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.

Well done to your dd @sammyjoanne.

My dd on her 2nd 24hr exam tonight...also stressed. She thought the first exam went ok but could have done with the extra time she used to have in exams (but did not apply for at Uni).

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Great news on the internship @sammyjoanne. I will be asking for tips for applying/interviews in the autumn when my DD plans to apply.

Glad my DDs uni have stopped 24 hour exams. They have gone back to the usual 3 hour ones. They also started early to avoid the potential marking ban. DD had had all her marks back already so is having a relaxing last two weeks.

Just dropping in to say hi. Ds is very happy taking his six months out of uni, was definitely the right decision. He's enjoying earning good money at aldi and its been very good for him to have a job in the real world. I'm still staggered he manages to get up for a 6am shift when at unj he only surfaced after about 2pm! He's playing tennis three times a week and going to the gym most days. He's looking forward to going back to uni in sept and hopefully will feel more motivated to finish his degree. He did point out it was the first summer in years he'd not had exams . It's lovely to have him back to his usual bouncy self. Although I'd like him to finish his degree, it's made me appreciate that mental health is the most important thing and if that means he doesn't go back, then that's ok. I hope everyone gets on ok with their exams and enjoys their summer break.

Hi everyone, great to catch up on all the news.
DS1 is starting his year in industry internship in July, with a major car manufacturer, so will be moving to a new city and full time work, which will take some getting used to. DS2 finishes his first year next week, and will moving into a house with hall flatmates and then returning to his usual summer job. DD is sitting her A levels as we speak, and fingers crossed off to York in September. DH and I will be empty nesters but completely broke funding 4 households

@choirmumoftwo True when we think about it, they have not done in person since their GCSE's. @aibutohavethisusername Nottingham my neck of the woods. She will have an amazing time :) . Thanks @Daisysway @SandyIrvine and oh yes the marking ban, thats really unfair. Students are already suffering with the strikes, but these marks all count now. And its a stressful time as well. I dont know about tips Sandy lol, she didnt apply to many. With it being physics research she wants to do, she just asked a few unis, and had a look at their websites to see if they was advertising anything. And she asked her supervisor at the uni and he said he will let her know if anything gets advertised, which is did; she applied and got the one her uni after an interview. @FleeceNavidadfromtheSheep that sounds interesting for DS1, a whole new adventure in a new city :) DS2 as well for his second year home. DD1 did have York on her shortlist of 5, its a great uni. fingers crossed for her. DD2 is year 12 and has seen a couple of open days and got one next month and the month after.
@specialted its so nice to hear from you and your DS, I'm glad hes made the right move and 100%, mental health is super important. Second year has been a challenge for DD on a personal level, and resulted in a couple few visits home, but shes in a better place now thank goodness.

Now its coming to the end of term, hows everyone doing?
DD is on an internship at the moment, and going to Chester sightseeing this Saturday with other interns she met on Monday. Also gets results on the 14th for second year exams. Was going to plan a trip to Denmark for half term in October, but judging by how bad the flight disruptions are I dont think we will bother now. DD2 is looking at unis. Reading is now the front runner, and seeing Lincoln on Saturday. Little bit disappointed that the only 3 accommodation choices open at Lincoln is over £7.3k and not showing some of the more reasonably priced accommodation. So were just going to do the tour, and the subject talk. DD1 is planning to come home August 4th so will see her then :)
Hope you are all having a great summer :)

Morning @sammyjoanne. Hard to believe second year is over and good to hear your news.
DD came home two weeks ago as her internship is in our home city but was back in Lancaster last weekend for brass band and music society commitments. There was an open day on Saturday and it was funny to see those very young looking sixth formers wandering around with their parents. I wanted to stop them all and say 'come to this uni, it's great'!!
Her internship is going really well. She loves it and would be keen to get an offer on their graduate scheme. It's been really well organised and a very positive experience. Awaiting exam results but doesn't seem overly anxious about it. Time will tell if she should have been.
She's trying to organise a couple of short breaks with friends in the coming weeks but cost and availability are problematic. They're all so busy. She's coming away with us just before third year starts though.
DS has his delayed from last year graduation in two weeks time so we're looking forward to that and starts a new job in a government department on Monday - given current events he has no idea who he'll be working for!!!
Hope everyone else is well, particularly thinking of our Lancaster DC.

