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

Thank you all for the well wishes for DD. It is a low offer as it’s audition/interview based: EE and she’s doing 3 A levels so the pressure is off. She’s been busy practicing with the youth orchestra for the last few days so is finally getting a break but has decided to go carol singing this afternoon.
I’m very invested in all your DCs too and rooting for them on their journeys.
Congrats @whoamitojudge to your DD!
Sorry to hear of those with covid over the festive period

Well@PaddingtonPaddington, I thought your Dds wonderful acceptance might be the last actual news before Christmas, but we have another offer. From RH, for History with a foundation year, standard CCC.

Dos anyone know how integrated foundation year courses are viewed by Student Finance?

Well done Paddington.

Oh fab @Zebracat. Wonder if UCAS is working Christmas Eve?

Well done on everyone's good news. Still offers coming in too. Ds said he wouldn't get any more as he thought they'd close when schools finish. I don't know whether he's looked for more. I hope those ill or testing positive get better soon.

Ds1 came home yesterday, he still has a cough, but otherwise is better. He's brought home about 5 machine loads of washing too. Ds2 has been doing LFT's daily. But will stop now. Seems he's escaped covid so far. Ds1 being poorly hadn't been out, so I think I can safely say he won't have it. So hopefully we will stay covid free for a bit longer. I work in retail, so I guess I could bring it home, but I do wear a mask, rubber gloves and wash my hands as I leave work, then change clothes as soon as I get in. I can't do more than that. But I'm sure we can't escape it forever.

Ds2 isn't even up yet. It's 4.30pm. He will moan Christmas Day at having a large dinner for breakfast, as he will be called down for dinner about 2pm. He will say he's just woken up and it is too early to eat. I really don't understand all this sleeping. But I suspect he's gaming with mates until the small hours.

DD LFT positive today :-( I can't say I'm massively surprised tbh as we allowed 10 friends round here on Monday night for a dinner party to celebrate her 18th. We did ask everyone to test beforehand but I know I know. She's only had 1 jab as she had to wait to have 1st jab after she was positive in August and has to wait 12 weeks before 2nd jab. DH and I just tested negative for now. Have ordered a PCR for DD. It doesn't affect our Christmas plans as only the 3 of us anyway and DH & I had no plans socially anyway as knackered and feeling very antisocial at the moment.

On the plus side, DD had a lovely dinner party - it was flipping hard work though catering for 12 (vegan, veggies, Halal & fussys but I managed it, so much cooking done and DH did a chickn paella. Very civalised evening (surprsingly) we had more booze after than before as they all brought bottles of vodka/gin/proscecco but didnt' drink it all.

Well done on all the offers, I did laugh at some of the comments re menaupause picture.

Excellent news re Flight training finished - you must be so proud. There is now way DD is ready for the real world yet, your DD must be much more mature than mine!

DD currently in her room feeling sad that she has tested positive as she was off out tonight on a pub crawl with non school friends and was really looking forward to it. I was impressed that she brought her test to us and said it's positive -as she could have hid it I guess. I do feel sorry for her because our Christmas's are very boring with just us 3 so this at least was something to have fun with. She has asked could she do my make up and do shots with us tonight - we have said yes so god help me (I haven't done shots for many years)

Fingers crossed DH & I stay negative, I'm still not fully over the cold I had 5 weeks ago (sore throat and chesty still).

Meant to say, DD has no symptoms but was doing a LFT because she was going out - then found out a friend that was here on Monday night has done one and tested positive too (she now has symptoms apparently)

Sorry to hear that Heifer but applaud your bravery - do let us know how you fare with the shots!

