Thread 24 Covid Cohort - Oh Come, Oh Come offers from Emmanuel - and all other universities aswell!

[OrangeCinnamonCocktail]

I tried to sing the title... It kind of works...

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 posts 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 goodwill continues.

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

@OrangeCinnamonCocktail
Very happy to clear off! However I was tagged by a poster asking for advice. If no one likes the advice, so be it. I don’t agree that pointing out facts about universities isn’t supporting when the advice is only about one choice in five!! However as you are the class monitor I defer to your views.

However it’s interesting how people are happy to accept low tariff universities when they deem themselves to be ordinary folk and let other richer and better advised kids fill up the RG universities. Personally I would fight for all Dc to go to the best university they can and never ever accept “people like us” don’t go there.

I did tag you TizerorFizz. I did caveat my tag with hesitancy. There is a vast difference in offering advice in a supportive and dare I say it, consultative manner. You seem to have a combative style, which does not sit well with many, hence why threads descend into drama so quickly.

I think it's important to stress to you that in between your imparting advice, there is a whole host of information hidden about students on question, but this is not normally of interest to you. I think you would get less push back if you were willing to listen a little more, vs just diving in with your 'knowledge'.

I have apologised to this thread, as it seems that a change in approach or style is not something you are willing to take on board. But thank you, I think there are many supportive engineering folk now on here that can provide posters who need it, on from here.

@OrangeCinnamonCocktail sorry to hear about your very daunting task list, but the chocolate cocktails sound like a great plan!

I got a Christmas tree from Ikea on Wednesday which is waiting to have its end trimmed so it can go in the bucket. It is MASSIVE, nearly 9ft tall so it might have to be shortened as we have high ceilings, but that is pushing it. Ikea trees are amazing value - £29 and you get a £20 voucher to spend in January and a very nice non-drop tree!

@TizerorFizz you are being a bit of a tosser. I don’t know why you assume that those who are considering non-RG courses are only doing so because they are not “richer and better advised”. If I was gauche I would say that undoubtedly I am financially, intellectually and socially well above you, but I’m not gauche so I won’t . However I’m still considering a mix of RG and non-RG for DS2 because those are the best courses for his subject. His first choice may well be the non-RG one (he hasn’t quite decided yet) and that’s fine.
I know he will do well after uni because he is a bright nice kid with a good work ethic - and the benefit of his parents stellar contacts. Let’s not kid ourselves that that isn’t the main reason why RG graduates from Durham, Bristol etc generally earn more than non-RG because it is. Not because non-RG are a second-rate choice.

Damn, this whole thread has whizzed past me. Hope to be able to post more on the new one.

Congrats to all with offers, solidarity with those who are nervously waiting.

Dd had a parents evening with mock results on Thursday - it seems that, despite not going to school since September, she is predicted to get B or above for English Lit and Film Studies, which was a very pleasant surprise. Unfortunately things didn't go so well in Religious Studies...but we have a way forward, with a laptop set up in the classroom so dd can follow along with the teaching and discussion.

So, all in all, things are going fairly well and we have some hope for the A-levels. She's doing a timed essay on A Streetcar Named Desire to send in right now, still quite happy pursuing her independent studies.

It's good to hear from you Zitti. I was going to go into hiding from throwing in a hand grenade into our lovely thread but somehow, positive news about your DD coaxes me out . Thank you.

That’s an incredible achievement, Zitti! Still plenty of time to rescue RS, especially with the new set up.

DD loved Streetcar and was devastated when it was taken off as part of the Covid spec changes.

That’s absolutely great news Zitti, so lovely to read. The new RS set up sounds like a good plan.

Amazing achievement for your DD @ZittiEBuoni!

@OrangeCinnamonCocktail - am sorry to hear about everything you have going on over the Christmas period. My mum died just after Christmas nearly 30 years ago and it is very difficult.

Tree went up Friday pm. DS usually not fussed about decorations etc but this year he wanted to do it Friday as mocks and cambridge interview done. It was lovely to have him so excited about Christmas! He says he is taking his Advent Penguin to Uni next year

Ah, thanks so much, you lovely lot.