Hi @sammyjoanne dd is looking towards third year now, although she has Covid at the moment. She has a holiday booked for a couple of weeks time.

l live in Reading so if you need any info on the town let me know.

Hi, I picked my DS up from Lancaster at the weekend, a few had already left the house share and others were going this week. He's managed to get a part time job for the summer already which is good, just waiting for the start date which hopefully is next week. My house is getting back to normal I can't believe how much stuff they generate 😃got a large pile of ironing to work through plus the weather has been nice so got loads dried on the washing line. Hope everyone has a good summer and it's lovely reading what others have got up to

Thanks @aibutohavethisusername we are actually planning to go back to Reading on the 13th of August. Were in London the day before to a concert, and staying overnight not far from the M40, so plan to stop in Reading on the way home. We hope to take a walk to St Georges Hall and see where that is in relation to campus, and also taking a look at the main high street this time. @choirmumoftwo wow a lots gone off recently with the government, so hope your DS gets a good boss. Glad she enjoyed her internship. DD has 3 weeks left on hers and so far so good. @Thatsnotmine This year shes struggling to get a storage place for her stuff, so I fear that everything is going to have to come home for a few weeks this time, and might have to hire a van to collect her things. Nicely done your DS has got a part time job. Glad things are all going well.

Update- went to Lincoln uni with DD2 and ita a nice uni and the campus is good, but course was not what she was looking for. She chose the talk on animal behaviour and welfare, and it was more geared up for domesticated/farm animals as apposed to zoo animals. Where as Animal behavior at Chester is geared up for Zoo animals. So lesson learned, never take a course title and treat it as if its the same for all unis. Zoology course at Lincoln is more better, so she will probably go for that one, although Reading is still her fave at the moment.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far and adapting to having their DC back home again. I must admit we find it too easy to slip back into our former parent/child dynamic in the holidays - I just love looking after her!
Great news. Internship was a great success and DD has been offered a place on PwC graduate scheme for September 2023! She's thrilled and now has to make sure she gets a 2:1 or above next year. The offer is a great way to focus the mind!

choirmumoftwo That’s great news, well done your DD that’s a competitive scheme to get on to.

I have DS at home for a year and he’s very bored. His years intern is going to be mainly working from home , his school / Uni mates are all over the country so limited socialising and he’s having a very slow start to his role.

he might move back to Uni town in Sept where at least he will have lots of company in evenings.

Congratulations to your DD @choirmumoftwo

That’s fantastic @choirmumoftwo - well done him! My nephew went down the same route to Deloittes (spelling?) and it’s been v exciting.

DS is spending the summer alternating 2 law firm internships and cricket coaching, with a bit of plate waiting in the evenings. He’s determined to have a healthy bank account for his 3rd year!

@choirmumoftwo that's great news!! How fab!

Congrats @choirmumoftwo amazing news shes got something lined up. and @KingscoteStaff thats really good hes got 2 internships :) @Eve that might be a good idea for your DS, he will have some friends he can socialise with. Hope everyone is ok and enjoying the summer.

DD not faired so great in exams, just about a 2:1 so she was a bit upset about that as she thought she did ok, but after a chat with the head of department and supervisor, it was her timings which brought down her mark. So she knows what shes got to do.
She has had it hard this year, what with having her first relationship which didnt work out and was gutted about for a few weeks. At the same time she lost a best friend as well. Since coming out last September shes trying to find herself a lot more this year. Shes since met a real good bunch of people and have been a real support for each other, and by the end of this year shes been much happier.

Internship wise it went amazing. She got the results she was looking for and has been asked to present her findings at the physics undergraduate conference next spring. So work wise its been really great for her. Shes still in Lancaster now. I dropped DD2 off at a summer residential in Edge Hill uni in Lancashire yesterday and shes really enjoying it. Tomorrow I plan to go back to Lancaster, stay at DD1's, and on Thursday DD1 and I go back home and pick up DD2 on the way back when her residential finishes.

