Thread 23 Covid Cohort Stepping Into Christmas, Tests, Mocks & Interviews

[OrangeCinnamonCocktail]

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

@20newnames/ DS / Engineering
@Alsoplayspiccolo/ DD / English + Film
@AnneofCleavage/ DD / gap year? Primary Education
@BlueMarigold/ DD / Biology
@cariadambyth/ DD / History / Southampton, Bath Spa, Warwick, RHUL
@collywobble/ DS / PPE, Economics / Lancaster (AAB)
@crazycrofter/ DD / Child (?) + Mental Health Nursing
@Decorhate/ DS / Economics + Politics
@Delphigirl/ DS / Oceanography
@DoggerelBank/ DS / tbc sciencey
@ealingwestmum/ DD / Middle Eastern and European Studies
@EerilyDisembodied/ DS / History or Environmental Management
@estherfrewen/ DS / History / Birmingham (ABB), Cardiff (ABB-BBB), Warwick (AAB)
@EwwSprouts/ DS / Biology
@Fiddlersgreen/ DS / Journalism / Bournemouth (104 pts), Brighton (BCC), Cardiff (ABB)
@Fruitygal/ DD / Biology
@Hattifatteners/ DD / Vet Med
@Heifer/ DD / Biology
@Hopeful201/ DS / Medicine
@Horace123/ DS / Classics / Edinburgh 34/665
@icanbewhatiwant/ DS / History + Philosophy
@Isthisjustnormal/ DS / Comp Sci
@JustHereWithMyPopcorn/ DS / Law
@KingscoteStaff/ DD / Medicine
@Knickerthief1/ DD / Child nursing / York
@Monkey2001/ DS / Medicine
@mummabear74/ DD / Environmental Science
@mummyinbeds/ DS / Law + French Law / Birmingham (AAA), Kent (AAB)
@Nard75/ DS / Maths
@NCTDN/ DD / Liberal Arts
@Oblomov21/ DS / Accountancy / Southampton ABB
@OrangeCinnamonCocktail/ DD / Music (uni)
@PaddingtonPaddington/ DD / Music (cons)
@Piggywaspushed/ DS / Social sciences / Birmingham (AAB-ABB), York (AAB-ABB)
@ProggyMat/ DD / Classics / Bristol (BBB), Edinburgh
@SandyBayley/ DD / Medicine
@Seeline/ DD / Liberal Arts / UEA (AAB), Kent (BBB), Nottingham (AAA)
@Shimy/ DS / Business + Management / Birmingham (AAB-ABB), Loughborough
@singingstones/ DS / Neuroscience
@Volterra/ DS / Maths
@whatsnext2/ DD / English joint hons
@Wheresthebeach/ DD / gap year? Marine Biology / Southampton, Portsmouth
@whoamitojudge/ DD / RyanAir cabin crew training
@Zebracat/ DD / Liberal Arts or Anthropology
@ZittiEBuoni/ DD / tbc applying next year

Oh yes thank you @fruitygal.
She loves lasagne and I have a super easy grilled salmon recipe which is basically in a honey, soy and wholegrain mustard marinade.
I was thinking homemade potato smiley faces too...she loves those!

Thank you for the sociology links @Piggywaspushed
@Oblomov21 there is nothing to be done now, please don't beat yourself up, there will be other ways x

That's a lovely idea Orange
I would suggest pancakes, pizza and risotto if she likes a nice chunk of carbs. Maybe a couple of soups? They can be super cheap and easy.

All sounds yum here Orange aided by Fruitygal. Great selection.

Orange Based on the phone calls I have had from my DS I would suggest a chapter of tips - what can be frozen, how to freeze, how to defrost, when you really shouldn't eat something etc. Although it does mean I get to talk to my DS every so often 😆

@OrangeCinnamonCocktail Salmon sounds lovely - teach them to batch cook and freeze portions . Plus provide half a dozen large single portions on 1st day uni that are chilled but go in the freezer for exams week.

How about a couple of hearty soups @OrangeCinnamonCocktail? Cheap and can be eaten with lots of lovely bread? I'd probably start with a minestrone and a bacon and lentil...

So sorry you are in limbo, waiting for the funeral, orange. I would suggest a basic red lentil sauce, easily adapted to soup, pasta, dal lasagna, and as a base for vegetable casseroles.and good for feeding lots of people with different diets. Also a basic curry recipe. And cake, everyone likes cake!

Really sorry to hear about the delay Oramge

Recipe book a great idea. What about tuna pasta bake or macaroni sauce using the all in one white sauce method?

So sorry about the funeral delay Orange. I love your recipe book idea though and would love your carbonara recipe if you're able to post it.
How about a rice dish - a simple risotto is so quick and easy - or how about a noodle one (stir fry). Both firm faves of DD.

