Thread 26 - Covid Cohort Hoping for a Stable, Successful 2022

[OrangeCinnamonCocktail]

previous thread

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.

Thanks for the new thread Orange and for including me in the list Singing! Very exciting!

Question - have you all started buying Uni bits? I'm thinking of starting a "bottom drawer" for DS - whether that's for Uni stuff or for when he gets his own place after. Are bottom drawers still a thing?!

@Heifer that's an amazing offer from York, she must be delighted (even if she's playing it cool!).

Ooooh the bottom drawer sofaking I remember having one in the early 90s. I don't have one per se for DD for uni but do have some bits put by: fire blanket, first aid kit and sewing kit so that would probably suggest that I do in actual fact have one

Monkey, wheresthebeach, 22names, Heifer thank you so much. Not sure when we hear for definite after each interview as she's only had one so far and that one said they'd hear fairly quickly. She is the last of her 6th form to get offers (despite being one of the first to submit UCAS form) so is desperate to hear and join in the excitement. She's the only one having to interview though and of course that takes time. She would have had 3 under her belt by now but she caught Covid then had mocks so had to cancel and rearrange for this month.

@sofakingcool

Thanks for the new thread Orange and for including me in the list Singing! Very exciting!

Question - have you all started buying Uni bits? I'm thinking of starting a "bottom drawer" for DS - whether that's for Uni stuff or for when he gets his own place after. Are bottom drawers still a thing?!

I have indeed started a "bottom drawer" in the divan in the spare room. So far I have just got little bits that Dd wouldn't be bothered about choosing and that are easy to pick up in weekly shop. I found a bargain set of 'rose gold' cutlery that she wanted last night too. At least it will stand out and at the price not a disaster if she loses stuff

I've also been doing mini cleaning /cooking lessons. Apparently I'm such a bad actress when I call Dd down to the downstairs loo...proclaiming not to know what to do with the limescaley taps...aha but I do! (Mini lesson commences)

I haven't started a bottom drawer as such (we haven't got much storage space) but I am pausing before charity shopping anything like crockery, mugs etc. For boarding DS has a plastic box for his room which I top up with soap, shampoo, face masks, stationery etc every half term, I need to encourage him to start stock controlling and sorting this stuff himself - the school are happy to run them to the supermarket in a minibus on weekday evenings as there's only a tiny village shop in walking distance.

Trying to do life skill stuff such as bleeding radiators etc too, as well as cooking, budgeting, the list is never ending.

@sofakingcool

Thanks for the new thread Orange and for including me in the list Singing! Very exciting!

Question - have you all started buying Uni bits? I'm thinking of starting a "bottom drawer" for DS - whether that's for Uni stuff or for when he gets his own place after. Are bottom drawers still a thing?!

Bottom drawer well and truly in action here. I asked this question in the old thread but think it got lost amidst discussions. Glad to see I'm not the only one that's started. My experience with ds1 taught me it's best to start early, bit by bit.

@Heifer Congrats on the offer! nicely done.

Yeah that's what I'm thinking @Shimy , start early then it's less of a shock in the summer! I might go and have a wander around Asda later, they had a bit of a sale on their house stuff

Congrats on all the offers.

I'm going to wait for ds1 to return home before buying anything for university. I'll see if he brings anything back when he's completed his degree.

Ha, I've been wanting to do this since last year! I'm a bit scared to start though in case I jinx him somehow. Has anyone done a list I can? I know there's bound to be obvious things hat I have forgotten.

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn

Ha, I've been wanting to do this since last year! I'm a bit scared to start though in case I jinx him somehow. Has anyone done a list I can? I know there's bound to be obvious things hat I have forgotten.

Are you on the What I want to know about Uni (or something like that?!) Facebook page? I'm sure there's a list on there, I'll go and see if I can find a screenshot

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/docs/misc/whattootaketoouni.pdf

Well done to all with New Year offers!
Another one here wanting to get started on ‘Uni stuff’. I was hoping to bag some towels and bedding in the sales but didn’t think there were many bargains about so I’m yet to get started!
Looking at laundry costs I’m going to steer DD toward ‘same coloured’ stuff in order to make up ‘full loads’!

