Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Further education

You'll find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further Education forum.

Original poster

Thread 28 - Corona Cohort Awaiting Offers, Advance Notice, Gap Years and New Jobs

999 replies

OrangeCinnamonCroissant · 07/02/2022 19:35

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.
Previous Thread 27 Here

OP posts:
Thread gallery
15
Fruitygal · 13/02/2022 17:10

@EwwSprouts sorry I forgot we were both there together - I got mixed up with @Piggywaspushed being in social sciences and @Heifer not being there and hockey and everything else. Spoke to 3 dads or mums but all girls. DD made friends with a girl who I had spoken to her dad so they both came back after their sessions together and we were chatting.

DD said there was one boy in her Biology group - which was Biology 1 and 2 in the other group so 9 girls and 3 boys. She is super conflicted with York - found yesterday super friendly and lecturers very approachable and enthusiastic - modules, department and the 'feel' perfect but accommodation a little far away (when we checked on google Sheffield actually closer than York's east campus and biology building on other campus) and saw better flat than last time we were there in the summer but still not perfect (girls?!?)

I think York has more prestige, prettier city and slighter better 1st year accommodation but she felt less approachable and more serious and less enthusiastic.

And the beef sandwiches were moist and the salmon en croute perfectly seasoned :)

sazzy5 · 13/02/2022 17:16

@OrangeCinnamonCroissant I have had absolute rages at both of my DS. I know the feeling of shame, but they know how to push those buttons. I have just gone on to HRT as I was feeling horrible in myself and then even worse about my DC. I am convinced the DC can make you feel guilty about everything. It is hard being a parent but even worse when the DC are having problems themselves.

Fruitygal · 13/02/2022 17:17

@EwwSprouts DD liked the fact the biosciences building was at the centre of things and opposite the students union. Once she saw the full bar at Endcliffe campus (watching the rugby) which was closed in the summer it really helped sell the campus as before she thought they would have to walk miles to socialise back in town.

She remembered a friend of one of her besties is there so is going to find out more from her this coming week. Obviously when Durham come back either way it will make things easier.

Fruitygal · 13/02/2022 17:19

@Piggywaspushed Biology is probably worse in terms of numbers of boys

EwwSprouts · 13/02/2022 17:20

@fruitygal No problem. I don't MN on my phone so didn't join in yesterday's chat and then was out last night. I think generally biology has more females but DS wouldn't be bothered. He'll make additional friends through sport. I think York has more prestige as a university but not sure about dept v dept. York also seems to have a heavy biomed slant which puts DS off a bit. Definitely prettier though.

Fruitygal · 13/02/2022 17:30

@EwwSprouts we went home via a family visit for dinner so we didn't get in until midnight. Well done for going out last night!

DD preferred modules at Sheffield for the same reasons that your son did so think we just need to wait to see what Durham do....fingers crossed we hear soon so she can firm some decisions.

Piggywaspushed · 13/02/2022 17:34

I did ask the very nice man in charge who broke it all down so overall there are more chaps than DS saw. There were only about six young people there!

DS saw lots of males in the bar at the accommodation watching the football.!

EwwSprouts · 13/02/2022 17:47

@fruitygal Durham must surely send out more now open days are scheduled?

@Piggywaspushed Six explains a lot. We reckoned there were at least a hundred applicants at the biology faculty.

Piggywaspushed · 13/02/2022 18:02

Wow! That's loads. There are only about 12 students on DS's course.

NCTDN · 13/02/2022 18:15

Well I've just looked at the info for Bristol offer holder event. There's no mention of free food ConfusedBlush

NCTDN · 13/02/2022 18:17

And actually no mention of looking at accommodation.

Fruitygal · 13/02/2022 19:25

@Piggywaspushed it was a full lecture theatre in the morning session with about 4 possibly 5 biology type courses. Obviously lots of parents but I’d guess getting on for a hundred potential students

Fruitygal · 13/02/2022 19:42

@EwwSprouts Durham do continue to offer after the offer days so then you get an online offer day only? Having a glass of wine and trying not to think about it for half term

Fruitygal · 13/02/2022 19:45

DD cheered up too when she saw there were some boys in the bar @Piggywaspushed Hmm

Heifer · 13/02/2022 19:56

Glad you all liked Sheffield, I really hope DD doesn't end up regretting not visiting... Re numbers of boys - there were only 25 max on Nottinghams Biology group open day, of which 3 were boys.

