End of Year 13: Results, Summer and plans for September and onwards

[Rollergirl11]

Noticed the current thread is almost full so thought I better start a new one for discussing results day and our DC’s plans for uni/gap years or anything else!

Hope it all goes well @Penguinsa

All the best for today @Penguinsa

Thinking of you @Penguinsa - hope all goes well.

Hope everything goes smoothly today @Penguinsa

Thinking of you @Penguinsa

Yes, @Penguinsa, wishing you all the best today.

T minus 3 days and DD has hardly packed anything 🙄

She is such a last minute merchant - I know it’s going to be stressful the day before so have taken a days leave.

Also a bit worried about her keeping up with course messages etc as she had 10 emails on her uni account that she hadn’t thought to check 🤯

She has been on holiday too long! Which isn’t a great combo when her default is away with the fairies anyway. She has one speed as well - mid/slow. Which is utterly infuriating when she leaves everything til the last minute.

Of course the jeans she has ordered at the last minute have been delayed so god knows if they will turn up in time. Gah. Need this over now, sick of it!!!

Absolutely no packing done here yet @SooperOuting and DD goes on Saturday. She also has to do 5 x enrolment tasks, accommodation induction, sort railcard and check her timetable for module clashes. Also there is still shopping to be done and prescriptions to sort 🤦‍♀️

DS goes Thursday and not packed either. All clothes are clean though and suitcases are out. Will probably just do it together tomorrow night.

@Penguinsa hope everything goes well. @Rollergirl11 hope the boyfriend does leave as they can only have visitors staying overnight for a certain period of time in halls if hes stopping there.

Had not the best time this week. Father in law passed away on Sunday. It was peaceful and at his home, but still was a shock. Had to pass on the message via facetime to DD1 in Manchester who starts phd in a couple of weeks. DD2 is on freshers week at Notts trent, but as were local we told DD2 in person. Its not the best way for both of them to start their years, but we have told them to try and make the most of it and carry on and make as many new friends as they can. DD1 has her boyfriend, but still plans to go to the induction where she meets the students in her department. DD2 has got some great people rallying around her. Boyfriend whom she lives with, and her new zoo biology buddies have been amazing and made sure she has gone out with them and taking care of her, which is nice. She went to a festival type thing the uni has put on tonight with a fair and candy floss etc. And yesterday they watched a movie at an open air cinema. Im pleased that shes got some decent people around her making sure shes busy and keeping her happy. She has a full day at uni tomorrow, and thursday a full day trip to idle valley nature reserve, and drag bingo in the evening. Friday shes got a day off, so ive said for b/f and DD2 to come to ours and watch a movie and use our washer, save on circuit laundry.

@Penguinsa how are you feeling today? Hopefully you are out the other side now.

Condolences @sammyjoanne 💐 It does sound as if your DD2 is having an epic week of activities, which will help.

Sorry for your loss @sammyjoanne and get well wishes to @Penguinsa
Early reports from DS are generally positive though a bit subdued. I am trying not to message too often. His flatmates are apparently "nice enough" and " keeping the place tidy so far" but none are on related courses so he's looking forward to his faculty induction today where he will hopefully meet some of his coursemates. It's the Sports Fair today too and he's keen to sign up for a couple of clubs. I think he's looking forward to things starting properly next week as he's not a party animal so much of Freshers isn't really up his street. He wants to get into his course and sports and is slightly frustrated at present I think. I think he'll feel better after today.

@sammyjoanne sorry for your loss.

@Penguinsa thinking of you as you recover.

Good luck with the packing for those young people still to head up to university.

DD has submitted her new UCAS application, with St. Andrews as her aspirational choice. She was totally set on Exeter until she listed her five choices.

Ds now has his room number and has an email with move in details. We'll be having a mega shop at the weekend as he wants a few more clothes. I'm feeling excited for him but also a bit anxious about how things will pan out as he is introverted.

Good luck Penguinsa, hope all went well.

@Lightsabre - my ds is also an introvert. He intends to use freshers' week to find "his extrovert" to help him socialise! He has had a couple of friends at school who are extroverts and who have dragged him to events but haven't taken offence if he's not wanted to go and I think he's hoping that one or two of his friends at uni will be similarly inclined.

