Thread 18 - Corona Cohort Enrolling to Year 13 2021, Invasive Infections & Uni Uncertainty

[Orangecinnamon21]

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@OrangeCinnamonCocktail was DD not interested in Bristol? That is also BBB if contextual (on aspiring schools list) and the music dept is lovely; has a real family atmosphere.

I tried @Monkey2001 but she just seemed dead set against it for some reason...and yes we were on the contextual list. I can only reason it was a combination of factors such as accommodation cost, site location . I've tried to get to the bottom of it...I know she is a big fan of SKINS. Also/I suggested Bath Spa would make a good back up but...no.

Perhaps it's me suggesting them?

I know she took interest a couple of years back when they homed students in Wales..but still!

@Orangecinnamon21 Re Surrey - friend’s Ds is there and has stayed in halls even after 1st year - I think because private rentals as you say are expensive & possibly scarce. So that seems to be an option even this year when there are hall accommodation shortages elsewhere

Thanks Decorate really useful to know!

Dd will be one of those who will be anxious to know where she is going if she doesn't quite make the grades, luckily she has been able to find a good spread for her course.

@ExtremelyDisorganised

We noticed that the local hockey club was just across the road, that appealed.

Always a bonus - Not sure what level he is playing at now but if he has aspirations to play at higher level he would need to travel to Swindon (not far) or Cheltenham.

Just had a look and Cirencester Mens 1sts will play in the new West Mens Div 2 East so he might just want to check that is high enough for him? It's a consideration we are having to look at for DD, she would like one day to play National League should she be good enough so needs to be near to a club (or at Uni) that plays near that level at least.
You can check where each club plays in the links below.
fixtures.englandhockey.co.uk/
fixtures.englandhockey.co.uk/West/mynewshow.asp

@Piggywaspushed how are you doing now?

Thanks for all the info re Bristol parking. We are going to visit in September to walk around. May also just drive through Bath as DD has been there before and then definitely want to visit Swansea to see what its like as has such good reports.

DD is at Leeds festival right now so I've been given an inset to how little I will be hearing from her when she goes to uni ;-) I know that they are having problems as 4G not working but friends seems to have been getting texts through ok - DDs is a bit erratic and comes through 3 times each one. She texts 1 line but then doesn't answering questions!

She casually text to say that someone had thrown a can full of beer which hit her on the head but she is ok, went to medical camp to get checked out (which did impress me).

I think she is in for a shock when she gets back as she has done little work this summer. She switched right off, which is very unlike her. I'm hoping that once she starts again she will be back to herself (plus some). She is going to be mad busy in the few days before she goes back to school, which is a shame as she had 8 weeks off...

Heifer - ah, thanks but it's the other way round for him, is a club small and inclusive enough, he has fairly severe SENs including dyspraxia and plays in a grade 5 league at the moment and it looks as though Cirencester as a whole are similarly placed in the leagues to our home (small town) club. He is unlikely to keep up in a uni hockey club, to be honest its an incredible achievement that he is playing mainstream competitive mens hockey at all. Hope DD returns unscathed from Leeds.

@Orangecinnamon21 that looks very similar to DDs list but her heart is set on a conservatoire so unis will be plan B or a gap year.

DD passed her driving theory - could have gone either way as all the practice mock tests were on the pass mark. She’s relived not to have to do any more revision on it and the suggestion of click and click again for the hazard perception worked really well. I tried to book a driving test as soon as we got home for Jan/Feb but there are none. I think I read previously on here they are released on Mondays? But maybe as bank hol possibly Tuesday? Or do I need a app?

@ExtremelyDisorganised

Heifer - ah, thanks but it's the other way round for him, is a club small and inclusive enough, he has fairly severe SENs including dyspraxia and plays in a grade 5 league at the moment and it looks as though Cirencester as a whole are similarly placed in the leagues to our home (small town) club. He is unlikely to keep up in a uni hockey club, to be honest its an incredible achievement that he is playing mainstream competitive mens hockey at all. Hope DD returns unscathed from Leeds.

That sounds like Cirencester fits the bill perfectly - They are a friendly social club who play across the levels. I've been there many times. I'm pleased your DS is enjoying hockey, it's been a massive part of my life, also DHs and now DD too - it really is a sport for all, as most clubs have 4 or more teams playing at different levels.

Hi heifer and all. I am still recuperating. It's a very lengthy process. yesterday was a bad day again. Today, I have already actually eaten something. Lack of appetite and nausea for 4 weeks is not fun. DH has got to the point where he is bored and whining as he just sits downstairs watching crap telly while I nap (inserts grrr....men thoughts)... DS1 has gone to some event in London this weekend but at least I know he can't bring Covid back again! DS2 still cannot smell !

ah piggy, so sorry to read that. It sounds flipping awful. Don't worry about your DH being bored though - he is an adult who can go and do his own thing whilst you rest up and recover. Really hope you keep recovering and don't feel rushed back to school if you're not ready.

@PaddingtonPaddington the app only works once you have booked a test...to move it forward if need be. I hope you find one. When booking for my son back in April I could only find one test available from then until end of this year, that was looking at 4 test centres. I booked the only test then used an app to bring it forward and to our preferred centre. There probably is a day tests are added.

@PaddingtonPaddington well done on theory. Yes, they mostly seem to be released throughout the day on a Monday, some from very early. As it is probably done by a computer, I don't think bank holiday will make a difference.

Can't believe DD goes back to school on Thursday! As a prefect she has to go in on Wednesday to help with induction day too. This holiday seems to have flown by. We've visited 5 unis and had a week's holiday. She has been working throughout and her second draft PS is submitted. All seems horribly real now......

Piggy loss of appetite for that long sounds bad.

Paddington, I used this app, recommended by pp, worked very well. £15 I think.

On the bright side, I have lost about 9lbs that I definitely didn't need....

It must be awful Piggy. The last time I was off my food and nauseous for such a long time was when I was pregnant with my first! That lasted for months. Hope yours goes soon.

Hope you feel better soon @Piggywaspushed

@Piggywaspushed that is a lot, hope you feel better soon.

Well done to you Dd @PaddingtonPaddington !

Orange, I grew up in Surrey, down the A3 from Guildford (I used to have my youth orchestra rehearsals there 😊😊). The uni always had a good reputation for music, as did Southampton, as you say.
No idea about renting, but the house prices are scarily high - the small semi I lived in for nearly 30 years is over £800k. 😳 That said, the uni students HAVE to live somewhere, so...😒

@Alsoplayspiccolo I grew up in Surrey too. Further towards London in Kingston. I recently saw the tiny 2 up 2 down terrace that I grew up in for sale....£450k Where I live now in Suffolk I could buy a fairly decent sized 3-4 bed house. It's a lot of money isn't it.

Piggy wishing you a little better each day.

Been looking at university league tables with DS. He doesn't want a big city or to go far south so choices are rapidly narrowing. Think we are going to try to fit in a couple of univ visits in the Midlands next weekend.

icanbe, I grew up down the river from you, in Walton! I used to get the bus to Kingston to go clothes shopping and worked there in my first summer as an undergrad at music conservatoire. 😀😀
I get very homesick sometimes, especially knowing that we will never be able to afford to go back. My mum sold our family home 6 or 7 years ago and moved to North Yorkshire, to a 4 bed detached, with plenty of change left over.

@icanbewhatiwant @Alsoplayspiccolo
I live and grew up in the area too and we are still renting as house prices so ridiculous.