Year 12 - 2024/25 - Support, Discussion and Looking After Each Other (Thread 2)

[BlackBean2023]

You’re a chatty lot… continue

We’re going to need a new title! School starts here on Monday morning - just like that, summer’s over and the joys of Y13 are upon us.

Cross-posted with you @Muchtoomuchtodo - what a fantastic experience for your DS!

Hello just found this thread. HaveDS 1 looking at Cambridge and suddenly it all feels very real

Welcome @scandinavianyellow what subject is your DS applying for?

@JessyCarragree, time to rename ourselves!

@Muchtoomuchtodowork experience sounds fab, I am sure it will give him much to write about in the PS!

@JustHereWithMyPopcornwow, 18th birthday! That’s momentous! Hope he settles on the best way to celebrate for him.

Good luck for tomorrow @bluefineliner!

@Newleasethank you! Hope you get good feedback on your DD’s PS.

We are in a similar place with PS, which is that the first draft has finally gone to school. It’s way too long but hopefully DS will get some pointers from school on what to cut.

Thanks for the welcome: he wants to do engineering so studying for the esat

Dropping back in after the summer, slightly daunted by all that DS has to do in the next couple of months. 18th birthday is imminent, with a party at our house next weekend (😱). I have spent too much time this afternoon on old mumsnet threads looking for present ideas, I can totally relate to the ‘significant birthday’ dilemma @JustHereWithMyPopcorn! looking like we will get him a new phone and not worry too much about thinking of a mythical keepsake present!

Catching up with all your news. Hope your DD's are doing better @wonderstuff @bluefineliner @Newlease @GirlsInGreen and looking forward to going back to school/college and meeting their friends. Our YP put too much pressure on themselves don't they. Best of luck to all of those studying for entrance exams.

Your son's WE sounds fantastic @Muchtoomuchtodo - hope he got that PS draft down on the train home! How was your DS's trip @JustHereWithMyPopcorn ?

Wow 18th Birthdays imminent. DS's isn't until November but my mum is already asking what to buy him. DS, obviously, has no idea. If you find that perfect 18th gift @JustHereWithMyPopcorn and @MiniMidiMaxi please let me know

Good luck to those returning to school this week. Hasn't the summer flown by? DS is back on 8th, so one more week lie ins before it's back to the grind.

@BlackBean2023 hope you and yours have had a great summer. Is it possible as the OP to edit a thread title please? Our DC are year 13 now!

Welcome @scandinavianyellow best of luck to your son with his ESAT and early application.

I was online early this morning changing DS' driving test. It was October but I've managed to change it to a closer test centre in February. This suits us better, and DS realistically wasn't going to be ready for the October date anyway. He has been driving over the summer and seems more comfortable with the whole concept than he was a month ago.. A few more months of regular practice can only be beneficial, both to him and everyone else using the roads!

@Waspie I am up on Monday morning for no reason! I wish I could sleep until 7, school for DD on 4th and DS on 8th.
@scandinavianyellow Welcome :) We have one prepping ESAT too.
@Muchtoomuchtodo that sounds wonderful for your DS, we couldn't find any WE in summer, and she is so worried about not having one related to Engg.Probably not looking in right places. Do we still have time, where do I look to apply please if anyone knows!
@Countrylife2002 your driving plan sounds sensible knowing they are not going to use car for another three years anyway. My rusty car would decide either way by then anyway. I wonder whether we would be broke after uni exp or in better position to buy a car!
@bluefineliner Good Luck, hope UCAT goes well. DD's friend aced it, few others doing this week
All 18th prep sounds exciting @JustHereWithMyPopcorn and @MiniMidiMaxi. We have this conversation every year, party and no party. DD seem happy with whatever she does, I feel she is going to regret not doing much later in life. Ours is in April and usually end up not doing anything as it's close to exams. Please share your plans and present ideas ❤️
Good Luck to your YP in Year 13 everyone and us, we need it too :)

@Newlease ds’s work experience should have happened in June, then the first or second week of the holidays and ended up being the last which has been a pain as we could plan anything until we knew for definite. Strangely it was as a result of a school project that our MP heard about. He put DS and the other pupils who had been a part of it in touch with people that he’s worked with and they kind of worked it out between themselves who could offer each of them the most beneficial experience. It does seem to be a case of not what you know but who you know and being in the right place at the right time. We would never have managed to get him into these big London financial firms without the MP being the link.

These 18th birthday plans sound exciting! Ds’s isn’t until June and he will have a A level exam to sit on the day. Oh well! I’ll also keep an eye out for inspired gift ideas.

Back to school tomorrow in this house and everyone seems to be making the most of their last weekday lie in opportunity!

DD is 18 in three weeks, and has no idea whatever as to what she would like to do or what she would like as a gift....
Meanwhile, she's not back till Thursday, which gives her time to catch up on some of the homework she hasn't done......

DS isn't 18 until next summer, however we are planning to get him tickets for the Dutch F1. The forever gift can wait for 21, when hopefully he will actually want a watch or something he can keep.

Yes we have driving test and Esat the same week. 🤯

Thanks all for the warm welcome btw I am taking a bit of time off work as just finished a contract and want to focus on the dc/house for a bit after a mad couple of years so hoping to be able to spend a bit more time MNing

Thanks for the good luck wishes, she has done it! She got (we think, the final deciles aren't released just yet) in top 10% which means she should be able to apply to the unis she wants to. Atm they are Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool and Lancaster.

Gosh I am so relieved it is all over, she was so stressed but the prep paid off. Next hurdles PS and application in next few weeks.

Oh my goodness @bluefineliner that is fantastic! Very well done to your DD.

Very well done to your DD @bluefineliner - she’s been very conscientious in her prep so great to see her get the reward! Hope all goes well in the next stages.

Well done to your DD @bluefineliner what a relief that must be.

That’s brilliant @bluefineliner. Well done to your dd.

i didn’t realise that they get their results straight away. That’s different to the TMUA and mat.

Fantastic @bluefineliner- well done to your daughter!

That’s brilliant news @bluefineliner, congratulations! 🥳

Thanks for the lovely comments. I was glad she got her results immediately as I don't think DD or I would have coped waiting for weeks.

Now personal statement....

DD has spent the day being dramatic about her new timetable and changes of classes and teachers, back to standard DD for a while now!

Mine has the same classes and a couple of teacher changes but they're ok ...however. Zero late morning starts and only one early finish with three twighlight sessions and he is Not Impressed (me neither tbh)

Oh well, only about 150 days to go!

Fantastic result @bluefineliner, all that hard work paid off
I was surprised to hear about the results on the same day, but it’s so much better than waiting another 4-6 weeks, like in ESAT. The dreadful wait.
last two days of holidays and DD is doing a puzzle.

In case anyone is interested in booking Edinburgh open days for 4 Oct or 25 Oct - booking is now open.

NB checking trains is advisable if relevant to you. We are travelling from London, and the King’s Cross - Edinburgh route is disrupted for planned engineering works across the weekend of 25-26 October.

I’ve just had a brainwave on the 18th birthday presents dilemma - I’ve ordered a set of playing cards that are personalised, each with a photo of DS from baby through to current day (55 photos in total). Nice way of gathering together all my favourite photos of him through the years without being too twee. We all play board games and card games together so hopefully he will like!