@OrangeCinnamonCroissant that doesn't sound easy to deal with. My DD has had her moments in the last few months. Said I didn't understand how she had felt previously. I had no idea how bad she had been (she masks everything). She used to keep her bedroom so tidy (as she felt she needed it perfect to function) these days it's really messy until she can't cope with it like that anymore and does spend time sorting it - it will then stay tidy for ages. I can read the signs better now and do pop into it sometimes just to straighten it up to stop it getting messy again. Basically seems the worse her mood (stress/anxiety/low feeling) is the worse her bedroom gets which then makes her feel worse. She has just gone to the gym and I definitely think that helps her as she goes with a friend (5 of them are members so she tries to find 1 that can be bothered to go :-)

I hope you don't feel guilty, there are times whatever we say seems to be wrong. I am sure she knows that you are there for her.

Heifer · 13/02/2022 19:57

@Fruitygal

DD cheered up too when she saw there were some boys in the bar *@Piggywaspushed* Hmm
ha that made me laugh :-)
22Newnames · 13/02/2022 21:35

All this talk of girls on courses wanting to see boys is the exact opposite for us. Engineering courses are so boy heavy, not sure Ds will ever see a female Grin It would be nice if they were all a bit more even.

singingstones · 13/02/2022 22:54

How has today been, Orange?

Exciting talk of open days, looking forward to DS's first one on 23rd. I have never been to one before - what actually happens, if that isn't a silly question? Blush

Original poster
OrangeCinnamonCroissant · 13/02/2022 23:46

I've been quite ill today and Dd didn't get up till midday.

I've been trying to ignore the room and pick my battles yesterday it got to me. I explained as much.

We had a chat about where she could start and best way to tackle it. She really hasn't done much but I called her down and we watched a film together late afternoon. I think she enjoyed it 'falling for figaro' nice to see a normal looking actress in a romcom. I say normal she was stunning in the final scene.
Dd now wants to vocal coach in a Scottish cottage Hmm

OP posts:
Isthisjustnormal · 14/02/2022 07:09

Glad yesterday was calmer @OrangeCinnamonCroissant: hope you feel better soon

We: has anyone got an open day in with Exeter yet? Ds’s offer email said there would be another email with details but it hasn’t arrived. It’s low priority for him but with nothing back yet from Warwick or Bath would be good to have the chance to look around…

Piggywaspushed · 14/02/2022 07:18

Bonding over a film always good!

DS has driving theory. He seems chilled.

singingstones · 14/02/2022 07:53

We've got Exeter in March - I think their system is a bit dodgy though. I booked for DS and then wanted to change the date, no option to cancel on the website so I just booked the new date and emailed them to cancel the first one. They had no record of either booking even though it said he had registered both times.

Monkey2001 · 14/02/2022 08:00

That sounds much better @OrangeCinnamonCroissant, well done. Hope the communication keeps improving.

@Piggywaspushed good luck. Make sure he knows he needs to click twice for each hazard as if you click too early you get no points.

I had a frustrating experience yesterday. DS had realised that the rugby matches we filmed for PE weren't great so I filmed yesterday's match, which was great (33-nil!) but discovered last night that my camera stopped filming for the first 10 minutes or so - and DS says you can't use a film with "clips" removed as we might have left something out where he played really badly, so he thinks he can't use it. I feel so bad about it as he really was playing well and cross because I had made such an effort in cold, wet, windy conditions on the sideline! He swore a bit but was did not blame me. I hope he can use what I caught. Now if he gets a B for PE it could be my fault. ☹️

Alsoplayspiccolo · 14/02/2022 08:04

Catching up with everyone’s news after a busy weekend, celebrating DS’s 16th birthday.
Interesting to hear about people’s offer holder day experiences. DD has only booked one so far and it’s not until April.
Are people generally going to their top 2 or 3 choices?
All of DD’s are c2.5 hours away, so close enough for day trips but still a bit of a haul.

Orange, we are having similar struggles with DD, so I completely empathise. It’s so difficult to know what to do for the best, and emotions run high on both sides when frustration and fear kick in.
DD has really struggled throughout 6th form, emotionally. Recently, she’s hit a new low - says she’s bored, lonely, anxious, feels hollow.
Unfortunately, this shows itself as rudeness, unreasonableness, selfishness, and an inability to listen to any advice given.
If we ignore it, we don’t care; if we try to engage and talk her down, we clearly don’t understand and don’t care.
It feels like we’re about to hit a crisis point, and I have serious doubts about whether uni in September is the right thing for her (if, by some miracle, she makes it through exams and gets the grades, which is looking unlikely right now).