Thread 38 Covid Cohort, After Results Day

[CinnamonOrangeCremeBrulee]

ALL our children are heroes of their own stories, they have thrived through a once in a century catastrophe and they will succeed

This is a support thread for our young adults post GCSEs 2020, regardless of their educational setting, and their results (life updates for those who went into work or have had results earlier). 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 Sept?

Previous thread

www.mumsnet.com/talk/further_education/4613457-thread-37-covid-cohort-2020-results-thread-heroes-of-their-own-stories

Uni balls are something I know very little about, having been to a poly when it was still a poly (and being a tomboy who hated dressing up and still do). I think there was a freshers ball which I didn't go to and a graduation ball but no others. Does DS need to take his prom suit? It's a bit of a snug fit now.

May I ask if those in Nottingham Catered have paid their £250 deposit yet? Is it something you just pay even though there is no invoice? Thank you! I know the deadline is soon.

@EquallyDivided I went to poly too - all our Societies had at least one black tie event a year. They weren't called balls though.
DS has done 2 years at uni and the poshest thing he's done was a day at the races with his mates! Nothing through uni at all, although I suppose covid didn't help. I think it depends on the uni and the sort of clubs/societies they belong to.

I was only in one society which wasn't big enough for things like that (there were only a dozen or so members). I would have hated regular black tie events, my heart still sinks a bit if I get invited to one.

And as a teen I would have felt like a fish out of water, I had never been to anything remotely like black tie before going to poly. The only formal event I had been to at that time was my cousin's wedding.

@seeline - DD has lots of dresses for clubbing. All very similar in different colours, pretty cheap though tbf. But she won't buy from a lot of the shops now - well not when I'm paying anyway - will be interesting to see if she has the same views re child labour/sustainability and fabric miles. She currently shares her clothes with friends and plans to do the same at uni so it's not as if she will need lots of different outfits.

Ah, I have two in the same year but 11 months apart. DD is going to Uni but sadly my son with Autism had a autism breakdown and needs to restart his 6th form with hopefully a EHCP. It is very hard.

Not yet @OverlySensitive , it's due 7th September. I don't think it's on the system yet (I did look the other day). On the hub thing. Will see what the letter says when it arrives.

I hadn't even thought of formal wear. Are there black tie balls etc at Nottingham? I think DS's suit will probably do but he hasn't got a DJ.

Today is Sorting Out Admin Day here, I am predicting that DS will not be interested and I will tell him he needs to start taking responsibility for this kind of stuff and we will fall out 😂

Re Balls, I think DD will go to the hockey club one, and Halls (seem to have one at Christmas and end of year I think). She will be up for a party especially if it involves getting dressed up. ...

@Heifer Thank you!! That's reassuring. We will wait to see if we receive anything then. Been trying to keep up with the thread but it moves very fast! Lol!

@singingstones Admin is what I am doing too! No idea how DS will cope. It was a push for him to get his student account opened..

We had an admin weekend. DS needs a lot of support with it. Student bank account done, all his DSA softwares set up with logins, Google account set up on DSA laptop. Passwords copied into mum's secret password stash. Ipad cleaned up ready to be switched to his apple id and synced with his phone.

We've had a weekend off from all th admin as ds had a gig plus a rehearsal for his farewell cabaret (raising funds for the theatre group he belonged to for many years). We need to sort his bank account and he has been forwarded an application form for what would be an ideal part time job.

He says he has had an email from the conservatoire and is now waiting for two further separate link/password emails so he can log on to something.

Dd had disappeared for most of the weekend which was a bit frustrating ! Managed to get her to do her bank account last night it came through straight away as was with her existing ...must check with her if actual account details have changed as need to update SLC then.

Emotions are still high. She thinks Boyfriend is unhappy she has chosen to actually go to her insurance which is further away. He is apparently being moody about it but won't admit it. I'm not sure if she is seeing things not there. She is highly anxious about being lonely and not having any friends. So much so that I'm a bit worried. She says she never expected to be further away but is excited to go. There has been a tearful post about it on TikTok.

Before Covid she would have happily gone as far away as possible.😒

Well I’ve just dropped DS1 off at Heathrow for his year abroad in LA! Sad to think I won’t see him until Christmas, but lovely to see how happy and excited he was. My (6’ 4”) baby boy!!

Got to admit that I am just cracking on myself with some of the admin and printing out what I've done so I can show DD later.

I've just emailed to request Accommodation Fees are 3 equal instalments rather than the original stated (it was an option to request it so I have). Otherwise the amount owed for Term 1 was £1k more than the loan, but visa versa in Term 3.
DD is lucky in that her loan does cover her accommodation (with £600 surplus).

@Delphigirl I get that every autumn with DS1 at St Andrews, if he goes away in Reading Week it will only be to GF, we won't see him until December.

@CinnamonOrangeCremeBrulee has she made any connections through the university social media? Luckily music depts are the easiest for making friends as they all get involved in extra curricular music together.

DS started his hospital job today. I should have stopped him from going on a 5 hour bike ride with DH yesterday as he came back tired and not wanting to engage in any discussion about getting ready to get to work by 9:00. He failed to iron his shirt properly last night, did not get things together ready. We went to the car (it was too late to walk) and I asked whether he needed ID, he had to dash back in and right to the top of our (tall) house). He was still struggling into his shoes as we drove off and realised he had picked up one of his (size 12) and one of DH's (size 10), so round the one way system and back for shoes. Then stopped by every traffic light, then I dropped him outside the Childrens Hospital (where he will be working) at 8:59, then saw him heading over to the adult hospital next door! Managed to get his attention and re-direct him, but despair at lack of life skills. Thinking to myself about my failure to get an ADHD assessment......

I’m loving all the excitement on this thread now, it’s lovely.
Mine’s had notification of the first freshers event in his halls on the Sunday of the weekend they move in. It’s pizza and soft drinks provided and BYOB so should work for everyone.
Re clothes he actually has a DJ as he needed it for concert dress at school and will at uni too. If anyone needs a DJ the M&S machine washable one is excellent.
clothes wise he didn’t have a uniform at 6th form so nothing to sort there apart from a few bits to replace anything worn out.
Ive done an ikea basics run already then we’ll do bedding, plates etc together probably next week.

@Monkey2001 our children sound very similar.

Ds lives in comfy joggers and t shirts. He has one pair of black jeans he wears when we go to the theatre or a family events plus his pit blacks (black trousers/black shirt) and a white shirt and black jacket as that is his band "look".

@Heifer where did you see the thing about paying accommodation in equal instalments? Dd definitely needs to do that.

Hi @Seeline when my DS was in his first year at
UEA he often got online deliveries from Morrisons which were delivered to outside his student flat on campus. Sometimes the whole flat would bulk-order items (loo rolls, washing up liquid, kitchen roll etc) and split the cost between them.

I did have a panic @Siriusmuggle and @Comefromaway there for a minute...Dd really hasn't done much performance at all recently so I panicked about the obligatory black outfits/dresses. Then I remembered black is her favourite...most of what she wears is black..lack of sleep and worry I think.!

@Volterra good luck with the accommodation. They have started to allocate accommodation now but it will be in tranches over the next few weeks. Anxiously waiting to see what DS gets allocated so we can plan move in dates etc let alone think about finances with some of the options being quite different in price.