Year 13 2024 - General support thread part 2

[Rollergirl11]

All welcome as our young people head in to their last full term before the summer exams. Between UCAS applications, receiving offers/rejections, learning to drive and taking driving tests, revising for mocks and sitting them the pace hasn’t let up for our DC.

This thread has been a lovely supportive and immensely helpful place to talk as we guide our DC’s through this challenging time!

Old thread here https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/further_education/4851165-year-13-20232024-general-support-thread?page=40&reply=132323436

I think the Santander one is much recommended due to the free railcard it comes with - provided your dc will be using the train of course!

My DD already had a junior Santander bank account which rolled over to an adult account when she turned 18, but she has just opened an online account with Starling. It isn't a student bank account, so no perks, but it is very easy to open (took about 5 minutes), has savings "Spaces" with virtual cards which will help with budgeting, pays a decent amount of interest on balances and can be used overseas without any charges.

I am actually quite looking forward to DD being at university though will miss her as well but says she will be back every 6 weeks and for all the holidays and keeps telling me she's not really leaving. I think she will be here as much as she's is at university which is a nice transition.

Not done bank accounts yet but she does already have various ones and an ISA, saw money saving expert does reviews and sent her the link. She's still on holiday with her boyfriend and they are apparently feeding all the local cats with the hotels ham (she's veggie 🤣). We are just getting lots of cat photos, think they both wanted a chilled holiday after uni applications, A levels, an active holiday each first. She will work again in her punting job once back and pay is quite seasonal so will be good. She is starting to think about what she needs. Not sure whether to get it now or wait for results day / closer to the time. Her room which is huge already has about a foot of stuff everywhere so don't really want to add to it. In theory this is being sorted in the summer now she has time but not holding my breathe. She also keeps on about suitcases and how she needs 3 though not convinced that's the most sensible option.

Went to a garden party with the neighbours and they were all asking is she definitely in yet and I didn't tell any of them, think DH told one person but that's life in a village for you. Just doing a lot of gardening with DH, he's off for several weeks and most people here are retired with perfect gardens and perfect cottages, quite therapeutic battling the ivy.

Is your DD IB/has had results?

No she's A levels so it's 15 August. Maths it's right or wrong so fairly easy to know but other two are essay subjects. Think she's OK but will be a relief if confirmed.

Have my reconstruction op date for 6th August which is great though may mean not around on 15th.

Oh great news @Penguinsa I hope all goes well and that you are home and recovering by results day.

That's good news @Penguinsa.

That's great @Penguinsa , and DD will still be around to entertain and look after you in your recovery

That's really good news @Penguinsa.

Pleased for you @Penguinsa hope all goes smoothly.

Thanks everyone, very happy to have op finally. DD just back from holiday today which was at an AI place and said she was starving so made a pizza order. They had a nice time and she said her boyfriend claimed they ate and drank so much over there hotel would have made a loss. 😂They apparently went on one boat trips round several islands and the ship announced there was meat for lunch and DDs boyfriend said but DD is veggie so they found another ship and got some of their food for her and gave them a box of tomatoes. I think I should be back home for 15th, said before a week in hospital, but then people say first week is impossible to stand up so I will just be on my reclining chair recovering. DH is very good at looking after me. DD will probably be at school though they get results by e-mail and then can go in and then off with friends. Hope everyone is having good summers. Very happy we did holiday already. I was originally told this would be in Dec 22 so now when they say I've never taken it too seriously as always gets put back but now have a date feels very real and just making sure everything is sorted before go in. Hope Floof isn't going to jump on me too much after, he normally goes over you but he's 8kgs of clumsiness and the chair will go on he has adopted as his chair. DH will go to France for a week before on his own as DS still isn't up to travel. DD is very good at helping with DS and he's at least doing basic cooking and washing up now but does eat everything in sight but stay stick thin.

Ah I misread your post @Penguinsa I thought she had her results. Scary to think it’s only just over a month away, time really does march on this summer.

Hope the op all goes well.

We are back from our holiday, which was fantastic. Not super restful as lots of doing stuff and looking around in places, but really interesting, thought provoking and really felt like it widened our horizons. Was first time to Far East for the rest of the family, I’ve been a few times before many years ago.

Got back yesterday and did four loads of washing, a few more to do today and then DD flies off to Greece for her girls holiday early tomorrow morning. DS also away on and off for the next two weeks. So DH and I have an early peek at empty nest from tomorrow. Will both be drowned in work from Monday, mind!

Thanks Sooper Glad you had an amazing holiday and the kids have more exciting things planned.

Good luck Penguinsa.

Good luck Penguina.

Been staying a way from this thread to try and stop obsessing during the wait for results - not that it has worked. Just had quick skim of the posts I missed and it was lovely to hear all the prom and holiday plans of everyone.

Mine is currently having great fun with his friends on their static caravan holiday in Great Yarmouth, even though the weather hasn’t been great. He’s possibly going for Scotland for a few days in August and has his Italy trip in September so all is good. When he is here he seems to be working 3-4 shifts a week which is a nice balance between earning money and relaxing.

We have now had confirmation that his DSA recommendations will be financed and we just have to arrange delivery, which is a relief.

Bank account wise, he is going to stick with Santander and upgrade from his mini account (he never bothered to change to to an adult one) when he can. He also has a Chase account which he uses for his savings and use abroad as it is commission free.

Anyone else's DC not working? DS has applied to about ten places for work but there's just nothing! Any suggestions of the best way to pick up shifts would be most welcome.
We've just had the formal email about results collection etc. I had to move it out of my email inbox as every time I saw it I felt sick!

Mine's not working either @QueenMabby - similar tale of limited options and unsuccessful applications (and, weirdly, results collection email!). Decided it's not worth it now - although we are trying hard not to count chickens, DD's got a lot of pre-Oxford prep to do and has to assume she's got in, as she wouldn't have time to do it all after results day. This includes a residential course in September, so she's basically only got the rest of this month and August for work. She's going to rely on savings and loan this year, and hopefully become a student ambassador wherever she ends up. Being prepared for the course is more important and we will find a way financially if needed.

Thanks Jaxx and Light

Re work I think it can vary by area, quite easy to get here in the nearest city. I think cities are easier than rural. Also anything seasonal helps so touristy things or things with summer events where won't have competition from people wanting more consistent work. Any sporting skills seems to help and sports related jobs are good to target where fit young people are valued. Might be worth checking their application if they will let you if they aren't getting to interview stage and try and think of skills a job needs and how could evidence those. I don't know if still exists but I grew up in an area of 30% unemployment and there they had agencies, mine was Manpower, which did short term contracts and I got a couple of jobs in banks there. Some people do things like lifeguard courses and get jobs doing that but don't know how expensive that is. Not sure when people normally apply, in future years would try earlier and see if that helps. In interview maybe skills like social skills with customers, dealing with problems and being well presented. I also did teaching English abroad though that's more of a holiday than for money. If you find out where others locally have got jobs can be worth asking them, DD has people approach her and if she recommends them that seems to help. All zero hours contracts here but that works fine. If you have a Toby carvery our nearest is often part shut down due to lack of staff but it's like 40 degree heat where they serve and difficult location but sometimes a short term job will help with getting better ones later.

I see we’re close to filling the thread so I’ve started a new one!

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/further_education/5118244-end-of-year-13-results-summer-and-plans-for-september-and-onwards

Filling up

thread

Go to

new one

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/further_education/5118244-end-of-year-13-results-summer-and-plans-for-september-and-onwards

See you there!