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

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

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I’m sure it wasn’t but I think your wording in cold text is clunky. I’d like to think we are not presuming the background of anyone on any course.

Maybe stop now@RampantIvy .

I'll get my posts deleted as I seem to have touched a nerve

Thanks everyone feel better about DD2 being present-less now! And I love all the spoof present ideas like BuildABear in a graduation outfit and a personalised lego man 😀

Incidentally, the Southampton graduation ceremony has made the national press today – and not in a good way, though a spokesperson has been quoted explaining their reasoning.

@Notagardener DD2 got a additional loan for her Masters, around 10K, it does mean more debt, but she took the view that it was an important qualification for her future career.

DD2 is going to Australia and NZ at the end of the year @icanbewhatiwant. There are a number of reputable companies who help sort out visas and other entry requirements, meet you when you arrive, arrange accommodation and tours for your first week, and can help with jobs etc etc. DD2 researched this extensively before choosing one and they have been very efficient in their dealings with her so far. Feel free to PM me if you/your DS wants more details.

@thing47 I might do that thanks. Not sure Ds will take any notice. But I can try.

@icanbewhatiwant good for your DS1 getting a job and also for having plans to travel. And your DD2 @thing47, with the travelling.

@thing47 I've sent massages on here before...but can't work out how to do it now. Maybe I need to be on a pc rather than mobile app.

I’m going to be ringing Tempest tomorrow - apart from the ridiculous prices their “packages” just don’t meet our needs in terms of numbers / sizes of photos plus lots of wasted cardboard mounts that we just don’t want. Why can’t they just sell individual prints?? Grrrrr

We don't have a big family, so the one large plus 2 medium photos were fine for us. The photo of DD is absolutely beautiful, and I could never have taken one as flattering, so I feel that the cost was worth it. We paid £38.

Delighted to say UEA graduation done and dusted. Also going to post here because can't really shout from rooftop but DD has been awarded scholarship for her Masters so we are thrilled for her!

Think they did a really nice job and the village/food trucks/music really well done. Don't miss the free graduation mugs!!

No hand shaking so everyone doffed their caps which was great as it went more quickly

We also noticed flowers-didn't realise it was cultural.

My best advice- Please wear shoes you can walk in!!!

Well done to your DD @MrsMitford3. You must be so incredibly proud of her.

DD isn't used to walking in heels so she wore her Docs sandals to the graduation and carried her heels in her bag, then changed for the walk up to the stage and for the photos. She couldn't wait to take them off again afterwards.

I must admit I noticed a lot of students struggling to walk in heels.

I think loads of the women did this, @RampantIvy. Certainly before DD's ceremony there were dozens swapping their sandals for heels, briefly!

Congratulations to your DD, @MrsMitford3 is she staying at UEA for her Masters? What's she studying?

@MrsMitford3 UEA for us too free mug also. It was quite hot though...but I'm glad it was on weds and not the Monday or Tuesday they were much hotter days. Ds's was the first 2022 graduation ceremony.

oh @icanbewhatiwant were you one of the unlucky ones who weren't allowed to leave with gowns for photos ??
DD had us traipsing down to the lake and lots of other places-but when DS had much delayed grad from Newcastle last year he was not so enthusiastic re photos so he would not have minded.
Many thanks @thing47 and @RampantIvy.
Yes she is staying at UEA-think she felt like she didn't actually get that much time in norwich and it is a lovely city. She is doing a History Masters-very interested in History viewed with a feminist eye and the lost voices of women.
I am proud.

@MrsMitford3 no they changed that rule after the first day (2020/21 graduates were first) Ds wanted photos by the ziggs. We didn't walk to the lake, it was too hot. But went fairly near. Ds has 2 housemates staying in Norwich to do masters. So he's hoping to visit them. We only live 40 mins drive away from Norwich.

@MrsMitford3 congratulations to your DD!

The temporary summer job isn't going well. It's hard work as I suspected. Apparently no one has lasted more than a week. What they are trying to do sounds interesting though. It's on the first ever Uk plantation of "carbon sucking" trees. 100's of Paulownia trees have been planted. But they are only inches high, the grass has grown to waist height, I'm sure Ds said it was elephant grass. So Ds has to hunt the tiny trees out, pull the grass out around them and put tree protectors on. There's one other English guy who says he will just do this week. The rest are Romanian and Lithuanian, the group of Romanians lasted until lunchtime. The others are staying for the moment. Ds isn't sure if he will continue more than a week. He's struggling to walk today as he aches so much, it's cloudy today but his next got really sunburned too.
So I think he's now on the hunt for more work. He just went with the one that pays the most. He wants to earn well so he can go to NZ in sept.

That sounds backbreaking!

@icanbewhatiwant it sounds tough but he may get used to it? If it's that tough a job they should be paying more than £12 p/h perhaps.

@LouisCatorze yes he's going to see how he feels by the end of the week. I thought he said it was £12 hour. But it's £11.50 he thinks he should get more.

@icanbewhatiwant maybe he could bargain an increase in the hourly rate? If people are giving up so quickly, it will interrupt the project (and likely delay it), so workers may have some clout in asking for more? I would imagine the first week would be the worst, and then it would start to get easier?