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

Ds is finally putting choices down on a list. Obviously Sussex is still number one. He's put Leeds on his list. As I mentioned yesterday he's put Hertfordshire, I haven't heard anything of that one. He's tempted by BBC entry as back up. I suggested Brighton as that does several history based, not philosophy, but there's humanities or globalisation. So he's going to look at that tomorrow. He has thought about Suffolk as it's highly ranked for history, but there's no philosophy option. But at least he's starting to think now.

I thought I'd better add...he's only predicted B for history.

@Zebracat sorry to hear about the extra tests- I hope there’s a positive outcome.

Our trip to Manchester today got scuppered by snow. But on the plus side dd has nearly finished her personal statement and it actually sounds really good! It probably won’t be read by any of the universities though! She’s still all at sea with uni choices.

I’m feeling fairly certain exams will be cancelled now. If nothing else, I think they’ve been planning to all along and this will be the excuse they need. I just hope they don’t close schools. Ds totally couldn’t focus on online lessons.

DS will be devastated if they close his school again.

@Shimy I had a bacon sandwich at lunch and it tasted as if the bacon was mouldy ( it wasn’t 😂)
But for dinner I had pizza and salad with mint choc ice cream for dessert and I could smell and taste all of it!!
Bizarre

Whoami At least you tasted and smelt what's important...Pizza and ice cream yum! got your priorities right.

It really is weird, we had pasta pesto tonight and I could taste the pine nuts and cheese and salad but not the pesto (I used loads!). There was a dog which caught Covid recently, I wonder if it lost its sense of smell, that would be even odder for a dog!

Thanks for the new thread @OrangeCinnamonCocktail hope you’re doing ok.
Just checking in, still need to go back and catch up with everything

@excessivelydisorganised I have a vague memory of my DN having accommodation issues this was ten years ago though.
All our PE teachers at Surrey RC secondary school were from St Marys..going back even more years now. It has the strong teacher training background. I was rubbish at PE but one particular teacher really encouraged me with my running. It really struck me at the time that even though I wasn't fast or anything, he praised me for my individual, personal progress. Funny the things that stick with you from School.
Mo Farah went there?!

Thanks, @fiddlersgreen and everyone else checking up on me. I'm feeling a bit numb and angry with the world, especially the Covid virus to personify it. I spent so much time over the pandemic being careful, not visiting Mum, restricted visiting once we moved her to the care home etc. I'm regretting it a bit. It is a sobering lesson on cherishing time with loved ones.
I'm a bit worried with the cremation being so close to Christmas too. Still, my poor BIL has a service for his Nan the same week.

@icanbewhatiwant Hertfordshire is fairly local to me. Don’t know what it’s like for your Ds subjects I’m afraid. But it’s popular with students at my school who don’t want to move away for uni for various reasons & has quite a good number of international students (or at least it did pre-Covid) I also know a few people who are doing post-grads & lecturing there.

Good facilities & accommodation as there has been a lot of building work over the last couple of decades.

The town itself if fairly limited in opportunities for nightlife etc but good train service into London.

Herts is good for engineering, business, marketing and media type subjects.

@Decorhate thanks. There aren't that many universities offering history with philosophy. The better ones want A in history. Ds's predicted is B. Herts. is lower. He may well get an A. But I think he's rather have a lower grade back up. So when he eventually gets his ucas form sent we will have to wait and see. He did tell me yesterday that school send them off when they are done. So quite a few have been sent. They obviously aren't hurrying them.

Missed all the chat yesterday as went to West End for Birthday celebration with the DH , very wet and windy but managed to see the lights, saw a show (probably the rudest musical 😂🤣) not something to recommend to my parents! And then a lovely Thai x

We were told we’d need vaccine passport and masks at theatre. They checked all the passports (and declined 2 couples in front of us as didn’t have proof of vaccine or a test - didn’t go down well) but I’d say 10- 20% in masks (including us) so if this is a gauge on how mask wearing is going to go I’d say not good . Took the FFP masks as a lot more protection than surgical ones and super comfortable when wearing for a long periods of time. Weirdly the tube was better than normally is on a week day with 60% in masks (meant to be mandatory there all along due to TFL mandate) normally 40% at best in the week.

