Heading towards 4th year or post grad/jobs

[Xenia]

Continuation of the previous thread for those of us with children who are just finishing their 3rd year at university (so either "graduating" in 2020 or going into year 4 in Autumn 2020)..........

My twins' degree results will be out in late July. Good luck to everyone else waiting for finals results.

It sounds like most people have had a reasonable Christmas. I think one of my twins was applying for a job or vacation scheme yesterday as I got out his GCSE certs for him as he needed to know if any were international GCSEs or not.

The other is waiting for the email so he can accept his place on his legal practice course next September (his twin already did it) but it's Christmas so although he had a text saying congratulations on your place and that an email will come it is not here yet. Mind you congratulations are not really in order as anyone who can pay £17k (in London) can do it if they have a 2/2 or higher. He got an email saying he gets £1k off as he studies with the same people this year but his twin did not so as that is worth £1k to me I need his twin to raise that with them at some point.

I think they are both still asleep so the house is quiet and I just loaded my volvo estate which becomes like a small van with the seats down for a trip to the council tip at 3pm (as I did yesterday). It takes ages to clear rubbish and garden waste now as you cannot book a lot until you have done your booked one, they are often booked up. In the old days you could turn up there 3 or 4 times a day without booking until you had cleared all the rubbish and at a time that suited you. As I've no car for 2 days tomorrow (at garage) that is another thing stopping this work too so I had better get on with a bit of earning work.

Christmas lights trail sounds nice for the Carriemac group. My twins are just having things like their daily walk outside and we are in tier 4.

I really need to book a tip slot Xenia. Ours only lets us take certain things on certain days apparently, so I need to check out the rules.
Everything is such a faff, nowadays.

I also need to arrange for the council to collect an old fridge freezer from our garage. DH was tasked with that weeks ago... 🙄

DS is back to studying - started on Boxing Day, so haven't seen much of him. Hoping to drag him out for a walk later - a change of scenery will do him good.

Hope everyone is having a good Christmas break. Christmas Day was better than I thought it would be although very odd just three of us instead of 16. The Christmas lunch from Cook was gorgeous. Will be ordered from there again.
Had zoom calls with the Belgian side of the family in the morning so was good to see my parents are doing well (no sign of their vaccinations yet even though they live in the country manufacturing it!) and that DD is enjoying her job with the EU and is getting spoilt by my DSis.
After lunch DH, DS and I took the dog for a good run around Hyde Park with a coffee from the local deli on the way home. In the evening we had a call with DH’s family in Canada and the US. We showed them the house we are considering. DH’s parents will be about an hour away but are going to drive over and video the area at different times of the day to give us a feel for the area.
We’re having a lazy day today as DH is back at work on the vaccinations programme. No one is dressed yet!

We had the gammon we couldn't be bothered to do for Xmas today. It was very nice, all the better for having it when we wanted it.

DS1 has gone back this afternoon - he needs to crack on with dissertation and revision and doesn't work at home very well, so has gone to get back to the Uni buildings and his routine. He was working 12hr+ days at the moment but thinks he needs to be doing more! Hes quite stressed so hoping getting into his routine will help him.

He house shares with 5 girls and seems to have developed a prosecco habit since he left in September. He raided the spare (drinks fridge) and took a few of my bottles back with him.

Ah, my son's friends always say they like going home because the alcohol is better quality. As I don't drink I let mine down although when two clients and a neighbour sent alcohol this Christmas to me that certainly went down well with my sons.

My one who lives at home was doing a job application today. I am not sure I am any help as I never know what the firms want to see your deprivation and lack of privilege or your spot-on privileged stuff - a fine line to tread.

The other one will be going back to Bristol but not sure when yet. I suspect mid January when his term starts and his friends are back but we shall see. Whenever is fine with me as their courses are 100% online and one is here anyway so it is not as if I get the house to myself. One was able to meet a university friend and have a long walk down the South Bank along the Thames - just about the only thing they are allowed lawfully to do. At least he got out and saw someone.

