Thread 35 - Covid Cohort from GCSE 2020 'What They Did on Their Summer Holidays'

[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. It's all relative!
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 continue down various pathways ( employment, apprenticeships, higher ed) We have decided for anyone interested they will find a thread within the Further Ed board.
Possibly a move to Parent of Adult Children Board in future? Post Results?

Previous Thread

If Nottingham’s website says term starts on 26th Sept, when are they likely to move in (assuming dd gets the grades!)? Dd has her driving test on 22nd Sept, which is hopefully perfectly timed before she goes away. I’m very doubtful she’ll pass though!

I think it will be 22-24 September crazy, but I can't remember where I got that from now. Or if indeed I made it up
There's a half marathon on in the city on the Sunday so I think they'll all need to be in by then to avoid the road closures.

@crazycrofter our accommodation says from 22nd Sept so I think it will be anytime between Thursday 22nd and Saturday 24th Sept, what I'm not sure about is whether they can come anytime then or if they will have allocated slots etc.

Sorry @singingstones I didn't see your reply to crazy and just repeated what you said. I def read re marathon too and that they wanted people in before then and def read accommodation dates so you didn't make it up :-)

Thanks @singingstones and @heifer . I think her driving test is in the morning of 22nd; I hope she doesn't have to move in to halls the same day. Too many stressful things in one day!

DD is single, so we don’t have the question of what might happen to a relationship when she goes to uni, but a lovely boy in her year who has long wanted to train as an opera singer, has offers from all the major music conservatoires and had accepted a place at the Royal Academy of Music, met his girlfriend shortly before the exams and has stunned everyone by suddenly deciding to go to uni here, so that he can stay with her.
I can’t imagine how I’d deal with that, if I was his mum; we all want our children to be happy and follow their heart, but it’s a huge opportunity to pass up for a teen romance.

We had prize giving today. I thought I’d be ready, but it’s always such a lovely, uplifting experience that I beamed all the way through it. I’m feeling emotional tonight, though, as the finality sinks in - I will miss being part of the school so, so much.

DD went off to her prom tonight. Year 11 one was cancelled re Covid so this one was more important than usual for a 6th form prom. Was a lovely evening for it and she looked lovely.
DD passed her drive test 2nd time in January. My advice was drive like a chauffeur with precious cargo, smooth and steady. She passed with one minor. The minor was for taking too long in her parallel park! Not surprising as she failed on that the first time!

Good luck @Piggywaspushed for your driver!

@Alsoplayspiccolo <hugs> that was me a few days ago too, it still hasn't quite sunk in.

DS will be heading off to the RAU on 11 Sept all being well. So we will have a rush to get ready. Bit of a shame its so early, he had hoped to get a hockey match or two here before he goes.

Romances haven't figured for my two yet but I had a BF from home when I went to uni. It didn't work out. He didn't go to uni and became (to my mind at the time) middle aged overnight, he went to work for a bank, bought a sensible car and no more going out on week nights. After we split we didn't keep in touch but I heard about him through mutual friends, he married someone else quite quickly but was divorced by about 30. I spotted him on FB recently and he seems well. My parents didn't really know him, staying over at that age wasn't allowed by either of our parents except when they went on holiday. However I had several other BFs before I met DH in my 30s and there was one that they were very disappointed I didn't stick with. I didn't keep in touch with any of them. I do have friends whose teen relationships survived them going to different unis though.

We are about to fly back from New York - has been a good holiday and both DS and DD have been good company 😊

Turns out “all” DSs friends are currently in Amsterdam but he is content to have been with us - he said he didn’t really want to stay in a youth hostel and I suspect he didn’t really want to experience the cannabis nature of Amsterdam. Also his GF is in year 12 so she’s still at school and so is still in England. Am wondering how long until she appears at our house - not sure whether it will be Friday or Saturday 😃

DS is taking a gap year and will be around next year which fits in quite well with having a year 12 girlfriend (was planned before he met her). I think she’s been on an open day to the university he’s got as his firm choice so maybe they will end up together.

I worry about Dd and her boyfriend, they have fallen quick and lots of 'I Love Yous' already ...not unusual for Dd but he is a bit older. Their lives are so different. He is into doing up his car and working for his Dad - labouring, lives semi rural. It works at moment. But I can't see it being the same when she goes to Uni. I fear him being hurt. He has had a bit of a rough life, troubled at school etc he is so sweet and kind.

The fly and flop holiday to.Corfu is grateful so far! We watched sunset on the beach after arrival last night. The all inclusive bit not too bad. Lots of lovely fresh salads, at very least will do breakfast and the unlimited amounts of baklava cocktails basic vodka based affairs. Quite strong !

Great not grateful!

Mine is in Amsterdam too Miranda. Then Berlin, Prague, Budapest before crashing out in a swanky villa in Greece. She has such a different life to what DH and I experienced, but apart from feeling sorry for these cities having thousands of interrailers descend on them, I’m so pleased she’s got a good group of friends to do this with.

