Thread 25 - Covid Cohort - Christmas Trees, No Omicron Please!

[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 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.

Orange Cinnamon (Head Monitor )
Previous Thread Found Here

Blue don’t know how old you are (not that that is actually relevant) but general anxiety, and in particular worrying about mortality or similar is a well documented symptom of pre/menopause. Just another joy to add to our already many…

I’m about 3 weeks into hrt (52, about 1 yr post menopause) and I think it beginning to pep me up a bit. I’ve felt a bit like I can’t really give a crap for the last year which isn’t good in my job. So early days but maybe look into it if you aren’t already on it.

Thanks, crazy, he’s a cellist.

Fab news about York! Is it a top choice? I’d have loved DD to apply there, but it doesn’t offer the course she wants. My mum lives near York and we love visiting - such a beautiful city and surrounding area.

Blue, I’m with ealing - anxiety is definitely a peri/menopause symptom, and a horrible one at that.
With the bombardment of increasingly bad news this week, it’s not surprising if it’s gone into overdrive.

Thanks. I am about the right age for menopause so it could be that. Never thought about it! It is good to know that there’s a scientific/biological reason and something bad isn’t really about to happen!

Anxiety was my biggest peri menopause symptom @BlueMarigold - whilst I had a few physical clues the mood/anxiety impact was the biggest thing. HRT is a bloody miracle (for me at least)

Very good days for you both Crazy and Piccolo. Lovely.

Unmitigated fury was my main menopause symptom.

Second interview (Newcastle) in for DD, and she ‘just feels’ that Bristol will be in touch tomorrow.

All her feelings have been wrong so far…

@BlueMarigold I know that feeling well.

Ds2 just phoned me (at dm's) he never calls. So I knew exactly what he was going to say. He's had an offer from Sussex. Distinction (business) B, C if he firms them. Or BB if he puts them as insurance. He said "so basically I'm going to Sussex because I can easily achieve those grades" let's hope he's right. At least that is some good news. He's confused at the C grade though. But all ds1's choices offered lower if he firmed them.

Congrats. to all others getting offers.

Great news @icanbewhatiwant! And he’s not really been enthusiastic about anywhere else has he?

@Alsoplayspiccolo she has no definite preference among her choices! She can’t decide if she’d prefer Manchester, because she’s used to a big city, or if she’d like a beautiful small city like York/Bath. Or somewhere in between like Nottingham/Southampton. I’m sure it will become clearer with some visits!

Good news about the interview @KingscoteStaff!

That’s great @icanbewhatiwant

@crazycrofter yes...he only wants to go to Sussex.

Well if that’s the one ican, well done to him.

I m sure there was a comment from @crazycrofter. It's gone, that's weird.

I'm totally with @ZittiEBuoni over the possibility of another lockdown. DD will be totally devastated and she was really poorly during the last one both mentally and physically.
I had no idea about anxiety and peri menopause but it makes me feel a lot better. I thought it was all because of DDs illness. Maybe the combined things have doubled the effect!

@icanbewhatiwant I can still see it!

Really sorry to hear about those who struggled in lockdown. Is there anything that you could put in place/change that might help if we have another lockdown? I really hope we don’t have one, but it’s looking at least possible that some schools might have to close/go online for a while.

@crazycrofter it isn't showing my end. Well at least I'm not imagining it.

@icanbewhatiwant so pleased he phoned you as he is acknowledging that you want to know! Great than he had offer from first choice, are those grades considerably achievable? Any danger from taking foot off the gas?

I often find posts disappear and people refer to comments I haven't seen.

@Monkey2001 he should take the business exam early. Ds1 did then they can re take in the summer if needed (in normal circumstances!) he is on track for distinction star in that, it's 50% coursework too. So room to drop a grade. The other 2 are B predictions. Ds thinks he could get an A in one. But I guess that depends whether exams go ahead. Yes...I certainly wouldn't take it as in the bag like Ds seems to think.

Peri menopause symptoms for me were anxiety + a feeling of ‘no one would care if I wasn’t here’ swinging to rage alongside horrific hot flushes that were constant and unbearable. It drove me to HRT very quickly and was a life saver! I still get a bit of the anxiety but then I’ve always been a worrier so I suspect it’s that more than hormones at this point. Oh and the sudden unshiftable weight gain is another but HRT didn’t help with that sadly.

My pcr finally came back, negative, phew.

Good news on the offers. @icanbewhatiwant. I know you were worried about your boy having all his eggs in that 1 basket.@crazycrofter my dd1 went to York and loved it, but she wasn’t a clubbing sort of person, d/k if your Dd is.It does have a lot of other stuff going on though.
The person I helped with her foundation engineering application got an offer today from the place beginning with L.
I also feel really anxious at present. I am waiting for the stupid biopsy result, but I think it’s actually more to do with COVID. Normal life really does seem to have gone, so hard to make plans for anything really.

So pleased at all this good news!

Great news @Alsoplayspiccolo and congrats on York offer @crazycrofter.

Interesting that anxiety is a menopause thing. I went through the menopause ages ago due to surgery, but recently anxiety has been getting bad. Wasn't sure if it was lockdown/life or hormonal so I've just started patches. Its unusual to start so long after menopause but due to family history of breast cancer they advised against. Hoping they help!

Congrats on Sussex ican - lovely to have it. Hope your DD's feelings are right kings