OR 2022 - We are no longer rejects. We are parents of fabulous offspring who will do wonderful things

[TangoWhiskyAlphaTango]

Wonderful tongue in cheek title thread by he words of @ eightytwenty.

Soooooo our thread started out back in March 2022 when our dc were Oxbridge wannabes. After thousands of posts by their nervous Mums, nail biting, discussing applications, grades, will they get to interview won't they, debates such as private vrs state, the Scottish system, then some got rejected and some had interviews and entrance assessments then much more nail biting and eating and drinking a lot and a loooong wait over Xmas 2021 the remainders were then rejected. Then more nail biting for offers to come in from the competitive Unis they had applied to with some ending up with only one or two options - our Covid Kids had it tough.

Finally May came and their actual A-levels then the brutal wait for results. I don't think I can recall any of our DC not getting their first choice?

Lots of DC off to top Unis and achieving the best grades in the land. My DD is off to Bath to do Politics and IR and I am incredibly proud of her, she is a grafter not naturally super clever but loves to learn and god I am going to miss her but she is ready and so I happy for her 😥

So please carry on our lovely supportive thread so we can see where their journeys take them.

TWAT x

[278Newnames]

@Geamhradh glad you have accommodation sorted. Make her feel better about lack of ensuite with my DS not even having a sink 😂
He was naffed off but actually will just have to get used to it. He will be fine. I told him he doesn’t have a sink in his bedroom at home so will have to get on with it.


DS’s girlfriend got allocated Westwood yesterday.


good luck @Volterra , hope you find out soon. We know people who ended up in the city last year and found it great, despite it not being what they chose.

[Stockpot]

I suspect that next year will be the toughest year for accommodation for the DC at Scottish Universities. The two Covid bulge cohorts will still be at uni and our DC will no longer have guaranteed accommodation for first years.

But, that is next Spring’s problem to worry about. Fingers crossed, that all the DC get accommodation for this year!

[TangoWhiskyAlphaTango]

@Stockpot I have to do it again with DS next year! He's main contenders are Liverpool and Cardiff, I haven't heard anything terrible re accommodation from those this year so hope he would ok. I for for the poor kids caught up in this having to take a forced year out - it's a shambles!

[Geamhradh]

There seem to be so many forced into deciding not to go because of accommodation.

[Stockpot]

It’s horrible. I feel so much sympathy for these DC who may miss out on their university dream for lack of accommodation. These past few years are really changing the character of applying to university. There are more risks and more strategies to deploy. Who can wait around for last minute offers? Who can risk applying to schools that leave students waiting while other universities are creating urgency with housing preferences going to those who firm early?

18 is a tender age for exploding offers and brinksmanship.

[Volterra]

It is horrible for them.DS has has a. Email to say he should hear about his accommodation this week.

We had a load of trouble with student loan as they didn't link my account to his despite emailing me to support his application . He has had his award through now so that's a step in the right direction

[fishingeagle]

@SayYouDontMind really enjoyed reading your post about St As drop off and glad it went smoothly. Hope all goes well for your DS.

My eldest is 24 - rest assured your job isn't done, not even remotely!

[SayYouDontMind]

Thanks FishingEagle.

[Geamhradh]

Bumping us up to see how everyone is doing?

@Volterra did you hear about accommodation? DD had another student added to their house WhatsApp (or Snapchat, or Insta or something) group last night, studying the same as your ds and I wondered briefly if it might be him, but I looked at our PM and it clearly wasn't!

How are the students doing who have already started? Survived Fresher's?

We are still battling with SF. The (in)famous NINO filled in and uploaded in pdf but they want the original sent via post. Humph.


Hope everyone is well, I am off to no doubt spend more money.

[Volterra]

Feels like the calm before the storm here, I feel a bit worried that DS should be doing admin of some kind so asked him last night to gi back through his emails thoroughly.

[Volterra]

@Geamhradh he has been allocated city accommodation which he seems fine about. He hasn’t made any attempt to find any housemates though which is a bit of a shame.

[Geamhradh]

@Volterra

Feels like the calm before the storm here, I feel a bit worried that DS should be doing admin of some kind so asked him last night to gi back through his emails thoroughly.

There have been a flurry of emails this week, so probably a good idea! Has he been added to the Teams group for his accommodation? That's a way of him seeing who is in there with him without him feeling he needs to necessarily contribute to anything iyswim?

I ended up also emailing the accommodation people as dd received an email saying duvet and pillow were provided, while the Bath website says not. The accommodation people confirmed it wasn't, so I did a <ahem> and told them it might be an idea to edit their email sent out to students in dd's accommodation then as we could have ended up running round like loons on the Sunday afternoon!

Been reading alternately good news stories and horror stories on wiwikau- will probably leave the group once dd is in as the "drugs and spiking drinks" posts have started as opposed to the "should we take a clothes airer" ones. <sigh>

[TangoWhiskyAlphaTango]

@Volterra Glad to hear he finally got his offer - there is a Mum on WIWIKAU whose daughter got allocated City last year and ended up loving it. He sounds like he isnt that bothered which is a good thing.