I'm optimistic now that regulations will allow us our family visit between Christmas and new year, but realise there's still a good chance one of us will test positive and it will be off. It's a Christmas Covid roulette. Sorry to hear of those ill or isolating or separated from loved ones

Well done to all with recent offers just before Chrimbo!
Also to all who’ve had other successes!
@Heifer- I think I’d rather brave the shots than the makeover
Sorry to hear of positive tests and purely anecdotal but friends of DD who’ve also tested positive have mild symptoms -let’s hope the ‘tide is turning’
Whilst that’s no comfort for those that have had Christmas plans ruined - DD being one of them- hopefully we are ‘turning a corner’ and on track to some semblance of ‘normality’

Sp much covid. I hope all those afflicted have it mildly.

@ProggyMat I'm well used to DD playing makeup on me although just thought not whilst she had covid thanks so need to tell her no (didn't even think) reply shots I think I will suggest playing cards and loser drinks so I have half a chance :-)

Heifer, I’m so pleased the dinner birthday party went well. Behind every good party is a hard working parent (or 2)

I am SO impressed with you doing shots. I shudder at the prospect…such a light-weight me…

@Heifer I wasn’t thinking of Covid- just wouldn’t want to be subjected to a make over by my DD
In that scenario, DD could be armed with the makeup bag versus my bare face with the shots in the middle of the table
I’d take those odds! fgrin]

The dinner party sounds great @Heifer, well done!
Sorry to hear your DD has covid but pleased she has few symptoms.

I've managed 4 shots of apple sours and have remembered I've got sainsbury coming 9-10! Have moved into the pina Colada :-) truth be told I'm not much of a drinker these days but as a hockey player for over 40 yrs I may have had my fair share of lager, shots and archers peach snapps in my time :-)

@Zebracat congrats on RH offer, that course is still on DS's list of possibles for his 5th UCAS slot so interested to hear your DD's offer (DS is predicted BCC so would be foundation too). I think foundation is treated the same as any other year for student finance.

Sorry to hear about DD @Heifer, hope she stays well and you two don't catch it. I'm glad the dinner party went well.

Sainsbury's been and gone. No Christmas pudding or Cadbury selection box but we will survive. I'm really enjoying the pinacolada which could be an issue. I generally don't cope well in the morning these days after a couple of drinks.

Sorry to hear about the Covid positives. Got to say anecdotally I know 5 people who have tested positive this week and all were only testing for work/social reasons, none had symptoms and the worst subsequently was "felt off on Sunday night but fine Monday morning". Age range 18 - mid 60's. I am fervently hoping this a turning point.

@Heifer Shots midweek is impressive! Well done on catering to all those tastes at the dinner party.

@whoamitojudge Flying high indeed! Congratulations to your DD.

Pleased to hear of more offers. Tis the season of giving!

Snail mail for DS today. Would he like to reconsider and apply for the integrated masters? They'll do the admin their end at his request. The cynic in me says flattering but they are chasing £££.

@eww I'm off work now so it's not really midweek :/) Which uni asked? Not heard of that before. Is he interested?

@Heifer Envy! I'm very confused by the news at 10 being moved on a work day. Sheff Uni. He'll think about it. He spoke to one of his biology teachers about the merits before submitting his form and she said it all depends on what his plan is for after degree and he has no idea.

Sending get well wishes to everyone who has covid and congratulations to all the new offer holders!

@EwwSprouts that must be a really good confidence boost for your DS even if he decides not to go for it!

That’s interesting @EwwSprouts. I have asked DS to look at Sheffield and Newcastle for his fifth slot. (Also engineering but has already applied for integrated masters elsewhere)

Gave you visited Sheffield? If so, what was it like?

@20newnames What kind of engineering is yours applying for? Ds1 had Sheffield as his insurance for Civil Engineering 3 years ago. He liked the course content - was similar to Bath which was his firm.

@Zebracat: congrats on the last minute offer: what a lovely early Christmas present
Less good news on all the covid positives :-( Just off to do my LFT with fingers crossed… finished work yesterday lunchtime and a lovely afternoon of Christmas prep and a walk with some of ds’s mates and their mums to look at the Christmas lights round near us : lovely to see them and hopefully all low risk being outside!
Ds is taking his revision over the hols pretty seriously (mocks early jan) but is allowing himself just an hour of revision today!