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Higher education

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

Original poster

2017 seems so long ago, now they're fledgling graduates.

997 replies

latedecember1963 · 06/03/2021 17:31

4 years since A Levels and the wait for August and confirmation of where our chicks were about to fly the nest to.
It's been 4 years that has sprung a few surprises along the way, not least this lovely series of threads.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
Parker231 · 02/02/2022 15:21

@Carriemac - congratulations!

Horsemad · 02/02/2022 21:10

Congratulations @Carriemac!

Haffdonga · 02/02/2022 23:32

Congratulations @Carriemac Flowers

But of all the fantastic achievements we've heard about on here I have to say getting a masters while pregnant with twins and/or with 3 children under 3 is magnificent! Star

Carriemac · 03/02/2022 08:09

Tha so @Haffdonga , the masters took in getting married , moving to a different country , moving jobs , moving house and having IVF and three babies . Took me 4.5 years to complete and when I look back on it I can't imagine what I was thinking .
All pre internet .

SMaCM · 03/02/2022 13:56

DD had a date through for her 2020 graduation, but she said some of her friends have had theirs and said they are just doing small groups and it is very rushed and didn't feel like a celebration of their work at all. She's decided not to book the graduation, but is planning to hire a gown in the Summer and take some pictures around the uni and town.

Xenia · 03/02/2022 15:50

Bristol had planned to do them at some different arena which no one wanted to the twins' ones will be in the usual Wills Memorial Hall so I think it will be pretty much like the traditional one given the length of time allowed for it. So hopefully it will be worth going and anyway they both want to go. in fact one has just had me add his girl friend to his and our hotel for the night before and lunch and we have the new baby and the twins' sister going to that first one too. I would certainly also have been fine with it had they said they did not want to go (they have chosen not to go to the ceremony for their 2021 law conversion course GDL in London.

Yes, congratulations Carriemac. I feel the same as Carriemac when reading my diary of the early years with our children and both of us working full time - we were so busy (I was looking up some information for my daughter about when my babies slept, fed etc to compare with her baby so side tracked myself into reading the details of those very busy days).At one point I was 26, had 3 children under 4, work etc etc. We had 3 in cloth nappies at night (disposables in the 1980s did not work well and they were expensive) so lots of washing even just from that.

Carriemac · 03/02/2022 20:17

@Xenia I bet the Bristol graduation will be lovely and what a great chance for a family get together.

hellsbells99 · 04/02/2022 12:09

Congratulations @Carriemac!
We have all booked the time off work so I need to book a hotel now.

ErrolTheDragon · 04/02/2022 14:47

DDs birthday this week - one of her postgrad friends was organising a party for some other reason, it's nice she still can go to some student parties! DH, in addition to sorting out a present for her, thought to buy me some good chocolates too - commenting that after all, I was the one who did the work. GrinI think this is a most excellent notion which should become the norm in all families.

bigTillyMint · 04/02/2022 16:02

Your DH is a Star @ErrolTheDragon Grin

Xenia · 06/02/2022 10:04

Good for the husband and I hope the daughter's birthday goes well. My son was at someone's birthday drinks last night in London and it looks like he stayed the night at someone's house (although he was planning to get the last tube which he prefers as he likes his own bed but it must have gone on quite long). I actually got one whole night on my own in the house last night although I didn't know that when I went to sleep. His law conversion course was done in Bristol but this year's law course at home and he says, probably correctly, that I mention the course too much (eg when is he going to do the preparation for the two x 2 hours of seminars on Monday) - it is that difficult transition that they were away and independent and now they are at home but still studying.

MissConductUS · 07/02/2022 15:39

My DS is graduating this May. I can't believe it's been four years already (we're in the US). He's matured so much since he started. He already has a great job offer from an internship he did last year and will probably be able to move home and work remotely, which will save loads of money. I guess that's one good knock-on effect from the pandemic.

DD is still at uni and should graduate in 2024. One down and one to go. Smile

Carriemac · 07/02/2022 16:51

My boys have just had notice of the Leeds graduation - late March / early may but not in the same day sadly .

Xenia · 13/02/2022 14:13

Time certainly flies. The Bristols ones for my twins are one one week and one the week after so we will have to go over twice. Pity they are not on the same day. At least they are getting a graduation.

My twins have 3 law exams this coming week which seem to be endless this academic year, but with the end in sight in June.

Haffdonga · 13/02/2022 20:43

I approve of @ErrolTheDragon 's dh's approach. I'm sure you must have done a loads of the work along the way, Errol and definitely deserve that those chocs! I certainly feel I could have taken a few of my dss' exams or got their jobs along the way with the amount of revision, CVs and interview prep I've done! Wink
In fact both ds are way cleverer than me in maths and sciencey stuff but I had a lovely conversation with DS1 the other day who puts his academic success down mainly to the fact I read them loads of books when they were little . I'm well aware that actually dh's genes may have played a part but I'm happy to take the credit!

Good luck for your dss' exams @Xenia.

Xenia · 14/02/2022 16:43

Thanks. They are pass or fail exams and (unless you fail) do not affect your overall marks. One is recording 4 minutes of advocacy. Another is legal writing and research which is not too bad as long as you can write using good English and the third is a self taught subject - wills & probate which used to be taught in my day so one has been learning about intestacy etc today.

We saw the gorgeous new baby yesterday as her parents popped over to collect a desk from my garage which they were keeping here and we had a walk and lots of cuddles with the 10 week old who is much more like a bigger classic baby now and the 100% breastfeeding is still going well which I am pleased about (although I would obviously support my children however they chose to feed their babies). You just read so often about people having problems with it whereas my daughters and I actively enjoyed it.