@Geamhradh Did you hear that Mini Tango and Mini Geamhradh are going to have a fight?! DD is bored out of her brain quite frankly and counting down the days now. That said she has had freshers flu early and has been unwell all week. It is her 19th next week so will have a celebration then the long drive to Bath. I am ready for it now it has been a long time coming. Have you sorted flights and hotels out? When is your DD moving in? DD arrives on Sat 24th PM slot.

Hope everybody else is well and DC are settling in / packing a ready to go....

[Volterra]

@TangoWhiskyAlphaTango and @Geamhradh he claims there have been emails but nothing in particular he needs to so which I don’t really believe so hopefully he will look through them properly. Sorry to hear Mini Tango is unwell and happy birthday to her, DS was 19 this week too. Safe to say he hasn’t been added to TEAMs as won’t have done the necessary!

He seems fine about the accommodation and there aren’t that many in each flat so will probably suit him and he was in city accommodation when he boarded for 6th form though college was a quick walk away rather than a bus drive but he had a long commute Monday and Friday and is well used to getting up and out so I’m not unhappy about it (and have clocked it isn’t far from the Roman Baths !). His move in is the 25th, don’t remember if he said a time. He has been looking at the societies list which is encouraging...

[Volterra]

We exchanged on our house this week and had more furniture moved to new place on the same day so along with DD here for DS’s birthday and a sick dog it has been a bit hectic. I did notice somewhere on the accommodation site it said no one is allowed to come in with them and they need to be able to carry it all themselves- assuming that is out of date now? Am sitting next to a mattress topper Mac tin opener that have just arrived.

[TangoWhiskyAlphaTango]

@Volterra I like his laid back style and being near the Baths sounds amazing! House move then? Are you moving far? How exciting / stressful all in one good luck for move day. I am hoping to move probably next year and really not looking forward to it I hate the English house moving system utter nightmare.

[Volterra]

@TangoWhiskyAlphaTango I think he is a touch too laid back and I am starting to stress a bit now .

We are in the very fortunate position where we were able to move in about a month ago in the baking heat before we exchanged. Decided 3 years ago to move and are on buyer number 3 so delighted to finally get exchanged and that was the last of the furniture etc this week. We’ve moved about 100 miles pretty much back home for me but sadly too late to be near my Dad as he died unexpectedly this year.

[TangoWhiskyAlphaTango]

@Volterra Sorry to hear about your Dad thats really sad , life never quite works out as you planned it does it? Good that you go to move in earlier I imagine it took a lot of stress out of a very stressful situation. Last year by complete coincidence DD were in Bath celebrating her 18th and did a self guided tour of the Uni just as Freshers were arriving with their parents. I seem to recall them having metal trolleys to lug all their stuff from the car to the flats and yes parents went in with them. I too hope that was an old Covid rule!

[Volterra]

Thanks @TangoWhiskyAlphaTango . Been a bit of a year for us, I think people must think sometimes I am trolling over on the long running A level thread ! We’re closer to my lovely Stepmum now which is great and Dad knew DS had a Bath offer as fortunately was an early one so it feels like he knew where he will be. That’s good to hear parents were going in, must have been horrible not to see their room.

[Geamhradh]

Sorry about your dad @Volterra but lovely that he got to hear about his grandson's place.

@TangoWhiskyAlphaTango yes, the pineapple lol. Hope Mini Tango feels better soon. Mine is also excited and spending lots of time talking to people.

Dd is just this second looking at her timetable and got her personal tutor info earlier- I am very impressed as it seems without a doubt that the PTs have been chosen specifically for each student. DD's is, from "here" and did the same 2 languages as her at high school.

We are flying over next Thursday night and in a hotel in Bath for two nights as still have lots to buy. Gah. Will need to get a taxi booked up there. DD moves in on the morning of the 25th.

[278Newnames]

The unibathliving insta account said they can have people help them move in a few weeks ago. DH and I are both going, DS goes on 24th.

DS is also very laid back and seems to do everything as hoc and thankfully his gf is also going to Bath and is on the ball admin wise so prompts him. He ended up doing his registration on his phone whilst in a taxi on the way to the airport on holiday! Drives me mad.

He is in an insta group for his accommodation but don’t think he has joined any of the ms teams groups yet.

[278Newnames]

@Geamhradh nice to have a timetable. I wonder if DS has one 🤷‍♀️ Or even knows if he has one 🤷‍♀️

[Volterra]

Timetables and registrations, hmm - where is my son, I need words 😀Thank goodness for you all on here, thanks 🙂

[TangoWhiskyAlphaTango]

Do you think this is a girl thing? The boys are sooo laid back. To be honest DD has looked really low the past few days which is unusual for her and I thought it was her cold but she has just burst into tears and is feeling overwhelmed with it all. Her BF has just gone back to Manchester, she worries about me and didnt have the best time at school friends wise so worries she won't make any pals. I am trying to reassure her everybody is in the same boat and when I drop her it's not 'good bye' as such but 'see you soon'. I am planning to visit with DS end of October then Christmas will roll around quickly, I think the anticipation is getting to her. I am off next week so will plan a few days out to keep her mind occupied I think. Kids eh?!

[TangoWhiskyAlphaTango]

@Geamhradh Thats really good, DD has just told me the name of hers too I wonder if it is the same one? Exciting stuff and I think DD will benefit loads from getting stuck back into studying.