Thread 29 - Covid Cohort - Whirlwinds and Waiting

[OrangeCinnamonCroissant]

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 28

Hi @AnneOfCleavage - you email the university and if they agree the 1st you hear is that your offer changes on UCAS from 2022 to 2023. So then you can firm / insure the 2023 offer.

@22Newnames sorry to hear your son is a bit down & unmotivated atm. It is a really rubbish time for them. He sounds hugely capable though. I did wonder about dropping an A level, especially if his offers don’t depend on a 4th one. No idea if that’s realistic for you at this stage though.

DS has a Saturday job which does break up the monotony a bit. He’s also booked with 3 friends to see one of the European Grand Prix in the summer for a few nights.

I think breaking down the next 3 months into more manageable chunks might help as well. We haven’t booked anything for Easter but I’m now thinking a couple of days out/ night away might be a good idea. 🙏 for better weather as dreary skies seem to affect my sons moods too. Virtual hugs to you though.

Congrats on others recent offers & making decisions. V interesting to hear peoples varied experience of open days. We’ve got Exeter in a couple of weeks. Still no news from 3 unis, 2 of which have got open days happening in the next 3 weeks. Oh well, the wait continues.

@22Newnames your post could have been written by me about my DS. He has had some very low moments recently and admitted through drunken tears that he phoned a helpline one night. He has lost all motivation and self belief, doesn't want to spend his whole life in an office but can't see any other future. He's given up football refereeing as he was sick of the abuse (it never used to bother him) It doesn't help that he has a rubbish relationship with his dad (DH) which creates a terrible atmosphere at home sometimes.

He had mocks last week and knows he messed up in two subjects. No results yet. His knowledge is fine, he just can't answer exam questions. He actually asked for a tutor for one subject and we had an introductory meeting last night. I was shocked at how bad the teaching appears to have been at DS's school in this subject and how unprepared DS is. Worryingly, DD does the same subject with the same teacher. At least I'm aware of the issues now.

DS does seem to have a bit of spark back this week. He has football, a couple of gigs booked for the summer, a UK holiday with his mates being planned. I keep telling him about the amazing time I had at uni and the daft things I did. He's been a bit sheltered I think. We live in a village, he's never been clubbing, rarely goes to parties. Covid has delayed their late teens 🙁

DS has started on a revision planner. He won't finish it or follow it but at least he can see an end to school and A levels followed by some carefree fun days and weeks 🙂

My DD has definitely picked up mentally now she can see a fun summer ahead. She is off with 10 friends to Spain (friends villa) & Cornwall (friends house) and is talking about going "travelling" with another friend to Spain & Portugal. This is definitely needed as she was getting very low thinking it's all drudge. She knows she will need to work inbetween the holidays to help fund them and to save for uni which she is happy to do apparently (we will see)...

She has mocks next week but seems to be ok at the moment, although I am sure she will get stressed nearer the time. Definitely worthwhile finding some fun things to do to look forward to even if only "small" things as it all adds up.

Thank you @ealingwestmum and @mummyinbeds

@mummyinbeds and @22Newnames and anyone else affected, I'm so sorry to hear about your DCs struggling, it has been so hard for them over the past couple of years. Hopefully going away to uni will give them a chance to be teenagers 'properly' and enjoy a bit of freedom and fun alongside the study.

It's not a prize I want to win, but we may be a big contender of the waiting for the offer most wanted, which will be circa 22 Aug, if DD still hangs in there with TCD. I have booked her flight to Canada for 20 Aug, so not sure how this is all going to work. Though the delayed student-visa process may just take that one out of my hands as she does not want to start McGill in Jan 2023 if it's not issued in time for Sept 22, missing out on the bonding that will be key for an International student.

In parallel, just in case it all goes belly up, she's actually booked to go on an Offers Day with her dad to Durham, the first one. Nudged by me as a let's sort out once and for all, Plan B. It's not even as if it is a commiserations Plan B, she knows many are still waiting to hear from Durham and is very lucky to have secured an offer for languages there.

I feel that over the coming months it will be as painful as changing insurers or bank accounts, will she really change gear/direction in mid Aug if she does get an Irish offer then...who knows, as it is so dependent on exam results of not just hers but for everyone applying there, and 12 places remains very risky.

I'm sorry to hear of the tough times for some of the DC here. DD is only just getting her mock results back (one set only sat, no more to follow) and all are where they should be thankfully. Her stress levels remain high, mainly due to the immense juggling still, many last of's type events, and some very unsympathetic teachers who do think she should split into 4 on clash days. But, I keep reminding her only 4/5 weeks left of actual school, she can get through it.

keeping fingers crossed for you @ealingwestmum

Is it really only 4/5 weeks left? Do they not go back to school after Easter?