They were a bit too lightweight for hostels though, more like hotel/AirB&B’s. And DD’s trusty spreadsheet :)

I interrailed after graduation, but with one of my 6th form friends. It was sleeping on trains and in hostels, we went north to Scandinavia, it was great and I'd love to do it again but with hotels, I know a few families who have done it with teens. DH isn't keen though.

DS has little relationship history (to my knowledge) but has just started seeing a girl who he did lots of revision with. And who coincidentally is the only friend who has firmed the same uni…

i haven’t met her and I’m sure she’s lovely but I do worry either that it’ll go wrong and he’ll have lost his only friend he’s going with (obvs 🤞 on results) or that they will go ‘together’ and not take full opportunity to meet new friends.

We have the same situation with DD, she won’t be taking her car but will need it at Christmas as we live very rural. At least it will be building up no claims and luckily we didn’t get a black box so there’s no monitoring going on. DH and I will just take it out now and then so it doesn’t get a flat battery.

Yes I suppose the no claims build up will be good.

@NCTDN if she is in a Stoke Bishop hall there is plenty of street parking if she wanted to bring her car. Whether it is worthwhile depends on the sort of things she will be doing and whether she drinks. Supermarkets not super handy. I would call the insurance company to ask whether they have free any advice.

Sorry this has taken so long, it'll be impossible to find now 🙈
But just a few updates and some new joiners. Very exciting to be including confirmed places at last!
Let me know of any mistakes / anyone who would like to be removed or added.

