Half way through Year 13 and the last school year.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

eep.

Ds sat and talked to us for three hours yesterday it was his siblings' birthday dinner, and initially he refused to come with us, but then he came along and kept saying gosh I've been here a long time! Still in denial about aspects of his A levels though. Today he is singing in a music festival, some very olde worlde classical piece about peasants. I mentioned his coursework again and how if he possibly wanted a C in English he had to get more than an E in the coursework, but he is still not really seeing it as his work, just something his teachers are harassing him over, to be handed in as quickly as possible. He is basically is not interested in the subject he is discussing which is why it is so bad. It is like a bit of his brain is not joining up the concept that the coursework is for HIM not an examiner/teacher, it is there to show he is interested and engaged in the reading of books.

But anyway, in a good, if deluded, mood, which is something. Babbling about Versace series too...and then yesterday started quizzing me about which Shakespeare play Shakespeare might not have written..

That’s wonderful speak
Dd is onto the final part of history which includes referencing and compiling a bibliography.
Still awaiting English draft back

New copy of one of DDs coursework books purchased and currently being annotated.

Called into school to discuss her less than stellar mock results. We have only just realised that she aces the questions on topics she likes and does less well on the areas she doesn't. Need to somehow get her enthused about Othello and Eastern Germany.

Emergency Easter trip to Berlin Ursula?

Prefer Venice.

DS has firmed his unconditional, next step is accommodation.

UCAS had to work some wizardry to release him from the other course which is still marked as "pending" because he wasn't able to accept a course while another was pending. I know I asked the institution to defer his original interview date because of the funeral but I hadn't realised that they would be putting it back by four months (or more, who knows because he still didn't have a date).

He's been treading water for so long, now he's made a decision and is moving forward.

Ursula I had the same problem at GCSE, I worked hard to find a hook to hang the Vietnam war on

Icouldbeknitting that's a positive step, and helps him to give him some certainty for next year.

DS1 has handed in his (sub-par) English coursework and has made a start on his History coursework.

He is trying to apply for accommodation but the website won't let him register yet, even though he has put that university as his firm choice. Perhaps it takes a few days for the system to update.

He has started sketching out a budget for his first year, based on the possibility that his firm choice accepts his grades. The university gym is £140 a term 😲 but otherwise it seems to be a relatively affordable place to live & study.

I'd like to start a sort of 'bottom drawer' / hope chest sort of thing for him, and put aside a few bits and pieces each month. So far I've found him a laundry bag, and will soon be adding clothes hangers and a plastic basket to store shower stuff in.

I started with towels, new towels aren't very absorbent so I bought "his" towels after Christmas and have been using them ever since. When he goes I'll buy some more and break them in.

I still have the laundry bag that I had at university, it was two kitchen curtains sewn together and a drawstring round the top. I've been using it to store fleeces in prior to scouring (=washing) because they have to be able to breathe.

I suspect (hoping) that DD accepts a place ( nursing) close to home.
It's the course she wants, and the month she starts will see the opening of a brand spanking new children's hospital. 50% of her course will be placement, involving 12 hour and overnight shift work.
Her other option may see her placed up in the highlands for weeks at a time living in B&B accommodation, and working full time , no friends or family around, which is far removed from fun student life.
Moving out is a good idea, but choosing a course in her home city means that she has family around to support her if it gets tough.

I'm struggling to even raise the issues with her and really digging into the depths of my own motivations.

Help!!

One of my son's friends is aiming to go to the local university so he can stay at home. This has nothing to do with the costs or the course but because he can't do with "the hassle of looking for accommodation". I'm pretty sure that if he can't cope with that then he wouldn't be able to cope with all those other hassles of living independently such as budgeting and not running out of clean pants so he's probably better at home.

My DD actively wants to live away from home. And she would cope brilliantly, it's just the nature of the course. She may be on a placement 200 miles from her University and alone in B&B accommodation for up to 10 weeks at a time.
It's not really student life.

