University 2020-2021 Part 12 - Now they are second year students.....Hard work starts and getting more and more smart

[sammyjoanne]

Our last page: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/4189210-University-2020-2021-Part-11-Final-Furlong-For-First-year-Freshers-Then-Freedom-Follows?pg=8

As you can see from the last title, no longer freshers anymore. And now heading into second year, so this year it counts towards their grades, hence the 'hard work starts' and getting more and more smart as they go through their degree.... lol sorry I did try to be a be a bit witty with the title, but not as good as the last one, or the brilliant 'empty nests, warm vests and covid tests page' lol.

This thread is a follow on from our previous threads from when our dearest were freshers September 2020 to Summer of 2021.

DD1 term ends this weekend, but is staying on for a futher two more weeks. A lot of her flat is going home, think theres only 1 other who is staying.shes revising for her summer exams and back on the 9th of April. will see her for just 3 days as we are off on holiday for our 25th anniversary. So wont get to see DD1 much this break.
The lent term has gone pretty good, she made some good friends in the pendle witch (pub) quiz team which is all various years. Apparently the quiz is that popular everyone has to book a table to get a seat. Hope everyone is doing well and will be enjoying the easter break :)

Hope alls well with you and your DC. Exam season is looming, are your DC revising yet?
DD back home now, keeping an eye on DD2, whilst we go away for our 25th. So shes doing a bit of revision, and plans to go and see the next harry potter movie thats come out. Not much to report, except shes filling out internship adverts. Hope you all have an excellent Easter xx

My dd just going back to uni for 10 days before exams then coming back home to sit the exams/revise.. Two of her housemates are resitting this year so not taking exams so she just thinks that there will be too much distraction (nocturnal) ... The houseshare has not been great (likes them all socially - but not great to live with - shes ended up playing mother, peacemaker, taxi and money manager). She's chosen her houseshare more wisely next year.

Shes been offered a laboratory assistant summer job (8 weeks paid) 5 mins away from where we live starting in July so shes very fortunate.. Its not in her chosen field but there are very few paid summer lab jobs and the experience will look good on her CV.

Mine didn't come home over Easter. She only has 2 exams (one an oral one) which will be done mid-May and they are giving up their flat at the end of May, so she'll be home until she heads to Amsterdam at the beginning of September. Returning to her old job at a wedding venue - long hours but flexible.

Sorry this thread fell off my lists. Seems like forever since ours went to uni. In July DS1 starts a 13 month internship with a major player in his field, which he is delighted about (although not looking forward to paying the much higher rent and having only annual leave rather than long uni holidays. DS2 will be finishing his first year, and DD is choosing her firm and insurance for September. Busy and very expensive time!

Can I ask if anyone has used a mover service at all for their student's moving? As dh is deployed currently and youngest has GCSEs I'm not sure when/how I'm going to get up to collect dd's stuff back from Edi. Was thinking it might be useful for getting to Amsterdam too for next year if we need. I think some people use them for boarding schools too? I've only found one service by googling, so looking for name suggestions and recommendations... I know I could ask on the wider group but you guys are more friendly

Dd used a storage company for her belongings last summer with some larger items left in a flat where the lease went over the summer. The rest came back in suitcases by train. I think LNER do a luggage service.

Ah luggage service, thanks - I sent my bike by freightline back in the day, and thought it was no more.

www.unimove.org/ looks like a good company

Thank you. Though they are very dear! Dh seems convinced that he'll be back and free to fetch her in the last week of her tenancy so I'm going to trust to that. Otherwise she'll have to do an Uber move to the boyfriend's for a few days until half term when I could go.

DD1 has an interview for an internship next week, so fingers crossed for that. DD2 did not get in for Cambridge sutton trust, but got into Edgehills summer residential so shes pleased shes managed to get a place :)
Not much to report, shes been busy revising for exams, but is doing the odd pub quiz on a thursday with friends.

DD has secured a 4 week summer internship with PwC. So proud of her. She's never applied for anything like this before and I know the process is very competitive. It's right at the start of the holidays so she'll still get a good break. Can't believe she's almost in her final year.

Haven’t been here for a bit - anyone else got a child stressed about exams? DS has a mix of online & f2f , given he hasn’t done exams since GCSEs he’s getting very uptight & worried about them.

on the plus side , he got his placement year job sorted - however it’s in London & salary won’t cover his rent etc so continued funding from me needed - I was hoping for a year off funding him!