DS2 is going back on Monday. He has a C19 test booked for Tuesday and a follow up test on Friday. He wants to be back where he isn't competing for the internet with DH as he has assessments looming.
He'd also rather go back before I'm back in school.

I'm guessing DS's studies will remain online; they were supposed to be staggering the students' return in Jan but his uni city is going into Tier 4 from midnight (as are we), so I'll be surprised if that goes ahead.

He is desperate to go back. 😟

Both my twins are 100% online so far this academic year so I assume that will continue into this next term which is effectively their last term (as their final law exams are the week after Easter). They won't have met a single other person on their course all year.

We don't have a broadband issue here and have a second wifi line upstairs. The main service to keep my work going for the last 20 years from home has been broadband so I pay for two separate BT broadband lines and landlines.

DS has said he will go back mid January. I think he’s enjoying the full pantry and drinks cupboard at home. He’s been joining DH and I on our daily runs and each day meeting a different friend for another run. Luckily he’s lots of local friends and is getting plenty of exercise. He’s a zoom drinks party planned for this evening so I don’t imagine we’ll have much beer left in the house by tomorrow.

The Parker son sounds as if he is doing fine. My sons have at least 2 school friends very near us who are either working from home (that one is an accountant in a real graduate job, lucky him) and the other friend doing the same law course as they are online so it is not too isolating at home.

One of mine has been doing some law job applications and yesterday was applying for a pro bono scheme run by his law school. They seemed to ask so many questions it was like doing a law firm job application as if you would be really lucky to give up hours of your time helping people for nothing!

..and I just booked our family holiday for 10 of us this week for July optimistically although perhaps we will be fed bread and water on paper plates in our rooms. I am really tempting fate by booking my daughter in her married name and assuming her March wedding can go ahead (weddings are currently banned in London unless you are dying or have a similar compelling reason).

Haha Xenia, that's made me giggle - being fed bread & water on paper plates in your rooms! 😆😆😆
I really hope you get the holiday and that the wedding can take place too.
We're tentatively discussing holiday plans here...

Happy New Year all!

DH has just remembered he should renew his passport - I doubt we'll venture abroad next year but with DD definitely having 2 months between graduation and work there's a chance we might. I'd be happy with somewhere in the U.K. or even just day trips out of county - we've got the Lakes and Dales tantalisingly close.

Today it's too icy underfoot to want to go anywhere - pavements need gritting as well as roads to allow people to exercise without risking a fall, that's the last thing anyone needs right now.

But the delicate frosting of snow looks pretty, at least.

Happy New Year! Onwards and upwards for our DC - they're mostly being pretty amazingly stoical about all the disruptions and disappointments, I think.

Happy New Year - a few hangovers here and a very slow start to the day.
DS has completed the paperwork to renew his passport and is off to the embassy next week to deliver all the forms. They are estimating six week turnaround so he’ll have it back in good time to apply for his visa for his post grad job.

My daughters were keen I booked the holiday and as we were all a home (our respective homes) this week there was time to book it. The food on the package holiday is usually good and we can accommodate the 10 of us including a vegan and much else. If you cannot pick and choose what you eat (which I suppose is possible given the pandemic) the food might not be as good although I tend to come home feeling I have paid a lot of money to be force fed 3 large meals a day (not that I couldn't say no of course..... I would always go self catering by choice but fitting to the requirements of 10 people is not easy.....

Good luck with passports. I got mine renewed (just standard British one) the quickest in my life earlier this Autumn and I see one of my grandchildren got her new one quickly too -she was about 1 week old on the first photo and now is a school girl on the second pass port's photo - vast change over 5 years.

I agree that most of your student children seem to be managing very well given the awful circumstances and constant changes. I remember in early September when the twins started their law course thinking I wish it weren't online to start with but actually it's been just as well - as no changes at all - just constant online and at least you have certainty (and they think the exams are probably better in some ways albeit it very different, being online). You also don't have loads of travelling. When their sisters did the same course whilst living at home they were out 4 mornings a week which when you add on commuting into London time on the tube was the best part of 4 days a week out and made lots of friends on the course.

