hours of arriving at university halls, with embarrassing stories and parents attempting to join flat socials among freshers’ biggest fears.
Dropping your child off at university used to involve a teary goodbye in the hallway. Now, it seems freshers cannot wait to kick mum and dad out of the room.
Nearly eight in 10 students want their parents out of sight within three hours of arriving at halls, according to new research.
Rather than dreading an emotional farewell, Gen Z students are far more petrified of the ultimate move-in day cringe. More than half of freshers (55%) worry that their parents will blab embarrassing childhood stories or secrets to their new flatmates.
A further 41% dread mum and dad trying to linger around to drink and hang out with the new crowd. In fact, an overenthusiastic parent attempting to join flat socials causes far more panic than saying goodbye, which worries only 33% of teens.
According to the poll of 2,000 young people aged between 18 and 21, commissioned by easyHotel, just one in 10 students want their parents to stick around for the whole day. Geordies are the most impatient to see the back of their folks, with nearly one in five (19%) demanding their parents depart immediately once the boxes are unpacked.
Other move-in day pet peeves include parents taking over decorating or tidying the bedroom (34%) and breaking down into hysterical tears (33%).
Yet students do not necessarily want their chauffeur driven entirely out of the postcode. Four in 10 admitted they would prefer their parents to stay in a nearby hotel once their heavy lifting is done.
To give red-faced students breathing space, budget chain easyHotel is offering parents a free early check-in at 11am instead of the usual 3pm on Saturday, September 19, and Sunday, September 20. The perk is available in student hubs including Newcastle, London Shoreditch, Manchester, Glasgow, Sheffield, Leeds, Oxford, Liverpool and Cardiff.
To claim the free upgrade, parents simply need to show hotel staff a photograph of themselves helping move their child into halls, alongside a tongue-in-cheek ‘Parent Exit Pass’ proving their shift is finished.
Nathan White, UK operations director at easyHotel, said: “The traditional tearful university goodbye seems to have been replaced by something a little more urgent: ‘Mum, Dad, please leave before you meet my flatmates.’
“Those first few hours are a big moment for students. They’re meeting new people, finding their feet and starting university life, so it’s understandable they want some space to settle in on their own terms.
“At easyHotel, our hotels are conveniently located, meaning parents don’t have to travel far once the unpacking is done. The Parent Exit Pass gives them a comfortable, great-value base nearby for an extra night, while students get the freedom to settle into their new home and start this new chapter independently.”