Thread 21 Corona Cohort - Nervous waiting, so frustrating

[Monkey2001]

Continuation of OrangeCinnamonCocktail's threads

This is a thread for supporting all young people post GCSEs 2020, regardless of their educational setting. It is respectfully requested that all are supportive and helpful to each other. If you want to start a debate, e.g state vs private, please don't within this thread. Please also be sensitive when responding to threads about grades.

Some of us have been here since first thread back in yr10, some will be new. Everyone has been friendly and helpful in the past. Everyone is welcome. It is hoped this will continue.

Our DS/DD may go down various paths (such as employment, apprenticeships, higher ed) We have decided for anyone interested they will most likely find us within the Further Ed board.

Previous thread - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/further_education/a4354626-Corona-Cohort-Statements-Scripted-Grades-Predicted?msgid=111487286#111487286

@OrangeCinnamonCocktail
Last week Dd mentioned to me she was 'afraid' to go to nightclubs because of this new trend of injecting people to spike them

This is so scary!

We saw the post on WIWIKAU. Shocking, what could make someone do that?! Apart from the danger of whatever was injected, the parent said they hoped the needle was clean! And this was in Exeter, which does not feel like the wildest place.

I'm starting to feel as though I just want to keep my DCs at home .

Could someone post a screenshot of the post, please?

Apparently, this has been going on in some of the bigger cities for some time. As someone said if it is going on in Exeter it will be in most big towns.

I feel so guilty for assuming Dd had got the wrong end of the stick concerning this matter

Thanks @OrangeCinnamonCocktail
I’m not surprised you thought DD had got the wrong end of the stick!
DD has mentioned that her friends have said there has been a spate of spiking in clubs since they reopened.
Cue the chats about never leaving your drink and not accepting drinks etc
What on earth do you do about this, though?

@Monkey2001 I have a friend who's Ds took a couple of tests without lessons. He failed 2 because although he had had lessons a few years before he had been abroad, then came home and just drove his parents around for a few months. He'd picked up bad habits or wasn't doing things how they need to for a test. So failed. He had 2 lessons with an instructor then passed. So I guess it could work as long as you know how they need to drive.

I read the post this morning and was horrified too. I can’t get my head around the lengths males are going to and the imagination.
That poor girl has to have an HIV test in 6 weeks.

Actually he sort of failed 3. The first test he turned up without a mirror for the examiner to use. So he wasn't allowed to take the test.

@icanbewhatiwant

Actually he sort of failed 3. The first test he turned up without a mirror for the examiner to use. So he wasn't allowed to take the test.

Thanks Icanbe. I have contacted a few instructors, but all seem fully booked up, and ordered a mirror this morning. We will also have to do a full check of all the lights etc. My biggest job is that the passenger electric window is not working and I don’t want to pay another £300 bill on that car, but with Covid you have to be able to open the windows. Test at end of November. Sigh....

This is a link to the Times article about injecting. Women report being injected in nightclubs

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/f95cf4a0-2c68-11ec-a548-f9bb1ebf6985?shareToken=9b7b8e22962c2c5e3f0225efd2169b5d

@Monkey2001 ds1 took his test in our car. But Ds2 didn't want to. The instructor from home wanted £98 to use his car so that would be 3.5 hours as test centre is 50 mins away and he'd need a lesson beforehand. But as we'd had a few lessons with an instructor based in Norwich I persuaded Ds to use his car. So we had that for 2 hours instead with a short lesson first at £56. It's certainly cheaper in their own car!

That's worrying stuff about the injecting.

I saw the post on WIWIKAU about the girl being injected, it’s horrific.
I also saw the one about the ‘accommodation tour’, that really made me chuckle

I’m struggling with DS to get the personal statement done. We sat down together last weekend and spent a few hours on a first draft. I asked him this morning if he’s done anything else on it, nope! Grrrrrr.

I have been ill with a stinking cold for the last 5 days (not Covid) and so have not prodded him. He doesn’t even know that school need it for 22nd if they are to do anything other than spell check it.

It is so frustrating, he needs to start taking control and being proactive but I’m just not seeing signs of it.

He gave up his part time job in early September to concentrate on studies but it seems he is spending more time on the Xbox or with friends. When i ask about homework he just says he has it under control, he’s not 7. I guess it’s good he’s spending time with friends but 🤷‍♀️

@20newnames

I saw the post on WIWIKAU about the girl being injected, it’s horrific. I also saw the one about the ‘accommodation tour’, that really made me chuckle

I’m struggling with DS to get the personal statement done. We sat down together last weekend and spent a few hours on a first draft. I asked him this morning if he’s done anything else on it, nope! Grrrrrr.

