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

OK so something has gone wrong with UCAS generally.

Again!
It’s a bit temperamental, isn’t it?

Long time lurker. Still waiting for offers - although not really expecting any this year as interviews didn't go well ( medicine).

DD turns 18 this week - no idea what to buy her - if we knew she had a place then could have bought loads of uni accommodation silly stuff.
She is a science geek, big loves are also obscure k pop bands and converse- any suggestions welcome!

Welcome coffee and solidarity with your DD and all the medics waiting to hear.

Are there any K-poppers on tour soon that you could get her tickets for?

Hello and welcome Coffeeandbiscuittime*.

Really hoping the wait for your DD materialises in one or more offers.

Coffeeandbiscuittime, you can customise Converse!

www.converse.com/uk/en/products/converse/customise/shop-by/all-custom

We made an 18th birthday survival kit for DD - lots of little bits and pieces, such as posh coffee and flavoured syrup, a bottle of vanilla vodka, a book called “ What they forgot to teach you at school”, chocolate, washi tape, a journal, a vintage 2003 t shirt etc.

Welcome all the new comers!

I've just managed to find a test date for ds1 up in Kettering, piggy mentioned this, and lo and behold! anyway...it's over an hour away from us. So how do cancellations work? do we just keep checking every day for cancellation and if we find one, cancel the one booked in Kettering and try and book the new one??

I'm sure I read somewhere about automatic rebookings when a cancellation comes up but couldn't see anything indicating this when I booked it last night.

@Shimy sign up for one of those online providers mentioned in the other thread and you can set the parameters for autobooking. It isnt perfect by any means as you wont be able to check in with your instructor re availability but you can at least move it closer to you.

Thank you for all those suggestions - I have found one k pop on tour but I have never heard of him so will ask her in a round about way!
The customised converse - will take 6 weeks but they are fab so great Christmas present!
Box of delights - I can give her IPA -decent cans , chocolate, and some other science bits so thanks for that.
I am sometimes a crap mum- birthday is Monday! Tbf we were on holiday until Sunday and I have worked 4 x 13 hour shifts since then!
It is rubbish for them at present- COVID, Russia threat, exams, waiting for decisions that will impact their lives. I have gone grey! ( off to dye my hair🤣)

@ChristopherTracy Thank you so much fro replying. Please can you explain to me like a 5yr old...what do you mean by online providers? I only read the bit about Kettering briefly, I didn't see anything about providers and can't actually remember how many pages back it was DS is restarting driving lessons so hasn't actually met the new instructor yet. Is it mandatory that he goes with his driving instructor? that might pose a problem as DS will no longer be in the town he's in by the test date. He is currently on Placement.
It all sounds like a bit of a mess.

Welcome @coffeeandbiscuittime! My dd (Y11) is a massive k-pop/k drama fan - there is a metric ton of merch of all types online - if you know (or can find…) the bands it’s well worth a google to see what pops up. I got lots of brownie points that way ;-) also worth checking in on Korean food - there’s lots you can order from specialist sites (or if you’re near london there are a few good supermarkets?) Dd is going to new Malden (little Korea) for a kareoke and a mooch round the K supermarkets there for her birthday treat.

Hi Tango! Thanks for new thread.

@Shimy I didnt mean to confuse sorry. We used something like this: driving-test-cancellations-now.co.uk/

So we booked something at the other end of the country and 6 months away and then set up the auto search to find us a spot before that booked test but after the end of March for example and at these three specified centres. If a cancellation comes up it can then autobook it for you.

The problem with the autobooking is that for those of us with driving instructors (and their cars) you cant check with them if that new date is possible.

If you were using your own car for the test then that isnt such a consideration.

I can't locate the page where the discussion was had so if anyone can please advise on what @ChristopherTracy said re: Online providers, having an instructor with you and DS location dilemma, it will be greatly appreciated.

@ChristopherTracy Crossed post. Thanks for the explanation. I see what you mean about the instructor. As his instructor will be in Leicester and he will be moving back from by July plus test booked in Kettering (if no other date becomes available) it seems unlikely he'll be able to use the instructor's car, which is a shame really (not how I did mine in 1995!) but it's what it. At this rate, if we're too fussy he may never sit his test! so it's looking at what is mandatory and how we work around it. I will look into the online provider info you've given. Thanks very much.

Thanks to all - present sorted. You gave me the impetus to search and I have found something she wanted years ago.

@Shimy that's where I was born Kettering and I passed my test there on the 3rd attempt. A small town with not much traffic not like the Birmingham area where I live now but the roads are a lot smaller than the ones in the Midlands. Hope that helps.

@Wheresthebeach Being able to put faces to those out there must be very worrying for your DD.

@Fruitygal & @coffeeandbiscuittime Wishing both your DD's a wonderful 18th birthday weekend.

@Fruitygal did you make it to York? I didn't spot any familiar faces from Sheffield and DS said he didn't amongst applicants but he is a bit oblivious.

@Nard75 That is very useful information. I like the sound of it although and glad DS has got that date even though it's far away, it's better than nothing.

@Fruitygal & @coffeeandbiscuittime Happy 18th to your girls, here's to many happy and interesting yrs ahead!

@Fruitygal

DD has her 18th and a party at the weekend! (The DH and I are going out for the evening) can't believe I no longer have any babies left! She says she doesn't feel 18 - in some ways she is very grown up and mature and other ways she is still young. She's just driven to school though!

Happy Birthday to her Fruity!

Happy birthday to the @Fruitygal and @coffeeandbiscuittime households!

@EwwSprouts we did Jan 29th open day and we’re a little under whelmed