We are currently on the way to an event that DD has taken part in for 8 years, and on a wider scale for 12 years. Can't quite believe it's the last time!

raspberryrippleicecream - take the tissues!

I watched my DD perform at her last dance show at christmas time.
One of the few seniors, she has been dancing for 14 years. I was in floods of tears. That nervous little 4 year old in a tutu, transformed into a beautiful young woman, dancing her last solo, effortlessly on her pointe shoes.
So poignant.
I'm welling up just thinking about it.

It's all getting so close.
I am really worried that DS is planning on a fun holiday this Easter, and after the disaster that was me 'stressing him out' over revision over half term, I really don't know what to do for the best. Results were not great for mocks and he does need to pull his finger out. But he does seem to have been going to lessons at least this half term.

DH had his disciplinary meeting today. 3 hours long and it has been adjourned until Monday so I don't know if that is a good sign or not. However the manager doing the disciplinary has a daughter who self harms (one of the mitigating circumstances) .
But we are still in limbo. It would be nice to be able to plan for living on one salary!

could
That sounds like a good idea, I’m glad dd has boarded at school in a way she was independent before but this has made her even more independent

derek
I am hoping dd focuses which she sometimes doesn’t, fingers crossed for your dh

I hope its good news Derek. We've had a weird week- ds2 went off for his selection event, all was going well until the medical when the ecg threw up some abnormalities. Ds2 has now been referred to cardiology for further tests. It's left dh and me reeling but ds2 seems to be handling the news amazingly well. I couldn't be prouder of him.

I'm currently in a hotel room with Dd as she is competing in a national level event tomorrow - timing is everything!

Ds1 has booked onto an offer holders day and I have the day off to go with him so we will hopefully get solid information on finances and accommodation. We can then start working properly on a budget.

Well that was quick...came back from Birmingham accommodation open day yesterday and DS has already had a letter from student finance confirming how much his loan will be! Even better, it's more than I was expecting Now all he needs to do is make a decision between Birmingham and Warwick.

derek - fingers crossed for your DH for tomorrow.

LDG - that sounds worrying. I hope he's ok.

doistay great news!

So DD has submitted her last ever assignment for subject 1. If she gets her distinction first time, it means no more lessons for that subject! Also if she gets her distinction, it will mean a Distinction* for that course (subject to exam board moderation). Eek!

That's great chocolate. It's a weird feeling though isn't it. Thank you.

Doi, getting the finance sorted is brilliant.

chocolate well done to her - a D* is great!

Littledrummergirl hope your DS2 gets some answers soon.

chocolate that is absolutely brilliant. Son struggling to get his modules above a merit atm.

More coursework struggles today, snow not helping we are all very bored with it, and feeling cold and gloomy. I've been reading Ds texts for the coursework in desperation to get some idea of what is going on with his analysis. Deeply moved to read Death of a Salesman whilst listening to Cold Play. I want to see it on stage now.I think it is easier to identify with middle aged or older people when you are older. It is unbearable when he won't take the job from Charley yet is begging the evil Howard for a job.

Guests in our house last night, we all agreed that teenagers are hard work, although of course as usual it is entirely different things people complain about. I don't care about untidiness I just want them to get up and start the day before 12..which did not happen today. Dd was up working at 9.30 to beat the GSCE blues, but ds is just hiding from the horror of it all.

Derek good luck with the decision.

littledrummer that is frightening about the cardiology, hope it turns out to be nothing that cannot be solved. Friend's 17 ds had similar, except he was also a bit faint, and it was cured with v simple run of mill op, something they never ever guessed was wrong with him. He is fine now, and was about 5 days after op (back walking to school almost immediately)

That's a bit discombobulating LittleDrummer. I hope the cardio appt comes through soon and that it's something that is nothing.

That's amazing chocolate. Fingers crossed for your dd!

dds final piece of coursework appears to be finished, barring anything that gets thrown s week. It's been a glum sort of weekend with dd, but she got there. Phew! Just bucketloads of snow to battle through -again.