University 2019/20 intake: Gearing up to graduation (for some but not all)

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

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Thank you for asking @chocolatenutcase. She is really struggling with fatigue today, and has another 22 hours to go on this exam paper. At least she can have rest periods in between.

She is really worried about getting up in time for an in person morning exam on Thursday.

Oh goodness @RampantIvy poor thing. And then another exam on Thursday. It's relentless isn't it. My DD ended up living on red bull during her back to back exams. Not something I was happy about but hey ho!

Needs must. I suggested getting some Lucozade.

@ifonly4, my DS is thinking about another year of study. Probably living at home!

@RampantIvy, that sounds gruelling. Can you still get pro plus pills? One of my best friends used them a lot!

Been away from the thread for a while. DS is just coming to the end of his placement so will be going back for his final yr this September. I think he's looking forward to it and really enjoyed hisplacement.

RampantIvy - it can't be easy at the moment. Hopefully adrenaline will kick in and get her through. She probably feels she needs to study for her exam, but if she can get a nap in and some healthy food, that might help.

Thank you @ifonly4. DD is an excellent cook and does eat properly and naps. She rang me three times yesterday because she wanted to talk to someone to keep her awake. However, she finished her 48 hour exam in good time and has handed it in several hours before the deadline.

An afternoon of revision today then a three and three quarter hour exam tomorrow morning and then she is done. She daren't take any caffeine other than a couple of coffees because it exacerbates her anxiety.

Last exam done. Poor DD developed a migraine while completing the last question and didn't get a chance to check her answer as she couldn't see the paper. At least it happened at the end and not the beginning. She has gone back to the flat instead of going to the pub with the others.

Well done to your DD @RampantIvy . You must all be relieved. She deserves a good rest after that.

No good news regarding my DS and his deferred final year. He genuinely believed that the deferral was done and dusted when he came back at Xmas,and relieved as well, but apparently his break in study was never formally submitted, and the student support officer concerned has now retired. They are offering him a repeat year with marks capped at 40%, which is unacceptable. He is partly to blame for not checking things properly, but with everything being done over the phone mistakes are easy to make. I honestly despair!

Oh no @simbobs. He doesn't make life easy for himself, and you have enough on your plate. Is this his second year? What percentage of his second year marks go towards his degree?

@RampantIvy no, he is in this cohort, 3rd year. He completed his 2nd. It is fair enough that they are trying to follow the rule book, but that wasn't really the case when he first started having problems. It must have taken a month to get an appointment and that was not in person due to covid. It's just that this has come out of the blue for him as well as us, as he fully expected to be returning to his course in September and we only realised something wasn't right when he tried to apply for finance.

Oops. My fault for not reading your post properly. It seems so unfair.

Really sorry to hear that @simbobs . Your poor DS. At least you've all 'clocked the problem' now rather than at the start of the new academic year. I really hope that his university shows him some leniency. Not necessarily your DS's fault though.

I'm sure most 21/22 year olds are not fully on the ball when it comes to keeping totally on top of personal admin. There's a lot of it to do, and in some ways doing things online make it easier for stuff to get overlooked (stuff ending up in junk mail for example) or forgotten about.

The problem with the whole pandemic fiasco is that I'm sure a lot more has been overlooked or not documented properly so easy for things to just not be done properly.

Repeating a year will be expensive and not very motivating if his grade is capped at 40% Really hope he gets it sorted out.

Yay to your DD @RampantIvy and others finishing their final exams. Hope she is feeling much better today and able to properly celebrate? The end of an era and what a three years it's been.

Thanks@LouisCatorze. These things are so far out of his frame of reference that he genuinely had no idea that it was not all sorted. He just told me that he has a meeting on Monday morning - the first f2f contact that he will have had in this fiasco. They did tell him that he could make formal complaint but that really isn't his style and doesn't seem very nice. I wish that he would consent to one of us being present but he declined the offer.

@simbobs would your DS agree to take a friend in with him, or someone from the SU? It would be good to have someone else there to take on board things he might miss, particularly if he gets worked up. A fresh pair of ears/eyes always helpful.

I am really not sure that most universities have been great on dotting the 'I's and crossing the 'T's with admin over the past couple of years. Students have had to give them plenty of leeway so let's hope it's a two way street.

Good luck to him!

@LouisCatorze , thanks again. I think he will go alone. We did suggest approaching SU but they are closed until Monday, he doesn't know anyone there and there just isn't time to bring them up to speed. His friends are all working now so unlikely to be able to go with him. I would normally insist being present but we are going on holiday today. I could get a train there but not in time for the meeting, so would also need to stay overnight... it goes on. I aim to have a proper talk with him over the weekend. I say 'aim' but that isn't always easy as he is working in retail at the moment and isn't always available. I'm crossing everything!

RampantIvy, so sorry your DD ended up with a migraine at the end, but it's done now. She'll have got across what she wanted at least, even if it needed a bit of tweeking/spellchecking.

simbobs I don't suppose he has any texts, emails which will show he started the process? If I were you DH, I'd be turning the tables on them and insisting he wants to know why everything wasn't put in place, as it should have been!

@ifonly4 I am more concerned that nobody checked where he was given that he attended nothing at all this calendar year!

DD having a week of “lasts” this week before campus officially closes down next Friday. I’m going to visit this week to start the removal of stuff from her house, it’s all feeling very real! 2 housemates will have already moved out, hopefully they will do their bit cleaning wise otherwise it will be very unfair on the remainers. I fear the housekeeping has taken a bit of a back seat this past few months 🥴

I feel sad for DD that her university experience is finishing soon. I will be visiting next week to bring the first load of "stuff" back. She will then have another 4 weeks in her house rental before we pick her up for good.

@simbobs, too right - sounds like the uni have left him high and dry. Awful. I hope it can be sorted soon.

DS is living his best life in his last few weeks at uni - I hope his liver holds up!

@VanCleefArpels @RampantIvy good luck to them in the future. It isn't the end, just the beginning of something else.
@bigTillyMint he has a meeting tomorrow morning so we'll know more after that. He broke his phone, bought another which has stopped working, so faulty, and now I can't get hold of him! The catalogue of disasters seems to be never ending with this one.

@simbobs I hope he manages to get them to realise what has happened is down to them too, and that they are supportive - good luck

Thank you @simbobs. You have had so many trials and tribulations with your DC and you still have it in you to support the rest of us. I sincerely hope that your DS's university can come up with something. Does he still have his laptop? Can you contact him via email/Messenger?

@bigTillyMint thank you 👍
@RampantIvy I am using all methods at my disposal! I would even message his BFF but the latter has just had a family bereavement. I hope your DD is OK.