No exams for my DD this term. Two subjects had final essays and her stats course a project and report. She's was all done for the year by beginning of May.

Sympathies for those in the midst of exams. If your DC have the option to sit exam in person or online take the in person option. DD did an exam online last term and there was a power cut affecting her accommodation (uni halls) and mobile network. She missed the deadline for uploading by minutes and has to resit in August.

Good to hear success in getting internships and placements. DD is doing a Scottish degree so will be looking for similar next year. Can I ask how many schemes your DC applied to? DD has been looking but is a bit worried about the time applications take. DD would prefer to do a placement year (as opposed to an 8 week summer project) but I'm a bit meh about the salary for some London placements (just over £20k). I presume you can still access student accommodation and don't pay council tax? I too had hoped to have a year off having to fork out for accommodation.

My dd is due to start her online exams next week... Decided to come home to sit them given that some of her housemates dont have exams and are nocturnal and i think she has 7 exams to sit.

Dds summer job in the lab doesn't start until 22nd July so shes got 6 weeks off beforehand ...it runs until around 22nd September but they have allowed her a weeks holiday at the start of September... Its literally 5 mins in the car from where we live. Its definitely not her chosen field but its 8 weeks work in a lab and it will improve her CV.... Plus its paid.

@Sandyirvine DD applied to Ernst Young first but got turned down at stage 3 (I think) of the application process. Then tried for PwC and got through. It was quite a tricky process, including a 5 hour online assessment centre, but she enjoyed it. If she hadn't got through she was going to try Deloitte.
She's not sure if accountancy is what she wants to do but this should help make her mind up, and it's in our home city so no accommodation worries.

@choirmumoftwo that's a good success rate. My DD has heard some horror stories from year above of people who applied for 50+ internships. Although I do remember my DS2 saying quality over quantity when I was trying to persuade him to get a wiggle on about grad jobs.

An internship to rule out a career is still useful. If I had done one I wouldn't have bailed on my first graduate job so soon.

DS applied for about 30 or so - it’s quite surprising the number he applied for who he didn’t hear anything back from. Of the 30 odd at least 20 were no replies or response - which I think is appalling way to treat applicants.

DS has 3 online exams - 24 hour affairs. He came home this week for the first, but is planning to do the next one in Durham as there is an important cricket match he ‘needs’ to play in…

I swear we’ve been having the cricket v revision conversation ever since the 11+ days…

@choirmumoftwo @Daisysway congrats on your DD getting a place. DD said interview went well, but is competitve with some 3rd years so shes a bit dubious she will get it.
@Eve DD had exams for first year which were all on line, but this time will be the first time since GCSE since in person. Shes not looking forward to Quantum on Friday, but the rest she feels ok on. @SandyIrvine wow thats so unfair shes had to resit and thats not her fault either.
DD applied to 3 placements, one in Oxford (heard nothing) one in Manchester but prioritised 3rd years, and the ones shes had an interview for at Lancaster on Thursday. Last year she did an unpaid one at Lancaster, so Im hoping if she does not get this one, they will offer something similar, as they just been awarded more funding. She has two more years to go as its an integrated masters, so if she does not get one this year, shes got another couple more years to try and get more places. She went onto gradcracker to look, and a lot of the stem subjects opportunities is in banking or investments.

@KingscoteStaff Online exams v in person exams. im hearing conflicting reports as some like them and some dont. DD quite liked them last year, but all are in person this year so will soon know which one she prefers .
Just had a text from DD, she got the internship at Lancaster 😁So looks like for the month of July shes going to be staying there :)

@sammyjoanne huge congratulations to your DD. Mine is also working the whole of July but in our home city. I think it will be a shock to the system for her!!

@choirmumoftwo Thanks :) It was taking a while for people to come back to her on the internships and some not replied at all, so Im glad shes got something. That will be interesting that shes in her home city your DD. If shes staying at home that will save some money as well so thats a bonus.
DD was back this weekend seeing DD2 for her birthday but shes back now revising for her second exam. Was not too happy with the first in quantum. Normally theres been multiple choice in the past but they have decided to throw in some questions that takes several parts to work out which takes longer, and the uni she reacons has not anticipated the timings, so most did not finish the exam. Lets hope the other 7 are much better.

@sammyjoanne My DD has also been stressed about in person exams, I suspect simply because she hasn't done any since 2018!!

DD is currently doing her last exam. 48 hours. She is really stressed. Has booked a little mini trip to Nottingham next week and a trip to Greece in the summer. Other than that she’ll be working in the summer here no doubt.