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?

Have a break, I don't think there was ever a time I felt more care free than the summer between GCSE and Alevels, and the summer between Alevles and Uni. No homework, no revising, it was amazing.

Post GCSE decompression is real. I had no expectation on DS to do anything.

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/national-citizen-service

What did you do? Nothing's changed.

It's just like any other school holiday. Mine is going on a camp for a week, family holiday afterwards, then hanging out with friends not doing much at all. She's going to look for a pt job, but there's really not many available, so we'll see.

Get a boyfriend or girlfriend and discover sex

DM got me a summer job in her office after both GCSE’s and A Levels.

Work

Mine worked part-time in a cafe. Realise thats not as easy now. However we do live in a holiday town so summer jobs related to tourism are a bit easier to find. Sorry I just don't get this need to rest - they are 16 and should be busy. Will they rest after A levels too?

Well I worked a 40 hour week in a coleslaw factory (Mattesons) that summer, with regular Saturday morning overtime. Plus evenings out around the town with friends. Don’t remember thinking about my upcoming O level results until a few days before they were due, I was too busy. I did buy a lovely new wardrobe for 6th form, I still remember some of the clothes I got.

I ate mangoes in the garden and read books, this was the 90s though… maybe watched MTV went shopping with friends … I did do a Sunday job in the local newsagents 6am to 1pm.

Which is what I wish I did 😂

I went to stay with my auntie and learned how to run a household, and volunteered at her workplace for a couple weeks. I worked weekends and I went to visit my grandparents for a couple weeks, helped my Nan recover from her double hip replacement and learned how to care for someone.
I spent 4 weeks working for a discount shop in town and ended up making a lot of money, went to Spain with my parents and Wales with my grandparents (when my nan was better). Me and my bestie went to Alton Towers 3 Wednesdays in a row!
I knew I was a shoe in for college already so I was ok come results day, but bestie was a total mess, didn’t get anywhere near the results she expected, sadly, so I didn’t get to have the party my family had planned, but I went to stay with my boyfriends family and we had a massive BBQ just for me!
I performed in 2 am drama shows as well. Was so so much fun!

God I'm glad mine didn't do that!

Work. My son was 15 when he finished his GCSEs but got one as soon as he turned 16 and it was great earning some money, having a routine and learning what work was all about! He continued part time while in college (as much as he could as Covid hit then).
My DD did not get a job as that summer we were moving for Sixth Form, Covid was still causing havoc and in the end we lived in three different Airbnbs as two house purchases fell through!