@272Newnames / DS / Engineering / FIRM: Bath (AAA-AstarAB-AABB), INSURANCE: Nottingham (AAB)
@Alsoplayspiccolo / DD / English Lit + Film, Liberal Arts / FIRM: Birmingham (AAB), INSURANCE: RHUL (ABB)
@AnneofCleavage / DD / gap year + Primary Education / FIRM: Chichester, INSURANCE: Oxford Brookes (104 pts)
@Appuskidu / DD / Psychology / Nottingham, Birmingham
@Benjispruce4 / DD / Sociology / FIRM: York (AAB), INSURANCE: Chester
@BlueMarigold / DD / Biology / FIRM: Birmingham (AAA-AAB), INSURANCE: Lincoln (U/C)
@CaliforniaDrumming / DS / Economics / FIRM: UCL, INSURANCE: Nottingham
@Cantonet / DS / Sports Science / Oxford Brookes, Bangor, Surrey (DMB), Aberystwyth (U/C)
@cariadambyth / DD / History / FIRM: RHUL (BBB), INSURANCE: Bath Spa (U/C)?
Casper / Sustainability / FIRM: Oxford, INSURANCE: Nottingham (might defer to 2040)
@Chewbecca / DS / Economics / FIRM: Loughborough (AAA), INSURANCE: Strathclyde (BBB)
@ChristopherTracy / DS / Mech Eng / FIRM: Nottingham (ABB), INSURANCE: QMUL (ABB)
@collywobble / DS / apprenticeship tbc
@craggyrat / DS / History / FIRM: Cambridge, INSURANCE: Lancaster (BBC)
@crazycrofter / DD / Psychology / FIRM: Nottingham (ABB), INSURANCE: Southampton (ABB)
@Decorhate / DS / Economics + Politics / FIRM: Leeds (AAA), INSURANCE: Sheffield (AAB)
@Delphigirl / DS / Oceanography / gap year + FIRM: Plymouth (112 pts), INSURANCE: Cardiff (BBC), ACCEPTED: Dalhousie (CC)
@DoggerelBank / DS / Biotechnology / Bristol (ABB), Leeds, Glasgow (AAB), Manchester
@ealingwestmum / DD / Middle Eastern & European Studies / FIRM: Durham (AAA), INSURANCE: Manchester (ABBM2), TCD
@EddieHowesBlackandWhiteArmy / DD / Digital Forensics / FIRM: LJMU (112 pts)
@EwwSprouts / DS / Biology / FIRM: Durham (AAA), INSURANCE: Sheffield (AAB)
@ExtremelyDedicated / DS / Environmental Management / FIRM: RAU (56 pts), INSURANCE: Winchester (104 pts)
@Fiddlersgreen / DS / Journalism / FIRM: Cardiff (ABB), INSURANCE: Brighton (BCC)
@Fonty / DS / History / FIRM: Exeter (AAA), INSURANCE: Birmingham (AAB)
@Fruitygal / DD / Biology / FIRM: Durham (AAA), INSURANCE: Sheffield (AAB)
@GoldenRuby / DD / Social Anthropology + Geography / FIRM: Durham (AAB), INSURANCE: Sussex (ABB-BBB)
@HarrietDVane / DD / MFL / FIRM: Warwick (ABB), INSURANCE: Bristol (BBC)
@Hattifatteners / DD / Vet Med / FIRM: Bristol (ABB), INSURANCE: Nottingham (AAB)
@Heifer / DD / Biology / FIRM: Nottingham (AAB), INSURANCE: York (BBB)
@HibiscusIsland / DD / Biology / FIRM: Warwick (ABB), INSURANCE: Surrey (BBC)
@HoneyMobster / DD / Medicine / Oxford 🎉
@Horace123 / DS / Classics / Oxford 🎉
@icanbewhatiwant / DS / History + Philosophy / FIRM: Sussex (DBC), INSURANCE: Gloucestershire (112 pts)
@Isthisjustnormal / DS / Comp Sci / FIRM: York (AAA), INSURANCE: Bath (AAA)
@JustHereWithMyPopcorn / DS / Law / FIRM: Nottingham (AAA), INSURANCE: Birmingham (AAA)
@KingscoteStaff / DD / Medicine / FIRM: Newcastle, INSURANCE: Bristol
@kiwiandcherries / DD / Primary Education / FIRM: Winchester, INSURANCE: Gloucestershire
@Knickerthief1 / DD / Child Nursing / York
@Mango0 / DD / Maths / FIRM: Birmingham (AAA), INSURANCE: Lancaster (ABC)
@MirandaWest / DS / gap year + Geography / FIRM: Newcastle (AAB), INSURANCE: Liverpool (ABB)
@Monkey2001 / DS / Medicine / Newcastle / 2023 entry
@mummabear74 / DD / Environmental Science / FIRM: Southampton (ABB), INSURANCE: Cardiff (BBB)
@mummyinbeds / DS / Law + French Law / FIRM: Nottingham (AAA), INSURANCE: Warwick (AAB
@Nard75 / DS / Maths / Aston (BBC), Birmingham (AAA), Nottingham (AAB), Manchester, Warwick (AstarAstarA)
@NCTDN / DD / Liberal Arts / FIRM: Bristol (ABB), INSURANCE: Loughborough (ABB)
@Oblomov21 / DS / Accountancy / FIRM: PwC Nottingham (ABB), INSURANCE: PwC Reading (AAB)
@OrangeCinnamonCroissant / DD / Music / FIRM: Southampton (BBB), INSURANCE: Cardiff (ABB)
@OverlySensitive / DS / Mech Eng / Nottingham
@PaddingtonPaddington / DD / Music / FIRM: RWCMD (EE)
@Pangolinfan / DD / Economics + Politics / FIRM: Edinburgh, INSURANCE: Leeds
@Piggywaspushed / DS / Social Sciences / FIRM: Birmingham (ABB), INSURANCE: York (AAB)
@Pourmeanotherwine / DD / Art / defer for Art Foundation + Cardiff, Exeter, Reading
@ProggyMat / DD / Classics / FIRM: Oxford (AAA), INSURANCE: UCL (AAB)
@sazzy5 / DS / Sport + Exercise Med Sci / FIRM: Exeter (AAA)
@scabby1 / DS / Economics + Politics / York (AAB), Nottingham (AAA), Leeds (AAA), Bristol (AAA)
@Seeline / DD / Liberal Arts / FIRM: UEA (AAB), INSURANCE: Kent (BBB)
@Shadedog / DS / History / UCL, LSE, Edinburgh, Newcastle
@Shimy / DS / Management, Business + Management / Birmingham (AAB-ABB), Loughborough, Warwick (AstarAA), Bath
@singingstones / DS / Neuroscience / FIRM: Nottingham (AAB), INSURANCE: Aston (BBB)
@sofakingcool / DS / Business, Economics / FIRM: Reading, INSURANCE: Bournemouth
@Takeittotheboss / DS / gap year + Economics / FIRM: Newcastle (AAB), INSURANCE: Liverpool (AAB)
@TangoWhiskyAlphaTango / DD / Politics + IR / FIRM: Bath (AAB), INSURANCE: Nottingham (ABB)
@TantrumsAndBalloons / DS / ? / FIRM: Loughborough (AstarAA)
@Volterra / DS / Maths / FIRM: Bath (AstarAA), INSURANCE: Cardiff
@whatsnext2 / DD / English joint hons / FIRM: Reading (BBB), INSURANCE: Swansea
@Wheresthebeach / DD / gap year + Marine Biology / FIRM: Portsmouth (U/C), INSURANCE: Swansea
@whoamitojudge / DD / Cabin crew training completed and flying high!
@Zebracat / DD / Liberal Arts, History+ / FIRM: Exeter (BBC), INSURANCE: RHUL (CCC)
@ZittiEBuoni / DD / applying 2023 tbc

DS failed driving test. Sad times.

Thanks @singingstones.

Sorry to hear that @Piggywaspushed, I hope he's not too down.

That's a shame @Piggywaspushed 😥Did you think he was ready? Have you been able to book another date or are they all full? Sorry about the Sainsbury's job too. Has he chased them up to check?

Thanks for the list @singingstones .

Dd and ds are on camp next week. It's indoors, inasmuch as they sleep inside, but the bedrooms are tiny and fitted with multiple bunk beds - it's going to be sooo hot! And then they spend most of the day outside. I think it would probably be better to be in tents in the sort of heat that's predicted next week.