Thinking of you especially OrangeCinnamonCocktail. Today is the fourth anniversary of my mum's death and I don't even remember how we got through Christmas. Hope you have plenty of support.

Whoop whoop @ZittiEBuoni. Sounds like home schooling is off the table for now, which is definitely for the best of exams don't happen.

@ealingwestmum - def do not go into hiding! Our very own class monitor (should have at least been Head Girl) has sorted it (along with others).

Feeling very meh at the moment so don't feel like saying much but have been reading and enjoying the good news. Sorry so hard for @OrangeCinnamonCocktail at the moment. My Mum passed away 23rd Dec 2005 and I still find it hard time of the year. I don't think I've actually sent Christmas cards properly since then. I have DD bday to concentrate on 20th, then usually start Christmas dec after but not feeling it at all at the moment. House needs a good tidy/clear first and I can't be bothered. Need to pull my socks up. Just off out with friend to a coffee so that will help my mood I think.

Good luck all next with with outstanding Forms and hope for lots more offers to come in before Christmas

Thanks Heifer. i'm too invested in all your kids to keep my head down for too long

The coming weeks brings joy and challenges for much of us, for so many reasons. I don't think the dread of another covid tsunami helps, especially with the associated guilt that we've somehow brought in on ourselves if we dare try and instil some joy by engaging with F&Fs. I have my brother and his family supposedly flying in from California on the 24th. Can't see it happening, but feel more sadness for my mother who still at 82, has him firmly on a pedestal no matter what his failings are, whilst he can't seem to see past why she is not still the way she was 25 years ago when he left.

Roll on to what next week has in store for us all.

Hope you’re ok, Heifer. So many reasons not to be feeling cheery right now. Hope you can find some peace, at least, if not joy. X

Thinking of you this week @OrangeCinnamonCocktail. Christmas is such a difficult time for so many people.

Brilliant news about your dd @ZittiEBuoni, she’s done so well! And I’m sure she can turn RS around. Dd does RS and says there’s not a huge amount of content compared to her other subjects, so if she gets the hang of what they’re after she should be fine.

@AnneOfCleavage your dd did well to get through all that yesterday! DD’s uni options don’t accept UCAS points, but she wanted to finish singing lessons with something to show for it.

Orange

Can't believe I missed this thread's first ruckus! I have been out shopping for a suit for DS's winter ball next week - amazed that he wants to go as he was very anti the Y11 ball. I think I may detect the presence of a significant other because he is suddenly taking much more care over his appearance, but he is very private (fair enough), so I probably won't ever know.
We are getting together tonight for some games as the DC have been deep in mocks for weeks it seems, and if not revising, out with their friends. Time to regroup and celebrate having a bit of time to relax, although they don't actually break up until Friday.

Here's a tree for those who want some Christmassy vibes. Hastily decorated - on my own! For the first time in many years - not a very nicely framed photo but there you go.
Thinking of those with difficult days ahead and those not feeling so good

(Excuse the lateral flow tests on the windowsill )

Good news Nard and Zitti. Hope there's more to come for those waiting for offers.

Our dog is unimpressed with our choice of Xmas wear for her...

This is all I have done as far as Christmas decorations go. I did make it though. But nothing else has been done.

@Wheresthebeach love the dogs outfit.

@singingstones great tree!

@singingstones @Wheresthebeach amazing photos. My style of decor ! I've bought the tree in the house now and will try to train dog not to go near it. Hopefully he will be used to it by then.

At least your dog has a pleading look @wheresthebeach. Mine looks like he wants to kill me...

Some photos from me too.

I would just like to say that DS is applying to non-RG (in fact "low tariff") unis and we are fully supportive of that. As has been everyone on these lovely threads. He has very good reasons for his choices and has chosen carefully. We are not a low-achieving family, DH has a first and a PhD from a "good" uni, I have a degree and we run a successful business based on our degrees but feel these are the right choices for DS. These are the only threads on the Secondary/FE/HE boards where I have felt able to post with confidence that we won't be judged or put down. Everyone is treated with respect here no matter what their background, educational history, family situation. Long may they continue!

Christmas tree has come out sideways 🤦‍♀️