I have been ill with a stinking cold for the last 5 days (not Covid) and so have not prodded him. He doesn’t even know that school need it for 22nd if they are to do anything other than spell check it.

It is so frustrating, he needs to start taking control and being proactive but I’m just not seeing signs of it.

He gave up his part time job in early September to concentrate on studies but it seems he is spending more time on the Xbox or with friends. When i ask about homework he just says he has it under control, he’s not 7. I guess it’s good he’s spending time with friends but 🤷‍♀️

Same here, it's like pulling teeth with DS. It's weird as sometimes he seems to be really on it, then the next minute he's reverted back to primary school with mummy telling him what to do.

Drives me nuts. A bright boy, seemed to spend year 12 with his eyes closed and is now trying to catch up

I can't believe how quickly this thread moves on. I am a bit horrified by the injection issue, I have two boys and would be horrified if they even thought about doing something so horrible to someone.
My DS had to get his PS and UCAS entry in as he is trying for medicine. It was a tough process, now it is even tougher-but at least he has done the bits he was supposed to do on time.
Now my DS2 is about to choose A levels, which is scary, wasn't long ago DS1 was choosing his...
@sofakingcool and @20NewNames, I have the same issue with DS1. He is very clever but agonisingly lazy and hasn't learnt to prioritise. It drives me mad, drives the school mad but I can't keep on him 24/7-I decided he had to do it for himself. This term he seems a little better, but he didn't get much of a summer break with driving test/theory/UCAT revision and test.

That spiking is horrific! If they aren't already clubs should just be totally covered by CCTV indoors.

DS has decided Lancaster is off the list after visiting yesterday. The course sounded good and the intro was great but the isolated location was a key factor. Someone else here was going? How did you find the open day?

Yes @sofakingcool and @Hopeful201, the frustrating thing is that he is bright, predictions AAAA! He has always worked hard at school but less so at home (apart from homework which he always did and to be fair had a lot of, with 4 A levels but didn’t do anything extra).

I was actually pleased he gave up the part time job as his work life balance was missing last year. He just doesn’t seem to have transferred the extra time/energy in the right direction yet.

I find it hard as I was so self motivated at that age. We (DH and I, rather than you all!) have clearly mollycoddled the DC too much and done too much for them. Aghhhhh.

Flippin eck I had trouble enough sleeping last night until DD got home and didn't know about the injecting issue. I am VERY pleased DD didn't enjoy herself so hopefully won't be going again any time soon. Just how on earth are they supposed to protect themselves from that. DD said she knew about it and deliberately didnt' wear anything too revealing (showing skin mid driff or short sleeves to make it easier) Wow just wow that she should have to think about that.

Piggy - really pleased you are almost there :-)

@EwwSprouts Re Lancaster - I really wanted DD to take a look as her course looks good and the uni has such great reviews from parents & students but maybe getting her to look around wouldn't have been enough to change her mind anyway if it was isolated.

Heifer Isn't your DD looking at biology too? The big sell was Eden 2 project looking more likely now but personally I can't see it having any benefit for students starting 2022 unless it's going to be public sector project that comes in on time (no grant in place yet).

It's ten minutes by bus to the town and students said nobody walks it. Understandable as most of that is a rural road.

@EwwSprouts - yes Biology (still trying to decide between 3 yrs BSc or with 1 yr placement or 4 yrs MSci at the moment.

Out of interest what are others applying for?

History for DS. Heifer - is it possible to apply for one and then make a final decision once started? From some of the subject talks we've been to it seems that this is allowed quite often. I said this on a previous thread, taking an industrial placement year was by far and away the best career move I have ever made (I'm a scientist).

Lancaster and Bath are really good for placement years. Lots of other unis claim they have them but they aren't embedded into degree structures in the same way.

I am exhausted after my theatre jaunt yesterday but DS did really enjoy The Mirror and the Light. Excellent Tudors revision! and easier to digest than the book

School must have sorted UCAS predicted grade fiasco as DS got Birmingham offer today. Very jealous of seeing The Mirror and the Light. Hope it tours our way at some point!

Congratulations to your DS, estherfrewen.
Is his offer the standard required grades?
You must be relieved that his form has been sorted!