Countdown to A level results day - 2023

[HereWeGo2023]

Following on from the A level support thread I thought I would create one for results day.
Hopefully you will all join me for the long nail biting wait and the big day at the end of it!

@tizalinatuna 2nd hand tablet is a good idea. Is she getting a laptop too? DD had a laptop for 6th form and I’m hoping that’ll be good enough for the next 4 Uni years.

Dropped her
Auto pin the bath. Yep, that's how much I have to worry about her!

Arg. Dropped, not auto pin...

I mean laptop. You see where she gets it from!

I guess I just feel some of the DC who were hitting adolescence during COVID have had less chance to be independent

I think that's been their choice rather than lack of opportunity . Lockdown ended before they went to Sixth Form so they've had over 2 years to get out there, if they wish.

speaking to friends in graduate recruitment they don’t seem to have necessarily developed the same levels of resilience

I think it's the opposite, lockdown forced many to develop resilience. I honestly think it's time to stop blaming the pandemic for young people's shortcomings.

If I didn't think DD had the skills to cope - or learn to cope - then I wouldn't be funding her through her degree.

Let's have a bit more faith in these young adults!

The health effects of the pandemic will be with us for years - US article here, BMA article here. Some young people have bounced back, others remain profoundly affected. It's impossible to generalise.

Haven’t posted here in a bit. I hope the almost uni students are enjoying their summer.

have people started sorting “stuff” for uni yet? DD’s birthday is coming up. She’s had her main present by way of money towards travelling. I’m thinking of putting together a little uni starter pack type thing for her to have to open on the day.

has anyone got any top tips regarding that type of thing? I think I went in 1998 with a duvet and a token saucepan! So far I’ve got a few storage bags, Some nice bedroom bits she will love, a laundry basket and new bedding. I’m guessing she won’t want me to choose everything for her. We will probably do an ikea run if needed. But what am I missing - maybe some really boring stuff that she won’t mind me getting for her?

Take a look on WIWIKAU @Spottydressinggowngirl - they've got lots of packing list threads and suggested lists

I did a few bits before A level but now waiting until we have the results. I'm thinking an IKEA run in September when the schools are back.

@lastdayatschool thanks!! I just had to google what WIWIKAU!! Shows how clueless I am 😂 looks like there’s loads of info on there.

dd is lucky to have an unconditional offer. Still plenty of nerves about results, but at least we can be sure of the plan for September.

a friend who’s been here before has just sent me a message with some good ideas. Basically storage. She made her lads up boxes of stuff for each room and says it really helps when it comes to packing stuff for coming back home. Might do a home bargains run and start a kitchen, bathroom and general box with some cleaning stuff. Saves me thinking too much about other stuff for her birthday. Her siblings will love getting involved in choosing stuff like that too.

DS safely back from 2nd holiday in 3 weeks.

Had his phone stolen, which led to a stressful afternoon for DH trying to block his revolut account and use the erase feature on find my iphone, both of which send 2FA codes, to authenticate the requests, to yes, you guessed it - the missing phone.

All sorted eventually and no harm done.

DS now talking about maybe going away again with GF between results day and term starting. Oh to be young again and have unlimited days leave

@Spottydressinggowngirl when you know the size of bed in her hall but a really good mattress topper - makes all the difference!

@lastdayatschool I like his style re holidays although what a nightmare re phone - pleased it’s all sorted.

A level results / Uni is the big elephant in the room here which no one’s mentioning - just keeping fingers crossed and hoping she gets the results she deserves but whatever happens I’m sure things will work out.

Just need the weather to perk up here (and cool down a bit elsewhere in Europe).

@KittyMcKitty that’s a fab idea. She’s already been able to choose her room so we know pretty much everything. She’s even linking with a flat mate on social media already. Blows my mind compared to how I did it.

@lastdayatschool that sounds stressful. Everything is on the phone, isn’t it. Definitely my main worry when Dd did the inter-railing. She thought I was being “extra” asking for pictures of her passport and bookings etc. bet she would’ve appreciated my “extra-ness” if she got in a pickle 😂 I’ve just been told she’s going away to a uk city this week for a few nights. Unlimited leave, pockets and possibilities it seems!

I think room allocation varies very much from Uni to Uni - my eldest at Manchester could just express 5 preferences and then they randomly allocate. But great that she knows! Uni mattresses aren’t great so a good mattress topper makes all the difference. If she’s self catered just don’t buy too much of anything. Also most unis won’t allow plug in fairy lights so if that’s her thing get the battery ones.

@KittyMcKitty yes, when we visited they told us about all the strict rules around electricals. I’ve got her some silly fairy lights in her birthday stuff. Anything that helps it feel like home. She’s been so lucky to get this offer and it’s made so many other things easy, like sorting the accommodation.

just having a read of the lists on WIWIKAU now while I wait for the littlest one to go to sleep. She’s starting school in September, so big milestones all around. I should probably start bulk buying tissues for me 😂

I want DD to get herself organised for uni and she'll want to choose her own stuff.

We just did a list of things today we need to get. Ikea, Argos, Dunhelm, Primark, Wilko, we went through all those on the internet to make a list. We just put a rough idea of price and then let her choose when we go to the shops what style/colour she wants.

DD is tasked with doing an inventory of what we’ve brought over the last six months with Uni in mind (yes I started in Jan sales!) . It isnt a huge amount, but for various reason it is dotted around the house and loft. If DD gets her firm she won’t know anything about her room prior to the day of arrival. It is about 90% chance it will be a single bed, but it could also be a small double. She could have a sink, fridge, easy chair, chaise. Or none of the above. Makes it hard to plan!

DD is already planning a box of single bedding and double bedding with expectation we will take back the box of what isn’t needed.

@BeaBachinasec Dd and the word organised do not go together well! And the summer is so busy with birthdays and little ones etc in our house that I’m trying to find a balanced state between doing it all to avoid a last minute rush and encouraging a bit of autonomy!! Parenting teens is never simple, is it?!

@sammyjoanne I think we’ll do a similar list of what’s left to get after her birthday.

@PettsWoodParadise a chaise sounds very grand! Dd’s accommodation is pretty basic, but a good location, which was her priority.
I used to have a double duvet on a single bed. Suggested that to her and she rolled her eyes as if it was the stupidest suggestion ever made 😂

@Spottydressinggowngirl ahh she’s missing a trick with a double duvet on a single bed. king on a double, super on a king. Always, always covers you. 😊

Dd and the word organised do not go together well!

Same with my DD. I'm leaving her to it and hope a miracle occurs 😀

Interesting. I have two (separate friends) with kids at A-level and GCSE years. Assuming they will look similar, i.e. lower than 2019 but higher than 2022 (which is kind of what they were saying previously, I think)?

I haven’t bought anything yet, or rather DS hasn’t.
I’m still not 100% convinced he wants to go to his firm choice, it wasn’t his first choice but didn’t get offered a place where he really wanted to go.
I tentatively mentioned today about possibly having a gap year and reapplying with grades in hand to try and get where he really really wants to go if he gets the grades that they want. I’m just worried he’s going to end up somewhere he doesn’t really want to go and will be constantly wondering what if?
Its Loughborough for Sports Science which he has always wanted, predicted 3 A’s but they wanted A star AA. He has firmed Birmingham but isn’t excited about it at all.

Of course he might not get the grades anyway so decision will be taken away from him!!

Oh hats off to you all thinking about packing already.

We are nowhere near that point here at all. Dd sure she has missed firm and insurance and panicking about unis. None of us are in the frame of mind to pack when she doesn't know if or where she will go.

Hopefully we will have plenty of time from the 17th of August to buy if she ends up going.