No @sofakingcool never heard of that page.

[quote sofakingcool]@JustHereWithMyPopcorn

[[https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/docs/misc/what]]tootaketoouni.pdf[/quote]
Thank you!

@sofakingcool DS1's shopping was exhausting.

Does anyone the best place for V. good towels that don't cost a fortune? I bought ds1 some from TKMaxx but they don't seem like they're going to last. Went to IKEA and there wasn't much either (looked like they were very low on stock) and some of them were really thin. Also visited Costco but wasn't sure on the quality so came away empty handed.

@ProggyMat Where are you going to get your towels from?

[quote Shimy]@sofakingcool DS1's shopping was exhausting.

Does anyone the best place for V. good towels that don't cost a fortune? I bought ds1 some from TKMaxx but they don't seem like they're going to last. Went to IKEA and there wasn't much either (looked like they were very low on stock) and some of them were really thin. Also visited Costco but wasn't sure on the quality so came away empty handed.

@ProggyMat Where are you going to get your towels from?[/quote]
We've had towels from Sainsbury's before and they were really good, there's a home sale on at the moment too

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn

www.facebook.com/groups/488235648182391/?ref=share

Thanks @sofakingcool

@sofakingcool I did try our local Sainsbury's too but they only had one colour when I visited. (navy blue) Perhaps I'll pop back again. Thanks.

Tesco seem to have loads but I never see it recommended here for towels.

@Shimy I’ve had towels from Tesco-the Fox and Ivy ones are lovely and their own make are not bad- not in sale though
I’m after bath sheets for DD but don’t want to pay more than £8 each!
Dunelm have a sale on but it’s only 30% off.
Just checked Sainsbury’s - thanks @JustHereWithMyPopcorn- but again 25% off
There may well be further reductions so I’ll bide my time!

I like Asda towels. DS1 uses his towelling robe all the time, doesn't use normal towels much. I have loads of old towels they can take, if they want new ones they will be birthday/christmas presents. I did the same with bedding, he took a double duvet and I have loads of old double bedding, but all our duvets at home are KS.

DS2 got his food processor (very pleased with it!) and a frying pan for his scrambled eggs (part of his protein obsession) for Christmas. I think he will take old cutlery and crockery from home as I don't expect it all to make it home at the end of the first year. He is getting a new laptop as main birthday/christmas present this year.

A door stop is widely recommended and they need extension cables. One of the things DS1 was really pleased he took was a nice rug, really made a difference to his room.

£7-£8 at Asda @ProggyMat direct.asda.com/george/home/towels/duck-egg-super-soft-cotton-towel-range/GEM536653,default,pd.html?cgid=D26M07G07C09

I don't like buying stuff in advance - definitely scared of jinxing things!

Did DSs in about 2 weeks after he got his results.

Also, different things required for different unis -catered v self catered, en suite v shared bathroom, induction hobs v gas/electric, even different bed sizes.

Got most bits from a joint trip to Dunelm and IKEA, with extras from the supermarket and Argos.

@ProggyMat A bath sheet no more than £8..maybe 10, if I'm feeling generous, is EXACTLY what I'm looking for .

@Monkey2001 A towelling robe is a fantastic idea! although DS might turn it into his dressing gown, he loves his dressing gown and might just double up with the towelling robe. Perhaps not such a good idea for him after all. Good idea for me though!

I got ds1 a nice rug and bath mat when it was his turn, he also got some scatter cushions for his bed and and a lovely thick blanket from Costco that his wraps himself in on weekends whilst doing his work.

@ProggyMat I'm new to Fox & Ivy range but they seem marvellous. I bought some dishes (pasta bowls) from them just before Xmas as they looked so lovely and well made. I didn't know they did a towelling range so definitely will be checking that.