Thread 32 - Corona Cohort 'May' the Mumsnet force be with them for their venture to exams

[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 31

CONGRATULATIONS ZEBRACAT !

Totally Volterra, that was I think my intention. Thank you.

A new week people, hoping all exams go by smoothly!

Sorry, not been around here much recently, but GOOD LUCK everyone starting this week.

@ealingwestmum just wow! We all know your approach is much healthier, life is about so much more than exam results. I also worry that people who work so hard for their A levels and "over achieve" for where they should really be academically will really struggle to keep up at university if they are with people who achieved top A level grades with a normal amount of work!

@DoggerelBank does your DD get her degree classification on Thursday? If she does, good luck!

I bumped into a friend whose DD is in upper 6th at my DD's (small, private) school this weekend and she said some of her DD's fellow students were in a state of hysterical competitiveness over who could revise the most and she couldn't wait to get out of there. Whereas there seems to be none of that in y11. At this point I am starting to hope that despite there being some amazing teachers and great support for the dyslexia there, DD will decide to go to college instead.

@Monkey2001
. I also worry that people who work so hard for their A levels and "over achieve" for where they should really be academically will really struggle to keep up at university if they are with people who achieved top A level grades with a normal amount of work!

I'm really hoping that DS falls in to the achieves top grades with a normal amount of work (not very much work at all) category.

Good luck to exam takers this week. Wednesday is the first written paper for DS (French speaking has already been and gone). We'll see if he does any revision on Tuesday night 🤷

Also ealing, mine spend as much time in bed as possible at the moment, they tend to favour the afternoon nap rather than an early night, but I am all for it. They need their sleep! And downtime, relaxation, good food, fresh air, exercise, time with friends. And a bit of revision.

(And fwiw I would have done the same re the photo - the thought of them judging and being all superior, ugh)

And thank you for your kind and lovely comments regarding DS's ( and all our kids) mental health. It's not something I would share in the real world so it's nice to feel some virtual support

Oo, I have no idea, @Monkey2001. Will have to ask her. Think she's meant to be tour guide to grandparents and 4 great uncles/aunts that day, so bad news would be particularly difficult. Fingers crossed! But I think (hope) anything other than 2.1 would be very unlikely at this stage.

@EspeciallyDistracted dd loves her old friends and hasn’t made such close female friends at her new school, but the move has been worth it for the more relaxed environment (and she still sees her old friends loads too).

Dd is continuing to search for the perfect work environment where she won’t get distracted! She’s tried school, bedroom, kitchen, the central library in town and today she’s at the university library with a friend. I just think she’s a distractable type and should work in short bursts with breaks in between - but what do I know?!

@crazycrofter my DD only has a couple of friends at her current school, she gets on ok with most of the year group but only sees the two close friends outside school and TBH I think one of them she isn't that close to noawadays. They are both staying on. This is another motivation for a move to college, to enlarge her social circle. It would also be good for her independence skills, as she'd be going by train (hopefully, I work in the same town as the college so might end up giving her lifts).

Sounds like it would be a good move then @EspeciallyDistracted .

Yes, its just that she would be leaving behind some amazing teachers who she thinks the world of and the great dyslexia support.

Ealing, sometimes, later you wished you'd said something clever but cutting to such stupid mums. I agree with mummy, this thread is always so nice that we can be honest about our dc and all their struggles.

I've put on weight in covid and got told off by the GP surgery Diabetic nurse last week (who I've refused to see for the last 18 years, because I'm at the London hospital consultant with my own pump specialist nurse) but she took the opportunity to say it to me, when I now have to go to see her for a diabetic foot check. Will be delaying a repeat appointment re that for as long as possible!

I lost two stone during lockdown one but have managed to put on three stone since
I look terrible at the moment but hoping once exams are over I can sort myself out and get a bit of sun.

Everything feels slightly on hold here because we are waiting for DH to see a cardiologist following a bit of a scare recently. Phone consult was today but nobody rang - the appointment letter said that if nobody phones you have to wait two weeks before getting in touch, but he disobeyed and managed to reach the secretary - who said that the consultant hasn't got a clinic today, they cancelled that appointment weeks ago, it's now scheduled for mid June and oh sorry I should have sent a letter. So poor DH who has been fretting about this and not sleeping but hoping to have some decisions made today now has another three weeks to wait before finding out what is actually wrong with him and whether they can fix it

DS back from his mega exam day. Very happy with both papers. No massive curve balls.

That’s good to hear Piggy.

I hope your DH can manage to relax a little until mid June Singing, though the waiting for a diagnosis does nothing to help!

Take care of yourself Oblomov, I have been only in the pre diabetes stage for a few years and just about manage to hold there. DD does now have very raised cholesterol, a combination of hereditary and the rapid weight gain, but says she’ll get back into shape post exams, so I’m giving her space. I’ve been on statins for over 30 years, and would rather she gets her levels down naturally vs drugs.

But she does love her food, just forgets she no longer swims 15 hours per week to burn it off :)

Good news @Piggywaspushed , what was he taking today?

Sociology and economics.

Oh, singing, that's the sort of extra stress you can all do without. Glad your DH took action so at least you know it is in hand...Even if no one had bothered to tell you.

That sounds like a very positive start, Piggy - not surprising, given how diligent your DS has been about revision.

I suspect DD is the only one here who doesn't start exams until after half term. DS hasn't got any until Wednesday either, so today has felt more like a day off from their POV than I would like. I've just taken DS through required practical for chemistry paper 1 to get him going a bit faster.

I understand Ealing. Ds1 is having to adjust his food intake as he is no longer boxing.

Phew Piggy.

That must be a relief for you and DS Piggy - fear of the unknown is daunting!

@singingstones that is rubbish, a bit like the admin at universities, people doing jobs without thinking about the impact the lack of communication has on people anxiously waiting! Hope he gets good news soon.

Hope your dh gets the results sooner than then @singingstones . Waiting is so hard.

Glad first exams have gone ok. DD’s friend took Economics too today and said it was fine. And dd has also decided that the uni library is the best place to work, so that’s good! She can get off at the uni station on her way back from school after morning exams so it’s easy too.

Just got an absence text through as Dd cam home straight after exam to sleep. Apparently still on timetable until Friday. I'm not saying anything about this one too her, no way am I bothering her about attendance now. She has 98% so far and intends to go back in tomorrow.

They will be on study leave after half-term officially thank goodness.