Parents of "children" graduating soon

[zizza]

How everyone doing? Our youngest is at home doing some revision with final exams coming up starting in a couple of weeks. He was so relieved to get his final year project out of the way, he went into relaxed mode temporarily! His older sister still had a year to go to be a vet and is also home stressing mildly about 4th year exams!

Can't believe he's about to graduate - those 3 years have flown by. He had no idea what he wants to do, unlike his older siblings, but has at least applied for a couple of jobs. He took my advice and see the careers staff at uni recently and I think that's helped, but he's focussing on his work at the mo.

I have two graduating. One just finished his last exams last week and is on his way home now. He has been at Uni for 6 years now but the time has still flown. He is staying in his Uni town to work. Next DC has done a four year degree and is also staying in his uni town to do a PhD. (Fully funded 👍🏻) He has really blossomed at uni. It's been great to watch. You hear a lot of negative things about universities and university students but it's been everything it's meant to be for my two eldest.

Zizza, the med/vet courses are so long. DD starts in September, with at least five years, possibly six if she intercalates. DS graduates this summer, but plans to stay on to take a Masters, and is muttering about a PhD. He says the latter, if he were accepted, would come with some teaching work/funding, but still no end in sight. Luckily the second year counts for as much as the third year and his dissertation is more or less complete, so though he is working hard, he seems quite relaxed.

Great to hear from you both. I did think my youngest was going to go on to do a masters and then maybe a PhD as he fancied being a university lecturer for a while but at the moment he doesn't fancy doing more studying. He's enjoyed his time at uni but I don't think had got as much out of it as he could've done. He's really matured though and I think he'll go on to do something interesting (he's done a psychology with a kind of linguistics element - I'm being vague as he'd be a bit identifiable otherwise lol). I'm glad he wants to go to his graduation - his housemates are on different days but I think they'll be in the house still as they both have local jobs and the lease runs to the end of July so I think we'll take them out to lunch.

Dd however has thrown herself completely into uni life. She's not a "clubbing"type of girl but gets involved in all the social events and took up a new team sport (and had been captain and vice president).

Needmoresleep - the vet courses are really full on - full timetables during the week and placements in the holidays. My dd's course included the intercalation in their 3rd year so she had a graduation last summer to get her BSc which was lovely. Nice practice run! We got to see the finishing vet students graduating too (and some post grad students too doing researchy things!). Very proud of how she's coped with it all - not all of them do - we've seen some drop out along the way.

It's interesting what different DC want out of their university experience. On paper one of my other DC doesn't seem to do much at Uni other than work on her studies. She goes out clubbing or to see a band occasionally but basically just studies the rest of the time. However she is thriving and really enjoying it. She is in her second year now. She has some nice groups of friends a few who study like she does and some others who are more into partying (and miss lots of lectures) Sometimes I wonder if she is missing out on things but then she seems so happy. The course is difficult and she has to work hard to do well but as she isn't stressed about it or too obsessed with getting high marks I think it's ok. Iyswim. It's really a case of horses for courses.

DD will be medicine not vet, but presumably not a big difference in workload. Intercalation is optional, and takes an extra year. She has clear ideas about what she wants to do and where, but I assume this will change.

DS has loved his course, and so though he does other things, University has been mainly about his subject. The Masters will be interesting as it will let him know how good he is, and also how interested he is. From what I hear it is often a point at which a young person will decide that they have had enough of studying or of being a student. His Masters accept maths graduates as well as economics graduates. Which suggests the maths might be tough...

Ds is graduating this summer. Three years have flown by in a flash. We (yes I mean we) have had a roller coaster ride. He will not be taking his masters at this point, he says he has had enough of studying. He will be staying in the same town, fingers crossed he gets one of the jobs from the two final interviews he had last week.
He seems to have deviated from his long term plan, although we expect him to get back on track in a few years. He has enjoyed Uni immensely, enjoyed his time in the sporting soc he set up and all his time on the RAG committee. His only disappointment is that no one on his course has been awarded a First in the last 9 years. He has accepted this now, all be it reluctantly, but is happier for it.
We are looking forward to a revolving door summer, with him travelling, us travelling as a family and him coming home briefly. I'm very excited for him about the adventures ahead.

Ds graduates this summer. Currently writing his dissertation. Hopes to do his MA straight off whilst we are in a position to fund it. He has a job lined up for a month this summer, providing all the vetting is done in time, and will spend the rest of it having his wisdom teeth removed, and getting over that!

He hasn't got as involved socially as I'd hoped, but he has a weekly pursuit outside university, and he is au fond, not a social animal anyway.

DD graduates this summer but hasn't applied for the main graduate scheme as it requires a language proficiency qualification and didn't want to sit the exam as its at the same time as her finals but she's just found out that because she's in the higher ability group her degree will say she's achieved the required level.

Secretly I think she knew and wanted a year off to visit friends in America. She's angry that her dad only secured a green card for her brother before he died as she could've done some translation work for a friend who works for a publishing company in California.

DS finishes this Summer too. Still working on dissertation. I'm surprised that it didn't have to be in before Easter. He's focusing totally on that and I don't think will have much time to revise for his exams (in May).

My DD is. Working on her final degree show currently and her dissertation was handed in sometime in February. For arts students, with no exams and taking your work to the bug city, I think this time must be very exciting.