Class of '18 nervously waiting.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

They've left college, now we are trying not to think about a certain date.

We are in tenerife.

Please can I join too? Have been in denial a bit about the big day but now it’s getting closer it’s a bit more real!

Welcome bake, we can panic together!

Padi training is really useful! I've got a friend whose lass is pretty much guaranteed paid summer work with her quals. And it looks fun.

A couple of girls that DD knows have done lifeguard training and that has served them well in terms of pay and work.

My DD of course is a dab hand at styling larger ladies in the boutique.

She showed me a photo on fb/instagram the other day of a clothes show thing in London and one of the stands had a massive photo of DD from her one and only modelling session outside the confines of her job. (She fainted from the heat and projectile vomited in the loo). She forced me into watching the final of Love Island with her last night and pointed out one of the girls whose photo was on the other side of the stand. Could this be DDs only claim to fame?

OYBBK, DS takes his driving test in a couple of weeks too. No idea how ready he is - currently one lesson/week - little things to iron out i think - has been learning sporadically for a year.

Finally getting him to discuss plan B - or at least a plan of action for plan B - 1) ring first choice uni and beg (and see if space on similar course if not on one he wants 2) list uni/courses he'd consider instead so can look quickly in clearing 3) review potential 1 yr BTEC for a year out to increase points and reapply next year (does anyone know if UCAS points count in different sittings ie add this years' to next?) 4) work/apprenticeship
(Am really hoping this isn't necessary but i want him to be prepared!)

DD opted for 5 shifts a week at her summer job, which is 45 hours. I think its tiring her out a bit.

I on the other hand am finding the school summer holidays hard for the first time (I work in school so have them off). DS1 2 years ago was a different kettle of fish and we were all much more relaxed. I'm having trouble sleeping at present!

No uni shopping here until we know if its required. Though do have my list from DS1 and a couple of its put by.

I do appreciate that at present this and something DS2 is doing is all I have to worry about. to all those with bigger worries.

Ursula

flatmouse I would think so, UCAS points for music exams count in for example. My god daughter went to uni with a combination of music exam points, AS points and A level points.

That's a pretty good claim to fame Ursula, maybe your dd could model in Iceland (the country)

Does anyone else's dc get upset if alternatives are discussed? I've been peeking at dds insurance place, but don't know much about it. I darent ask dd, but I have if she's bought it up mentioned the positives.

I don't know the answer to 4) flatmouse. But why are our dc doing driving tests now? are we mad? I can just imagine what will happen if dd fails her driving test and misses her offer during the same week. It's plain crackers!

That's a lot of work raspberry. dd is just two days a week, but it's good pay. They will appreciate it later.

How much should a terms worth of 'stuff' look like in terms of boxes? It's growing

I am fascinated as to how DD is going to fit her clothes into a small student room...................

Not to mention her make up!

Hello all,

Just back from a weekend in the UK seeing family.

As we flew home last night ds commented that the next time we are there “he will be moving to England”!!!

53 days to go according to his countdown app!

His offer was firmed nearly a month ago when he got his results but we have still not started the shopping.

He is totally disinterested in anything apart from clothes and toiletries.

When I suggested a drunk rack and storage drawers he looked confused!

A drunk rack should be a drying rack

Ds used to dry his wet suit in his room, it somehow set off the fire alarm at 3am. His flate mates were not happy.

Downey, I got DS1 a heated clothes horse from Aldi as a moving into his 2nd year house present. Somehow he didn't seem that delighted.

I'm thinking a drunk rack may be more appropriate and useful.....

OhYouBadBadKitten and UrsulaPandress

When I moved DD1 up to uni for her first year all her goods and chattels fitted in a Honda Civic albeit with the back seats folded down.

When we moved her back a few weeks ago she had morphed into Imelda Marcos with a Boots make-up concession. It took 2 cars (okay mine is now small but DH's is a large Land Rover). Even then DD1 had things on her lap and I had the passenger seat full with bags seat belted in place

Kitten I have found my GF on a ready-made family tree and may be able to fill in a few gaps on that if I can work out how to do it.
Am trying to trace a WW1 war grave at the moment which seems important given the 100th anniversary this year. It looks as if the "family legend" about a black sheep in the family may be true, but that will have to wait for now!
This research and a short break away should be enough to keep me going until the date-that-should-not-be-mentioned!

My cunning plan to reduce packing was an IKEA order picked up at the local-to-uni IKEA. That would be the branch of IKEA that closes next week.

I used to have a Picasso and you can fit anything in one of those with the back seats out. The current car is very much smaller so it is cheaper to insure for DS so it doesn't have the carrying capacity. At the moment this doesn't seem to be a problem because it doesn't look like he plans to take anything with him. I suspect that this is full ostrich, lalalalala, nothing happening here and after he gets his results he will start thinking about plates and spoons.

I have no trouble finding diversions, I have the two grannies that would fully occupy my time if I let them.

Good luck to those doing driving tests soon.

Sorry you are having a flare up kitten. I have used the web to research something I am interested in while not able to be active. I have also done the ancestor research stuff. It is easier if you have Scottish heritage as all the records are on one online site.

I have decided that there is too much to do to leave it all until after R day so I have made a tentative start. Things like finding someone who can repair dd's powerchair in her university city if necessary.

I've got an online course I should get on with

I like the idea of drunk racks and students that don't take anything with them.

I don't remember how I managed, my parents dropped me off the first time and one other time. Apart that I somehow magically seem to have got through it. But there again so far we've packed a tool kit, a first aid kit, an emergency kit (please don't ask), some minimal kitchen equipment and that's one box full already.

If we add in her clothes, her bike, a giant cushion, folders etc etc I fear it's going to be a massive mound. I'd fondly thought it would be like a suitcase, a rucksack and a box of stuff, but I appear to be preparing her for the zombie apocalypse

I do need to find fun diversions though, not my online course which is a rather serious subject. I fill my life with serious stuff, then wonder why it's not always that fun.

dds list of stuff to take fills 4 sides of a4 paper typed. That can't be right can it?

DS passed his driving test last week, I feel more anxious now that he’s actually passed and can go out by himself. It definitely feels a bit like the independence thing is all happening at once!

I was in catered halls the first year so only needed clothes and a kettle for my room. When we moved into a house for the second and third year it was fully furnished and the kitchen was fully stocked.

Seriously, what do they need? Am I missing something?

OYBBK I can fill a side of A4 with a holiday packing list (toothbrush, toothpaste..) so maybe. DS does not yet have a list, or I suspect "a clue". Yesterday I offered to take him to buy some glasses or plates but he wasn't bothered. This is a life skills thing, it's him that's going away and he will have to work out what he needs. I suspect that I will be going once with the essentials and then again the following weekend with the remainder once he's worked out what he needs that he doesn't have.

He will be leaving with spare stuff from the kitchen, I have four frying pans so I'd hate to see him buying another one.

Ursula the kitchens now are not equipped beyond electrical items. Cutlery, plates, pans, tin opener - between them they need it all. My halls provided bedding, they don't now.