@Monkey2001 told DD to work bloody hard as mocks in a week as if Omicron is super transmissible they will shutdown country
as ICU will not be able to cope with the uptick in cases if we get 100,000 a day infected during the middle of winter. Fingers crossed we can get people to put the masks on and have sense. DD wants to do the exams as per normal and also wants a social life so let’s keep masks on and fingers crossed.

@Zebracat does your DD have a brown preventer inhaler and the blue? What were her predicted and choices again for uni?

…..now to read the next few pages of chat…

@Piggywaspushed Also astrophysics, art & we get a lot of our PE teachers from there!

@Zebracat hope they turn around the tests quickly as waiting is awful. Sending a hug 🤗

@icanbewhatiwant Have recent experience of Herts - happy to answer any specific questions via DM but generally:

1. 80% of campus accommodation really lovely - townhouses with sofas and well looked after. (DD hasn’t seen anything much better on our visits this year)

2. recent refurb of social spaces in SU with new bars etc; Campus uni on two close sites with five min shuttle bus between.

3. spent loads on science labs in last 6 years and great library spaces.

4. strong in animation and film and tv and games design type stuff with links to industry
   Also does well in health professional courses like physio, nursing, paramedic degrees. Used to be good rep in aero engineering etc but no experience or knowledge of that myself.

CONs - not close to any town - St Albans, Watford and Hatfield are closest but not walkable. (multiplex cinema and a few restaurants and a Spoons are walkable from campus).

It’s not an RG - it’s not a top performing non RG but in particular subjects it provides a good solid quality degree with strong industry links to provide a good job afterwards.

When DS and I went to see The Mirror and the Light, I reckon about 90% were in masks. I wonder if it depends on the type of show and audience?

No mention of theatres and cinemas yesterday.

[quote Decorhate]@Piggywaspushed Also astrophysics, art & we get a lot of our PE teachers from there![/quote]
I forgot about the healthcare stuff fruity- definitely true.

We get literally all our PE teachers from Beds Uni!

Does Keele no do history and philosophy?

Lack of taste and smell OR parosmia (everything smells weird or like rotten meat). The former is common during the disease and afterwards for up to 3mths. Parosmia is not common but really rubbish - there is research ongoing. You can get parosmia due to other reasons - so really important to see Doctor if the problem persists for tests to rule out other causes.

IF you want to know what a lack of taste and smell feels like - get some cinnamon on a teaspoon pinch your nose tightly and pop the cinnamon in your mouth.

@Piggywaspushed we were shocked as DS2 took the girlfriend in august and September to different shows and 90% wearing. All the staff were wearing masks though.

[quote crazycrofter]@Zebracat sorry to hear about the extra tests- I hope there’s a positive outcome.

Our trip to Manchester today got scuppered by snow. But on the plus side dd has nearly finished her personal statement and it actually sounds really good! It probably won’t be read by any of the universities though! She’s still all at sea with uni choices.

I’m feeling fairly certain exams will be cancelled now. If nothing else, I think they’ve been planning to all along and this will be the excuse they need. I just hope they don’t close schools. Ds totally couldn’t focus on online lessons.[/quote]
Gosh crazycrofter do you really think so? DD has hated being off school with Covid as found studying online so difficult and she remembered how unmotivated and anxious she was last Jan-March when lessons were online due to lockdown that another lockdown and no exams may push her over the edge.

It seems the new Omicron virus is mild. Symptoms include aching sore muscles and fatigue but only lasting 2-3days. It's more severe in the unvaccinated though. If so, hopefully there won't be any need to shut down schools again.

Thinking of you, Zebra. Such a worrying time, but reassuring that they’re acting as fast as they can to get answers. Fingers crossed it’s all precautionary and you get positive news soon.

Thanks @Alsoplayspiccolo.
@Fruitygal. She’s predicted AAB, but as care experienced, will get contextual offers, she’s applied for Cambridge foundation, Warwick, Exeter, Birmingham and Sheffield for History plus or Liberal Arts. She was using the brown and blue, but that’s now changed to purple and blue. She is feeling better, wish We got it sorted earlier.