We had a dusting of snow earlier but it didn't lie and it stopped. I can see water frozen outside and when I was picking some sticks up from the grass verge saw a middle aged man walking his dog with his wife - he's a regular dog walker up here and always wears fairly short shorts. Even today below zero he is in the shorts. He said he didn't think it was that cold today. It was so cold for me I was driven inside.

These hardy types in shorts - our postie is still wearing his. I think they have some sort of competition to see who caves first! 😀

Supposed to be 5° here today, which is fairly tropical compared to recent temps!

Haha re dog walking in shorts. My DH was even wearing his ski underlayers!

My DD has found online only really tough - not enough actual tuition in some courses, shorter terms and the same amount of work expected, but without the support. She wants to go back to uni soon, even though she will be working from home, as she claims to be unable to work here. I do worry about her. Now she will be completing her final year over 2 years, with all the additional debt that that entails.

All mine are still here , DS1 has his finals online on Tuesday ( medicine) so head down and not bothered about tier 4 restrictions! We are currently wearing our skiing layers for dog walking - no shorts here

Good luck to the medicine finalist.

simbobs, yes online is not great. For some reason this year my twins had no normal law lectures on this course (I remember with their sisters going to the lectures was a large part of this one year course) on or off line. They just had workshops on line in small groups. They haven't found it too bad as the materials are all good on the whole and if you work through the exercises and read the material and then either take part in real time in the workshops online or catch up on them later it is not too bad but I certainly was very surprised there were no "lectures" where someone teaches you the material. My son's girlfriend who is doing the more traditional law conversion course (rather than my twins' brand new one) has proved an interesting comparison and she has had lectures and quite a few face to face last term.

No sign of shorts guy today but he has been around the area for years winter and summer in his shorts so I am sure he will be up here again. The golf course near the house is proving very popular (given there is not much else in tier 4 people can do). I have moved the last of my waste to the council tip today.

Happy New Year everyone!
My DH and sons frequently wear shorts in winter as do several of the Y5 boys I work with. Our next door neighbour wears shorts pretty much all the year round, although he can often be spotted sitting in his conservatory wearing a woolly hat.

I'm going to take down our Christmas decorations today so that DS2 can help DH lift boxes back into the loft.
It feels a bit strange here. DS2 is pretty much packed ready for tomorrow. He and DH have just gone to do the daily check on my MiL. I know she's dreading him being away, possibly until Easter, depending on travel restrictions.
Hope all goes well for your DS's exam on Tuesday, Carriemac, and that your DD feels less pressured, Simbobs.

Thank you. I am taking her back tomorrow - mega drive for me, but important for her. Hopefully she will be back for Easter and feel more optimistic then.

Good luck with the drive @simbobs. I think DS will be with us at home for another two weeks. Have loved having him at home.
Having a lazy day on the sofa with the dog and cat watching the news. I wish the idiot Boris would hurry up and announce a proper lockdown so we can get on top of the escalating numbers of cases and deaths.
DH has worked all weekend - only seen him when I’ve taken food into his study. Think this will be our new norm until his surgery gets on top of the vaccinations. Am getting worried about how much work he has taken on.
DS has been brilliant this weekend. He’s done the two sets of neighbours shopping that I’ve been doing the last few months and then he’s cleared out their gutters, cleared away all the leaves and been to the local deli to get them hot chocolate and carrot cake. They were delighted to see him. Now he’s teasing the dog so annoying me!

What a lovely lad your son sounds, Parker! I can imagine the neighbours were delighted. I think a lot of people are craving a different person to have a chat with.

@Parker231your DS sounds a delight. We had quite a bit of snow yesterday and would have asked mine to clear neighbours' drives but the thaw beat him to it.
The drive to take DD back will give us a chance to chat, hopefully - though she has been known to put in earphones for an entire journey. Also, I have not seen her flat this year as DH has taken and picked up. I do like to know where my DC are staying.
My DS is a 2nd year and will probably be around for 3 more weeks. The dog will be thankful that all the people don't leave at the same time.