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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Heading towards year 2 exams (uni 2017)

998 replies

brizzlemint · 21/03/2019 02:50

Starting uni 2017 continued.
Tales of radiators, errant boilers, tomatoes and potato mashers...oh and university students.

OP posts:
letswork · 28/11/2019 11:20

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Xenia · 28/11/2019 11:27

I think when we get to page 40 we will be starting with a more up to date title - our children on this thread end year 3 in the summer, not 2.

For those with children in year 2 somee internships are paid by the way. Potential lawyers apply usuaiin in term 1 of year 2 for internships that academic year and summer holidays after year 2 exams. This one is £450 for the week for example www.slaughterandmay.com/careers/trainee-solicitors/work-experience-schemes-and-campus-events/work-experience-schemes/
This law firm is also £450 a week careers.linklaters.com/en/early-careers/our-opportunities

Needmoresleep · 28/11/2019 13:32

I suspect the last few months will go fast, perhaps too fast.

DD is really enjoying clinical, particularly sugery. Real excitement when she is invited to scrub in. This was the girl who binged watched Grey's Anatomy through her teens. I assumed the reality of the NHS would mute her enthusiasm, but no. She has totally enjoyed her placements this term and is sad that she will be leaving the hospital in January. The next placement is in a smaller hospital but hopefully equally interesting, and her first chance to live outside a major city.

Application treadmill here as well. Her first choice for intercalation is in a University rather than medical school and the form is not tailored for medics. She wont hear if she has a place until after the deadline for telling her medical school she plans to take a year out. One of her tutors has kindly agreed to be her referee and another has offered to help her with the form and PS. It is too late for her to apply to her own med school for one of their intercalation options, plus none really appeal, so I guess she gives notice that she will take a year out, then applies for other courses to increase the chances of getting something. I don't know what happens if she gets nothing. I suspect she would not mind another gap year and ski season!

That said I think it will be fine.

We will go out to see her brother in the US at Christmas. He too has had a busy term. The first two years of his, six year, PhD are taught, plus his funding requires him to work for the University. This term he has been teaching (first year PhDs - he was often the youngest person in the room. His feedback included the inevitable 'cute accent') marking for the MBA program, plus he had a heavy load of courses. From Christmas he gets to drop teaching to be a research assistant and will have fewer courses, so the end is in sight. All he needs now is to write a thesis!

Xenia · 28/11/2019 18:15

That sounds lovely progress. Law in a sense is dead easy but also very hard in that just about anyone who can pay or take a masters student loan or have law firm sponsorship can get on the GDL and LPC courses. It is getting a firm to train you which is harder.

Christmas in the US sounds lovely. We all went out to Canada the year my older daughter was working out there and we sneaked her into our rather nice hotel for a few days - this was all in a ski resort.

My older son is enjoying living in the countryside in oxfordshire - new house is lovely (literally new, the street is not on maps yet although hopefully he has his vote - he has had a lot of trouble getting them to register him for an address not on the system) and we learned tonight we have probably found tenants for his previous house so that is good news - it seemed more sensible to keep it so the twins have some property after all the stamp duty paid on it and purchase costs. It is in the name of one twin with a trust document to hold the rent and property for his twin to be fair to both. The only reason I did it that way is that one of them then perserves their first time buyer stamp duty reduction if when eventually they do buy and he buys at the cheaper end of the market which gives you that reduction. They will split the rent 50/50.

Haffdonga · 29/11/2019 10:27

Just organised a surprise advent calendar for ds. In fact he goes off skiing in two weeks with uni friends so won't even use it 'properly' and will of course eat all the chocs in one go. (I suppose it's my own sentimental clinging on to the mothering role that made me click the Amazon button Blush.)

DS is currently on a 'community placement' setting up a music room in a hostel for homeless teenagers. He's not learning much medicine but he's certainly learning a bit about real life. His eyes were opened that literally everything not attached to the floor or padlocked down is immediately lifted and sold, no doubt for drugs. Cushions, curtains, pots of paint Sad

I'm glad your dd is enjoying her hospital placement Needmoresleep . DS really enjoyed his and it made a lot of the things they're learning in theory start to have real meaning. He watched a lot of surgery too but it was only on his very last day, very last surgery he watched that he saw a patient die on the operating table. Of course he knew it would be something that he would experience, but it had quite a profound effect on him. Apparently the patient was very elderly and the operation had been a very high risk but last hope sort of procedure so not a terrible shock, but ds was moved and impressed to see how the whole tone of the team changed to quiet, sombre and respectful when death was called.

I hope all the Christmas countdowns happening in student houses across the country/ world are fun and parental countdowns to soon seeing our giant grown up third years go smoothly! x

Xenia · 29/11/2019 10:50

Haff, that's lovely. One of my 5 wanted an advent calendar last year and this so he has been sent his one. He has now lost his rail card he called to say today. Had he realised in advance of tomorrow's rail journey to london we could have got a replacement in time.

MarchingFrogs · 29/11/2019 13:24

Xenia, can a replacement railcard be requested as the digital version, rather than an actual card? (I had a quick look on the website but must admit it isn't obvious, of ome can do that). That way, if possible, would save having to buy a new full price ticket.