Horsemad · 15/02/2022 20:20

I can't believe the new baby is 10 weeks old @Xenia! That has gone quickly and well done to your DD with the breastfeeding, I loved it too.

Xenia · 02/03/2022 20:31

She is 12 weeks now and very cute. I hope everyone's children are doing fine. The twins had one mock exam this week (and can do a second one which is self marked) and next week have two exams (the online - their choice - proctored webcam ones) and I think the last of this lot of law exams the week after. Then they move to the final third of their course at end of this term and next - their chosen 3 subjects - electives which are about 37% of this year's marks. Course ends mid June unless they have resits in the summer.

One is at (in audience) two plays in London today so thankfully yesterday's and tomorrow's tube strikes have not had a big impact although whether he gets back tonight is another thing.......

Needmoresleep · 03/03/2022 15:35

I have just seen @Haffdonga ‘s happy news on another thread.

Things are quiet here. DD is working hard at placement and then at weekends studying hard for finals. This working/studying will continue for years till she completes her specialisation.

DS has just announced he will be coming home for a week for spring break. His birthday as well. We have not seen him for over two years. No plans or nothing so I hope he does not find it too dull. I hope some of his old school and college friends are around.

Haffdonga · 03/03/2022 19:33

Thanks @Needmoresleep - yes ds1 has had 2 offers for med school so he'll be following in his little brother's footsteps and taking the long hard slog to becoming a doctor. It'll be interesting seeing him having to be the junior to ds2 after a lifetime so far of being the oldest and first. We're all very excited and I'm honestly massively relieved because ds1's life had perhaps stagnated a bit doing a good but very boring job from his childhood bedroom.

Fantastic for you Need that you'll finally get to see your ds. I bet you can't wait!

Hope everyone else's families are doing well. We're living through unsettling times at the moment. I have a good friend with family in Ukraine and it makes me think how the good life can change in an instant and to appreciate our comfortable safe life.

Horsemad · 03/03/2022 20:15

Wonderful news about the med school offers @Haffdonga, has he a preference?

DS is away visiting friends. I am glad because I'm worried he's becoming a bit withdrawn. He desperately misses his uni friendship group. He doesn't have the connections here that he did have.
He doesn't seem to know what he actually wants to do, which is concerning. It's like he's 'stuck' and my worry is the longer it continues the harder it will be to move forward. 🤨
He still has his part time job locally and I'm thankful he has 🙏 but would like to see a bit more decisiveness from him...
He worked so hard for his exams and uni work, it would be a shame to not benefit from that.

Malbecfan · 03/03/2022 20:36

I saw DD 10 days ago. DD2 and I went to see her en route to DD2's uni city - DD2 is at home waiting to go to Japan... DD1 is fine and seems to be enjoying life as a PhD student, although moaning about having no money. She is doing quite a lot of supervising and lab demos for which she gets paid, but only after the undergraduate term ends, so a couple more weeks to go. DD1 was in a varsity dance competition last weekend and is rowing this week, so it's hardly all work.

Nice to hear about all the other DC and their proud mums!

bigTillyMint · 04/03/2022 17:38

Oh wow @Needmoresleep - how lovely to see your DS!

And how exciting for your DS1 @Haffdonga!

@Horsemad, sympathies for your DS - it’s so hard for them these days.
My DS has got to various stages with each of his applications for a summer internship, but all have resulted in rejections Sad He is just waiting to hear from the last one - I feel relieved that he can now get back to focusing on his course and firstly getting his diss finished.

Xenia · 10/03/2022 10:33

Well done on the med school offers - I know how hard that can be ( my brother is a doctor and my father and brother were).
Meanwhile here the twins have had 2 law exams this week so after yesterday's it felt like a relief - as we have to have a silent house, silent rooms for 2 or 3 hours, good internet and one was doing his usual working to 2.30am the night before so I even had to wake him yesterday for the exam (online webcam/proctored exam from home) as he had fallen asleep again as pressed stop rather than postpone or something on his alarm. He was glad I got him up.

They have one more exam next week and then move on to the final third of their LPC law course of 3 chosen subjects - electives the books and materials for which came yesterday. Next week is one of their worst for one twin as he hates interviews and will be interviewed in a live client interview type but fake situation. He didn't do that well on the mock exam for it recently either. Hopefully it will be fine. His twin thinking the chances his one to one exam session would be Friday has booked a weekend away with his girl friend and they were going on Friday morning but he drew thew short straw and has the 4.15pm Friday afternoon exam slot. he has tried to change it but it cannot be changed. I would not have booked the trip knowing there was a chance the exam was any time Monday to Friday. His girl friend on the same course but with different provider has finished her main exams which she has this week by then. Anyway they could also just go for the weekend away after his exam is over. He thinks they cannot change the airbnb dates which was my other suggestion.

Anyway these are minor issues compared with many never mind war in Ukraine. They both doing fine and finish their whole course in mid June and start as my trainee solicitors 2 days later.

SandyIrvine · 10/03/2022 13:49

Glad to hear everyone's updates.

Can I canvas opinion on behalf of DS2? He bailed early from his masters (for a job) and has been awarded a postgraduate certificate. Keen to go to graduation (as his first degree is not doing graduation catchup). However thinks he will look like a loser (his words). I believe he will be the only one with a certificate (might be others with a diploma who bail before diss). What do you think?