AIBU to wonder what 16-year-olds do after exams before college?

[TheOpalFox]

What do 16 year old do from the month of when they finish their exams to starting college?

Mine is planning to spend "as much time with my friends as possible." I feel like they might all be a bit sick of each other after 11 weeks with nothing else to do, but we'll see!

Yes I’ll have one of these in the summer. I’d like him to get a job when he’s 16 in June but he’s away on 2 holidays, 2 festivals and going to stay with his DF so I don’t know if he’ll be around long enough. I think it will mainly just be fun but I do like the idea of making one family meal a week as a minimum as I work full time and cook every night ar the moment.

He’ll do the odd pasta dish now but needs to broaden the repertoire!

Summer jobs! I know lots who train as lifeguards and are making heaps of money!

Both mine (GCSE and A levels finishers here) have summer jobs for a few days a week,

• a 2 week family holiday
• they’re both going to some festivals
• a DofE expedition (a week)
• they’re planning some 1/ 2 night camping trips

Mine is hoping for a job.

A holiday with the family plus one with me.

A few days trips out with friends to London etc.

Seeing boyfriend.

Lots of training/competing.

When I was between school and college we spent a month with family abroad. The rest of the time was just time off really. Same after A levels except I spent more time with friends then. Summer jobs weren't really a thing. Now I don't know.

We do get lovely summers...

Mine worked between GCSEs and 6th form and then again between A Levels and university and then again whilst at university.

They also slept in late, went out with friends ,did sports but didn't spend nearly as much time just having fun as I encouraged them too!

Me in the 80s, worked and a week surfing holiday with a load of school mates and teachers from school..
My kids, worked and family holiday to Cornwall

Pick up extra shifts at their part time jobs

Volunteer/ work/ work experience if they can find anything. Reading festival. Bit of reading to prep for A levels/ college course (this may be wishful thinking) Have a well deserved rest.

mine rested, regulated, and de-stressed.

Take a well deserved (for many) break.
Hang out with friends
Maybe work a part time job if they’re lucky enough to have secured one.
Go on holiday with their families.

I’ve saved all my holiday this year to do a couple of really exciting trips with DD, so that accounts for nearly 5 weeks of the break. Otherwise a couple of weeks relaxing at home immediately after the exams, and a visit to my DM.

Mine slept 😴 a lot! played tennis and football, went to the beach, Leeds (we're north so not Reading lol)
Gamed, dosed about, helped with a small amount of household stuff, emptying dishwasher, hanging up bringing in washing.
He wasn't 16 until the end of July and we had our family holiday in August so he didn't have a job.
He had a lovely time.

Im surprised how many are saying go away with friends? Are they not a bit young ? Mine has a part time job and will do day trips with friends, gym, hanging out etc but holiday with family. I am not in the UK though

My dd got a job working in a little kiosk serving coffee and doughnuts, she earned a couple of grand that summer and it paid for her driving lessons.

Mine all slept for a week. We’ve also done a family holiday the summer after GCSEs (we don’t typically have holidays). Then just work their normal jobs, do things with friends, festivals, camping trips etc. it’s a lovely summer for them

For those of you saying work, can I ask how your 16 year olds find jobs? It seems quite difficult unless you happen to know someone, plus their time is very fragmented with family holidays/sixth form visits etc

They have some fun.

Same here (too long ago to mention).

Good times.

Mine did some protest organising, did some volunteering, went on a summer camp for LGBTQ+ teens and had a lovely time, went on holiday with us, worried a bit about results (needlessly). They certainly deserve a rest after them considering how many papers they sit these days - DC sat at least 21 of the bastards.

When I was that age I went to lots of gigs, went to the Reading Festival, hung out with my mates a lot.

Ah I remember that summer fondly. I worked as a waitress for around 12 hours a week but otherwise just chilled out with my friends. We went on loads of long bike rides, got the train to random places, sunbathed in the garden listening to music etc. Those were the days.

We sat in the town centre & ate cornettos, from what I remember!

My DCs worked quite a lot, went on a couple of trips and then just spent time doing whatever they wanted to. I didn’t feel the need to direct their time as they had just finished 11 years of education and I thought it was nice for them to have a break and no demands on their time.

Newquay