Problems with first time logging in to student email - anyone else? Ideas what to do?

The joining instructions are horrid. I was able to get to the York Identity Manager (IDM) (but is that the same as my "IT Account"?) I can log into IDM fine and I already paid for the course.
They say in the joining instructions "you have your password" for the student email but I have never logged on before (or maybe I accidentally did because it keeps sending me to my standard google account???) but occasionally I get this option where it sends me to something ending in @york.ac.uk but then says "couldn't sign you in bc your sign in settings don't meet your organizations 2-step verification policy." It says I have to have this done by day 7 or it will delete itself??? It's day 4 and no one at IT is responding because of course they aren't. Suggestions? Has anyone else had this happen? I'm so confused. I have had nothing but problems with this online bit. Even when I was applying it deleted my application, wouldn't let me log back on so I had to email the admissions team my paperwork separately and that's how they accepted me. Now this. I'm losing confidence already and classes haven't even started. Help!