I'm so sorry to hear of so many being despondent at the moment. I guess the pressure is ramping up and the lack of exam practice isn't helping. @22 I didn't intend to be cruel or unkind, but I was a tad brusque. God knows we've had major depression issues within this family and i wouldn't wish feeling down on my worse enemy.

Ds has done his first Aberystwyth Scholarship paper this morning, with another this afternoon. He said it wasn't too bad luckily. But also said that doesn't mean he's done well 😂 Talk about managing expectations.

@Ealing is a Canadian University your dd's first choice? Where would be your dd's second choice?

Good luck for everyone still waiting on tenterhooks for offers.

@crazycrofter

Is it really only 4/5 weeks left? Do they not go back to school after Easter?

Mine's got about 7/8 weeks left if all the half weeks are added up. She is definitely back at school after Easter until about the 19 May.

@Delphigirl

Hi *@AnneOfCleavage* - you email the university and if they agree the 1st you hear is that your offer changes on UCAS from 2022 to 2023. So then you can firm / insure the 2023 offer.

Perfect, thanks so much for that. That was what i was hoping for.

Sorry to hear of all this understandable despondency.
Happy 18th Popcorn.
Ealing, I am dead jealous that you've booked dd's Canadian flight already.

I love booking flights and arranging hotels and activities for holidays. Booking Reichstag in Berlin etc. My friends all call me Judith --Chalmers. I went travelling for a year pre Uni, and wish ds could do the same. shame.

I asked ds last night re is there no more school after easter, but he insists there is. He said he likes the routine of going into school to study and does his best work there. So, now I'm a bit worried he's in for nasty shock.

Ah apologies, I added weeks left minus Easter hols.

Seeline, will she be having any lectures, support, what?
I only ask because I am sadly convinced that ds is on study leave as of 1st April.

It was Cantonet, but I think much of that was driven by flattery, as immature as that may sound. Now she has to actually engage on pre prep calls re building her course from May, we will see. Different time zones, clashing with exam revision etc, and I will of course, step back apart from dealing with the formal admin stuff. It’s not as easy as she may have first thought…

@Oblomov22 - carrying on with full timetable as far as I am aware. No more mocks, so lessons as normal. She would have preferred to stop school a week earlier so that she had a week to revise before first exams!

DD back to school after Easter, they haven't finished the courses yet!

First exam May 27th. So she's hoping for at least 2 weeks study leave.

So for those waiting for Durham and the others...offers sometime in March and then offer holder days in April?

I wonder how many will do late offer days. DD is Swansea April 2nd, first day of holidays. I think if it was mid April her head would have exploded as by then she'll be in full 'OMG my exams start next month'.

Ds insists they have already finished the course content. ie no more teaching. Thus I took this to mean no more schooling, as such, After Easter. I rang the school and they confirmed yes, they are on study leave, as of when they break up for Easter, 1st April. How can that be right?

DD said she had been told there will be no study leave! I assumed they would be in school up to half term mid exams (same as planned due for GCSEs). That makes it even harder for DD if they now have to be in school all day and now all the way through.. I can see that I may have to intervene at some point if it all gets too much for her. I friend of hers older sister ended up staying home "sick" when she didn't have exams as the school turn turned down her request to work at home.

We keep going until May half term, so DS will have 2 exams before study leave starts.

I have no idea at all about my own school, let alone DS's.

As a general rule, how long before mocks/ exams do all the DCs on here start revising? If , in general , a diligent type? I was quite shocked by my year 13s answers to this question today and want to see if they are typical... DS may not be the best barometer .

@Oblomov22

Ds insists they have already finished the course content. ie no more teaching. Thus I took this to mean no more schooling, as such, After Easter. I rang the school and they confirmed yes, they are on study leave, as of when they break up for Easter, 1st April. How can that be right?

So much for all the missed learning of the pandemic!!

I have a whole unit to teach!!

I’m amazed all the teaching is done - nice position to be in. DD has extra lessons to get through content at the moment. Hoping to be finished maybe end of next week for Chemistry and by half term for Biology and Geography.

No idea how much study leave they will have. Gcse students have been told May 16th but DD is hoping for more.

@Piggywaspushed DD a diligent sort. I’m currently ‘invigilating’ timed Chemistry questions! She’s doing 1.5 hours of revision for each topic a week on top of homework. However revision can be something like watching appropriate David Attenborough programs!

She’s 9:44 left…