Xenia · 29/11/2019 13:41

May be worth looking at. I suspect sa I said it was okay this time just to book the full price he has gone ahead with that (and quite happily as I am paying - they are coming back for a family lunch)

Horsemad · 29/11/2019 15:46

@Haffdonga giant grown up third years - there's the next thread title. 🙂

MountainPeakGeek · 29/11/2019 20:18

Well, it's an odd end to the semester for my guy. The faculty have been on strike for the last 3 weeks. About 70% of the course content was taught before the strike began so it's touch and go whether the semester is going to be a write off or if it's salvageable if the dispute is resolved before the Christmas break (by either awarding whatever grade they have from assignments submitted and midterms already taken, or possibly having them sit exams the first week back in January and knocking a week of teaching time off the January semester's classes.) That's assuming they reach agreement this year at all. What a fiasco... Bad enough for DS who doesn't know if he'll get his credits refunded and is possibly going to have to take an extra semester before he can graduate, but obviously far, far worse for all the students who are paying tuition. Even so, seems most people's sympathy is firmly with the faculty association - the employers (i.e university) have been totally obstructive and unreasonable during the whole bargaining process.

Xenia · 29/11/2019 20:31

My twins haven't mentioned the strike. I will ask them when I see them tomorrow if they have been affected so far. They have both been rushing to finish essays due this term. i think it's quite a busy (finals) year for them both.

Horsemad · 29/11/2019 20:39

DS said only one of his lecturers wasn't striking, so they had to go in for that one.

MountainPeakGeek · 29/11/2019 22:12

Sorry for the confusion - we're not in the UK. I didn't know that there was strike action over there too. This one is specific to the Faculty Association of his particular Canadian university. All the lecturers are on strike, along with all support staff (as in, support staff are refusing to cross the F.A. picket lines) so the whole university has ground to a halt for the last 3 weeks...

Horsemad · 29/11/2019 23:21

Ha, I must admit, I was a bit surprised when I read they'd been striking for 3 weeks in your post because I thought they weren't striking here until this week! 😆

ErrolTheDragon · 29/11/2019 23:45

Last we heard from DD all her lecturers had shown up. They all did 2 years ago too.

Needmoresleep · 30/11/2019 08:15

Haff, surgery seems quite a rollercoaster. I am sorry to hear of your son's experience. DD had one where the anesthetist stepped in and told the surgeon that he had to stop before the procedure had been carried out. And a second where things were getting very fraught and a kind anesthetist suggested she had seen all she was going to see and should leave. Whereas other days things have gone well and she has ended up on a high.

More bitter sweet was in her first year where a patient was readmitted a week after her previous placement and both recognised her, and seemed delighted to see her. But died later that day.

DH is unsure why I insisted on buying an advent calendar and am now hunting for stocking fillers. I think it is important. Daughters are easy, but I am stuck as to what to get my son. Perhaps some books about America? Ideas welcome.

ErrolTheDragon · 30/11/2019 08:48

I'm not sure my DD is any easier to find stuff for than boys tbh. Except for our customary 'cute socks with dogs on', I think her stocking will be mainly chocolate.

Having been to see Matt Parker's Humble Pi show recently (a comedy of maths errors), we got her his book of that name but it's hardback so I'm guessing she won't want to lug it back on the train. Ditto the beautiful bottle of gin we brought back from the Isle of Harris.

Horsemad · 30/11/2019 21:12

Oh Errol, my DH will love that book; I am ordering that, for sure! 🙂

Xenia · 02/12/2019 13:51

4 of mine will be stayinng here (the oldest 2 of those for 2 nights) over Christmas (and my daughter alternates with her in laws which is fine - we all met on Saturday anyway) so lots of stockings again this year - 4. I don't think we bother with one for me.

One of the twins has just had his law school offer (which is no achievement as if you apply you just about get a place) but still nice to have. His twin is prevaricating on what to do next year, possibly the same but not sure, not helped by all his friends having some kind of gap year.

Horsemad · 02/12/2019 16:02

Xenia, you need to have a stocking! Get your DC to do one for you. 🙂

Both my DC will be home by 13th, the eldest is working in the US at the moment.

It's starting to feel quite festive here. We have purchased our tree but it's not going up until Sunday. I was just looking at the calendar and we have stuff on every weekend now until after the new year.

DS2 has said he'll be revising for exams whilst home, although he'll have a couple of days off for the Xmas break.

Needmoresleep · 02/12/2019 23:06

I have never had a stocking, though organise them for everyone else, even DH.

I want one. Indeed perhaps I will go out tomorrow to see if I can find a cut price advent calendar.

Horsemad · 02/12/2019 23:13

Yes Need, you must have a stocking too!

MarchingFrogs · 02/12/2019 23:45

perhaps I will go out tomorrow to see if I can find a cut price advent calendar.

Possibly a the Celebrations one will be 'remaindered' - days 1 and 2 having been found to contain everyone's least favourite, the Bounty, has not gone down well, it has been reported (although with what seriousness, I have no idea).

Needmoresleep · 03/12/2019 00:34

I aspire to a Lindt one, though like Bounty. Indeed rejoice in the fact that they are often the only ones left in the tin, and no one else is interested.

latedecember1963 · 03/12/2019 08:18

Seeing as you've never had a stocking in all the years you have been doing ones for everyone else, Need more sleep, I think you should have a posh Advent calendar, not a cheap one!

We are having a frugal Christmas this year as we are saving for our trip to see DS2 and DS1 and his girlfriend have a wedding to pay for. We'll have a lovely time together and we have still got tickets for the Christmas Eve concert at the Bridgewater Hall which is our annual family treat.
DS2 whattsapped yesterday to say he is trying to set up a trip to Tasmania with a friend for Christmas week which sounds exciting.

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