He's not a massive party animal either - doesn't really do clubbing but will happily sign up for sports clubs and the gym etc.

Thanks @TenSheds @MrsAvocet @LouisCatorze much appreciated. It been an emotional week for us, but I am pleased that DD2 is getting on with things and making the most out of freshers week. DD1 has caught the train back to manchester today.
Mrs avocet, the DD1 is not a party animal either. And her flat in 2020 freshers, none were on her course, but as soon as she was with her coursemates they really gelled, as well as society friends. Her flat mates were nice enough, and she continued with 7 of them into year 2, but by year 3, she went to private halls as they tend to be mixed years and a bit quieter. She also joined badminton in her undergrad, as well as a pub quiz team.

@Lightsabre Maybe the uni has a timetable of events he can look at and cherry pick all the ones that he would think he would enjoy? Not everyone likes clubbing. Others are into gaming and quizzes, arts and crafts etc.

Good to hear of all the settling in. And sorry for your sad news @sammyjoanne. I too am trying to calibrate contact levels. So far it's mostly ds asking random questions about phone credit etc. This first week sounds so full on but he's done more social things than in the last year so I'm pleased about that. Hope @Penguinsa is recovering ok.

I've been getting sporadic messages while DD's been away. One said she'd been out with new friends and concluded that she doesn't like bars with loud music; another was a picture of a squirrel 😂 I'm happy with this as the level of future communication. I've been reviewing the college accommodation handbook (looking for airers guidance, and failed) and found policies about quiet hours overnight, which will suit her. She has a terrible time visiting her ex in halls in a flat with friendly, but party types, no sleep at all.

@sammyjoanne - so sorry for your loss. I hope you and your family are doing ok.

@Penguinsa - presumably the op is done? Sending best wishes for a speedy recovery.

I quite like following what DD has been doing via her instagram story. Last night appears to have been an ABBA night at a local nightclub and going by the time she posted the story I hope she doesn't have a 9am lecture today 😂

She's the only one of her close friends to have started university so far as they are either having gap years or at either Durham, Sheffield (which does start this weekend), Oxford or Cambridge.

Is her birthday tomorrow which will feel odd not seeing her then.

That's fun @MirandaWest
My dd is going out tonight in our local city like freshers there with 2 friends who have not gone yet either (the rest all have)...

@QueenMabby Thanks :) The family are doing alright. The eldest DD is back in Manchester but she keeps checking in on her dad. Youngest DD is throwing herself into freshers week with her new friends and with her boyfriend. Keeping busy is her way of dealing with it. Hope your DS is doing great. @Penguinsa hope you are recovering well x

DD2 is with her friends at drag bingo tonight. I have seen the photos and they look like they are having a lovely time. And 'Kitty Tray' seems to have also joined in on the pics and theres lots of pouting by all. Theres a quiz on Sunday, then its start of the course next week.

It's DD's birthday today. Feels rather odd being with her on her birthday.

Have scheduled in a facetime call at 10 this morning as she'll be leaving for a seminar a bit after that :)

Last night she went to Wagamamas for a friend's birthday so am hoping she's got plans for later on :)

Happy Birthday to your DD @MirandaWest Yes it must be weird not seeing them on the actual day.
Hope everyone’s DC are okay. Mine has first night in halls tonight. Apparently the mattress is military style, so may need to rush out and get a mattress topper. Hopefully there will be some left in the nearby Argos.

Happy birthday to your DD @MirandaWest - I hope she has a great day. I understand it will be strange for you though. DS's birthday was on the day when we dropped him off which also felt odd.
DH saw DS yesterday as he was working in Glasgow so nipped round after work with a bag of stuff DS had forgotten. All seems well. After a quiet first couple of days he seems to have a lot going on. He's joined a few societies and has his first sports match on Saturday. He's met a couple of lads on his course that he seems to have hit it off with which is good as he says his flatmates aren't very sociable. They are however quiet and tidy which has to be a good thing once actual study begins!
I'm managing the empty nest thing ok so far, though admittedly the great weather has helped as I've been out for a bike ride or walk every day. The house is tidier than it's been for years as there's less mess being made and I've got more time to clean so that's a plus point. Biggest issue so far is getting used to cooking for 2 again - DH and I have had a couple of excessively large meals this week!