DD tested positive on a LFT last night and is coughing and tired. PCR later with DH booked but I think it's just a formality now. DH no symptoms at all but he's booked one too. She has two online interviews early this week and they're 4+ hrs long one day after the other. Hope she's okay for them 🤞🤞

@AnneOfCleavage I hope your DD is well enough for her interviews. Good luck!

@AnneOfCleavage Hope DH avoids it so he can look after you all and wishing you both better soon - I would take a view in the morning on the unis - if unwell I would contact unis and explain - at the least it’s mitigation and they may move to a weeks time.

Oh Anne, bad run for your family right now on the health side. Hope she manages to keep symptoms manageable to focus for such long periods during her assessments.

@AnneOfCleavage

So sorry about the funeral delay Orange. I love your recipe book idea though and would love your carbonara recipe if you're able to post it. How about a rice dish - a simple risotto is so quick and easy - or how about a noodle one (stir fry). Both firm faves of DD.

DD tested positive on a LFT last night and is coughing and tired. PCR later with DH booked but I think it's just a formality now. DH no symptoms at all but he's booked one too. She has two online interviews early this week and they're 4+ hrs long one day after the other. Hope she's okay for them 🤞🤞

They must have Covid contingencies surely AoC?

@OrangeCinnamonCocktail I think I need some of your recipes too. Some sound great!

As @Seeline said it might be helpful to write something about freezing/defrosting etc. ds1 has messaged several times about what he can and can't freeze. He froze several batches of bolognese. His housemates told him it would only keep 2 weeks and to bin it after then. I told him it was fine to defrost and eat. I'm glad he asked before throwing it out.

Yep - DS thought he couldn't use something he had frozen because it had gone past its use by date. He'd frozen it well before then, so it was fine!

Huge hugs to you, Orange. The period between loss and the funeral is such a strange kind of limbo, I’m sorry you’re having to wait so long.

That really is bad timing, Anne. I hope your DD is well enough to manage the interviews, or that the unis are sympathetic and accommodating, if not.

I’m having some Covid anxiety this weekend - DH has been asked to go on a work trip abroad for 10 days, returning a few days before Christmas. Apart from the fact that it’s thrown us into panic mode about getting everything to do with Christmas organised before he goes, he’s got to make sure he doesn’t get Covid in the next couple of weeks, and hope that he doesn’t test positive while he’s away…otherwise, that’ll be him stranded for Christmas.

Sorry about the timings of dmum's funeral again. Remember this is one of the things in life you cannot change so just try to brave it. It sucks being around Xmas time and everyone in a festive mood. Just remember you don't have to engage in any forced jollity you are allowed to mourn your dmum, don't feel guilty or feel you need to explain yourself.
X

Agree with the sentiments of @Shimy.

For those in need of a moment's light relief DS's draft PS included "Charles Darwin's study of pants..."

@EwwSprouts love it ! Could have been worse …..Charles ….Dickens study of pants 🩲 ….we are a family of dyslexics so I’ve proof read some crazy 😜 documents with some doozies

@EwwSprouts Thank you for that. We needed some light relief!

I’m trying to work out what Charles Dickens study of pants was meant to be ;-) I was thinking plants then realised that would be more likely to be Charles Darwin!

If you are dyslexic then a Charles can swap from Dickens and Darwin very easily ! 😂 trust me … it was a deliberate change … 😂

@OrangeCinnamonCocktail hope you enjoy planning a lovely service to remember your mum. A memorial can be a really helpful way of focusing on the good memories.

The recipes DS has taken -
Fajitas - cut chicken strips and sprinkle with Aldi Cajun seasoning. Stir fry with peppers/mushrooms/onions or stick in oven with the veg for 20 mins. Eat in a wrap (other people might add salad!).
Nigella's chicken and chorizo tray bake - so easy and so delicious! www.nigella.com/recipes/spanish-chicken-with-chorizo-and-potatoes

@AnneOfCleavage really sorry to hear DS has Covid, hope you are feeling better. I would definitely re-arrange at least 1 interview. Medical Schools will reschedule for illness and I am sure teacher training courses would too.

My news is that DS's driving licence arrived on Saturday (hurray!). Test a week tomorrow.

Sorry AoC, I know you have DD not DS

Thanks all. Test has come back already - positive - within 8hrs (is that a record)? She's not feeling great. Sneezing and blowing her nose and coughing and she feels muzzy headed so we are definitely cancelling both interviews. She wants to give 100% and she can't at the moment. Hope we can get through as only have tomorrow to get in touch with the Tuesday's one. Hope they'll reschedule them online again as that is easier than the long drive up for an in person one.

Great news re driving licence arriving Monkey and fingers crossed for the test next week 🤞🤞