Excellent news on the job offers and internships. DD is a year behind (Scottish degree) so will be looking at similar next summer. She fancied a civil service internship but with cutbacks might need to ditch that one.

@sammyjoanne: my DS2 and most of his friends were sitting at a high 2:2s in their penultimate year but all ended up with decent 2:1s (and more importantly jobs). DS2 said being able to pick options he was stronger in helped as did the dissertation.

DD has started studying for her resit mid August. Its a module from first term with lots of reading so a bit annoying as she could be picking up lots of hours at work as Edinburgh is busy busy with the festival.

@SandyIrvine Thanks :) I said something similar to DD, year 3 is more options based, so it will be in topics she gets on with. She will do her dissertation in year 4, providing she gets a 2:1 in year 3. Hope your DD gets on with the resits :)

DD has moved into her 3rd year halls today - ready to welcome the new students arriving tomorrow. DH said flat was minging. It was let all summer for the festival and pre-session english. DH and DD decided to give it a mega clean and air. It now smells of Zoflora and Febreze. She's lucky that this year she is in returners accommodation so hopefully it will be quieter than last year.

Passed her resit which counts as a first sit because of the power cut in December and since resit questions were easier has ended up with a much better mark than those who sat in December.

Currently applying for placements. First one has 5 stages. She's thru to stage 3 but not confident. Hoping Liz Truss doesn't "pause" civil service placements as this would limit her options.

Hope everyone is looking forward to starting a new (and for some last) academic year.

Dd is already on her year abroad but has 3rd year friends going back into halls, wonder if your dd might be with any of them @SandyIrvine !

@LIZS DDs in New Arthur Place. Great location for her and super cheap.

If your DDs friends are there tell them to say hi to the RAs. I feel a bit sorry for her because of the job she moves every year and always stays with randomers. However (apart from one bad experience) this has worked well.

Hope gap years is going well. DD has friends going to Sweden, Spain, France and Holland. Hoping to visit one or two of them.

*year abroad. I have gap year on the brain today as a colleague has been asking for sponsorship for their kid's jolly and the rest of us have been trying to work out how little to donate without offending her.

My dd went to Amsterdam nearly 3 weeks ago, is having a whale of a time, loving it and just finished first week of classes. There are train strikes in NL meaning she has disruption to a few classes this and next week... yup taught online instead! Not just us struggling with strikes! Oh and her room is amazing! En suite with balcony and windows in 2 directions, great views, plus fridge and microwave, at £400 including utilities and broadband. In a lovely area 20 min cycle or a tram trip from the campus. And she has met a lot of people, making friends. She did a 4 day induction when she was first there which was well worth it for meeting people.

DD2 enjoyed Edgehill uni summer residential 1st-4th August, and made some friends shes still in contact with now. Picked up DD1 and DD2 on the same day on the 4th August to bring them both home since Ormskirk and Lancaster are not far.
Following week saw Coldplay on the 12th. Went to see Reading uni again on the 13th for DD2's to see if she still liked it (she did😀).
DD1 went back to Lancaster for a week mid August to see some friends, and we picked her up on the 20th August and put her stuff in storage at Kendall before going back home again (Morecambe/Lancasters storage was full). We all did a night in Scarborough August bank holiday and enjoyed a chippy lunch.

DD1 turned 21 two days ago, so we went to Turtle bay for some Caribbean food and got her a couple of outfits and just got back from a birthday meal tonight with my parents.
Next Saturday 17th September is moving in day at private halls. If the Queens funeral is on the Saturday we will need to check before driving up there if the halls reception/storage are open. If its on that day, will probably have the monday 19th off to help her move. Shes moving in with 2nd-4th years.
Last few weeks have been just super super busy.

Good to read everyone's news. Ds finishes his last shift at aldi today, he's really enjoyed working there and has a decent amount of money saved which will be useful when he goes back in oct. He's nervous about going back after six months out but I'm hoping he'll be ok. He's definitely matured but I'm still not sure he'll cope with the organisational side of assignments etc. He wants to do some shifts at aldi in Lancaster but apparently they already have 9 students on their books so no space for any more ! We have tried to discuss how to be structured and organised in life in general but doesn't seem to sink in . Will just take uni day by day. He's just excited about getting back to the social life