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

DH not too poorly - seems to be escaping worst. Hoping DS (currently at an interview in a Sainsburys) holds off til after driving test on Friday...

Hope he gets the job @Piggywaspushed . Dd found at Christmas that Sainsburys was a good place to work and they pay quite well I thought.

Sorry to read of loss of beloved support networks @EspeciallyDeIighted @Alsoplayspiccolo. Also of illnesses continuing to disrupt. Great news about lucrative jobs.

Dd turned 18 yesterday...at last! Garden party with afternoon tea delivered was a great success , saw some people we hadn't seen in over three years. At MIL who is v near beach so there were some random little trips down there by guests.

She has just applied for her provisional licence but we are going on holiday Thurs...how does it get delivered ? Will a signature be required?

Happy birthday @OrangeCinnamonCroissant , No signature required for licence, so will be fine!

That sounds a lovely birthday!

DD has just had a bit of a uni wobble. We were eating dinner together and she said how nervous she is feeling about moving away. DD2 is the puppy of DD1 who was so ready to go and loved it. I actually never thought DD2 would apply . I trie stop reassure that it was normal to feel that way and that freshers is to help everyone settle but was told to ‘stop saying that, everyone says that…’ etc and she got quite upset and stormed upstairs. So help me out, what should I have said?

*opposite not puppy!😂

I also added that at any time she can change her mind and that there is no pressure from us to go. We have always said this to both of our girls. Neither of us went to university.

That’s tricky @Benjispruce4 . What is she going to study and where? Is there a local university that could be a fallback option if need be? Is she set on a particular career? I guess I would just do what you’ve done - reassure but also say nothing is set in stone, she could defer/get a job etc. It’s definitely not for everyone and I think the whole ‘experience’ thing can be overrated. Half the country manage to progress to adult life without going to uni.

She wants to study Sociological as she loves the subject and achieves A+ in assessment and essays. Our local uni isn’t great but rising I believe. She has a form from York. When she was choosing I suggested closer cities as she’s quite a home body but each one she applied to was 3 +hrs away. It may just be a wobble but just can’t seem to say the right thing at times.

*Sociology flippin predictive text!

• firm not form 🙄

From what I hear , York remains a very kind and homely uni. What accommodation did she pick? Could you go on another visit ? Let her visualise herself there?

Ps I am not in a position to comment on typos but I loved Puppy! It made perfect sense.

Ha ha @Piggywaspushed. She’s very happy with York, has loved the city since childhood visits. The campus set up with college system would suit her better too. I think it’s just a wobble. Her boyfriend is at Leeds so that’s a plus as only a short train ride away- she’d picked York before she met him though. DD1 went off without a tear, as she has at every school residential and sleepover. DD2 has always been a clinger. Anyone have any positive stories of clingers learning to love their independence?

DS1? Not clingy but very dependent and anxious. Uni helped him find his feet and now he organise house lets and lads holidays!

@Piggywaspushed I say clingy but more anxious and cautious is a betting description. She’s very able, much more so than DD1 around the house for example. That’s great to hear, how did he settle at first?

My oldest 2 are the opposite way round. Ds1 was nervous about going to university. He chose our nearest one as it is commutable. Though he ended up living there all the time. He now regrets not going further away. Ds2 I know will settle in well. He's not worried about leaving. I don't think he will ever come back home to live once he's experienced city life. Ds1 has been away for 3 weeks, he will be back to live at home again tomorrow as he's just finished university. Ds1 and ds3 are both quite hard to live with, both bad tempered, they hate each other too. Ds2, although he loves to wind me up, is much easier to get on with. So I will miss him most of all.

@Benjispruce4 has she joined any group chats for her course or accommodation? Does she know anyone else going to York? Is it easy enough to get home by train or coach for a weekend?

Thanks @icanbewhatiwant i appreciate your honesty about your son’s relationships. I only have two DDs. They got on fine as children but as teens became quite different. DD1 being more gregarious and outspoken than DD1 who is overly sensitive at times and less confident but has a temper when pushed. As you can imagine they can easily have ructions.. I imagine they’ll get on better once they both move out.At the moment DH and I will be first to move out! 😂

@crazycrofter no not yet. She doesn’t want to get too attached I’m case she doe’s get in. She knows of no others going. Yes quite easy to get train and happy to do that as of the last 12 months. It’s just under 3 hrs away by car and she knows we’ll visit and vice versa.

Her accommodation isn’t confirmed yet. They have to rank them at York. I can’t remember exactly which ones she chose.

@Benjispruce4 I am actually dreading ds1 and ds3 together again. Ds3 (age 13) almost starts crying at the thought of ds1 living at home again. It really is awful, ds3 won't sit in a room with him. But ds3 is extremely hard work. I don't understand what goes on in his head. But ds1 is nasty to him too. I find it really sad they can't just get on.

Good luck with that @icanbewhatiwant . DD1 has been home a week but been away a few days and DD2 was away before that. Today is the first time home together and actually might explain the earlier drama. I think she feels pressure because of DD1’s experience and achievements. We are always saying that lots of quieter people go to uni and you don’t have to party all the time. She does like going out with friends but is happy with boyfriend just watching Netflix. DD1 thinks this is a bit soppy and hasn’t had a long term boyfriend. They get so competitive. They just need to accept they are different!

It's interesting about those that have group chats set up. What is they don't get the grades and already have accommodation? Or are all of these unconditional offers?

At York we had to pay a deposit to guarantee one of her accommodation choices. It will be reimbursed if she’s not successful or deducted from first term rent if she is.