Thread 39 - Covid Cohort - Our Adult Children Now Post 18

[CinnamonOrangeCremeBrulee]

This is a support thread for our young adults post GCSEs 2020, regardless of their educational setting, and their results ( or life updates for those who went into work or have had results earlier). It is respectfully requested that all are supportive and helpful to each other. If you want to start a debate, e.g state vs private, uni vs employment please don't within this thread.

Some of us have been here since first thread back in yr10, some will be new. Everyone has been friendly and helpful in the past. Everyone is welcome. It is hoped this will continue. We were previously on the secondary board and then further education, now we shall be here in 'Parents of Adult Children' gulp

Our DS/DD may continue down various pathways ( employment, apprenticeships, higher ed). Be warned there might be lots of 'Uni Freshers' chat this time of year. My experience is that everyone is welcomed wherever, whatever their child is doing we have some in work, gap years , apprenticeships etc too. Lots of contributors with different experiences and always sympathy and support to be had !

@mummyinbeds no way! I didn’t realise he was in Rutland too.

@Isthisjustnormal my DD says the email went to the account she used to apply for accommodation rather than her York email.. So now to work out who she is with, wait for DSA laptop and then sit through several hours of software training online. Face to face training not available in our area but DD is not good with online training so need to sit through it with her as she won't take it all in... Hope the taster went well for your DS. DD decided it would be too difficult..

Hi all - everything is getting so close now for all! We have two weeks left. DS still tardy over sorting bank account. He always is a bit over-chiiled (compared to me!)

Got back from work and DS has his letter from the school that enclosed the new mark breakdown for his A level politics. Tagging @Monkey2001 and @Alsoplayspiccolo

Paper 1 went up 8 marks and paper 3 up 12 marks. How is this even possible!! ? No real details apart from AQA apologising for the incorrect marking, grade change, and that they 'appreciate the disappointment caused.' TUT.

Still: at least it is done and DS's curiosity answered. We can now forget the A levels entirely!

Gosh the thread had moved soo fast! Did a Dunelm shop on Sat with DS & got 10% student discount which was nice. He’s in catered on a 32 week contract. Everything has to be removed each term. Definitely not taking a mattress topper!! @OublietteBravo we’re also Exeter but DS hasn’t mentioned anything about the accommodation deposit…. I hope he hasn’t missed something.
Good luck for audition tomorrow @Alsoplayspiccolo & to everyone moving in this week

So enjoying all of your updates about organising the imminent departure to all these unis! Fabulous! Us gap year mamas have all this to look forward to.
@ealingwestmum i will keep my fingers tightly crossed for your DD tomorrow…

Wow some moved in already!! I know there's been talk about immunisations - where can I find out what dd has had?!

@tryingmybest13 those mark changes are incredible! Terrible that it happened that way in the first place and does make you wonder about others marks.

I know I keep asking about the hsbc student account but we have still heard nothing and it’s been over 10 days, DS is away until the weekend so we can’t contact them yet but i wondered if people just received their account details and card through the post or did they get an email to confirm everything first?

Good luck to dd for tomorrow @ealingwestmum !

Thank you so much Delphigirl and GoldenRuby. I’ll report in tomorrow afternoon!

DS got an email from Santander telling him to look out for post and then got login details, card and pin in three separate letters. It took about a week for the letters to come I think Fiddlers. Obvs HSBC might be different though.

DD survived her first day of sixth form and DS still hasn't sorted out any new clothes. Tick tock!
He should find out his flat / room number tomorrow I think.

That’s a great DS/mum break to have Eww. Love Iceland. I’m not a great outdoorsie person, but there is something quite magical about around such volatile, yet breathtaking geology. And the sleep, omg I have never slept so well as there!

Thank you Crazy!

@tryingmybest13 Wow! That is ridiculous, well done you for enabling it.

@singingstones reminder that DS1 lost his railcard because he did not activate it in time. Make sure your DS reads the message about getting the railcard and notes the expiry date!

Thanks Monkey, I had forgotten about that, I'll get him to log on tomorrow.

@Fiddlersgreen DS opened a HSBC account and everything came through within about 5 days. He's already used his overdraft to pay his room deposit. He had an email to say everything was on its way within hours of applying.

DD opened an HSBC ac but card not received yet. Been over a week.

Think she has had emails telling her to activate the card but she can’t until it’s received.

@icanbewhatiwant My Ds is exactly the same in terms of his room. He also probably needs some extra clothes for uni but has done nothing about that.

Instead of having an empty nest we are now having his sister back home for a few weeks at least. Her new flat fell through (grr at landlords in general) & she has to move out of her current place this week.

I had planned a weekend for friends to come to stay next month, expecting to have empty bedrooms. So much prep to do now for that I wish I’d not offered.

Good luck for today @ealingwestmum. Glad the drop off went well @KingscoteStaff . @PhotoDad - my DS will be near your DD in Cambridge- his college is close to Angela Ruskin. Hope the drop off goes okay and your family all feel better soon.

Haha @Decorhate - I always feel really positive when planning social things, then as they come upon me the work involved and what to wear when I feel so fat become overwhelming. Accommodation seems to be a growing issue, the cost of rent for students leaving university has been a problem for ages, but there now seems to be a great shortage in lots of places.

Dd got a digital railcard - I assume it doesn’t need activating?

Things are moving along so quickly glad it was all aok @KingscoteStaff . Best wishes for today and that is drama free @PhotoDad .

Best of luck and everything crossed @ealingwestmum !

All good thoughts for you today ealing 🤞

And hope your day goes smoothly Photo

Dd has been diagnosed with 'a grumbling appendix' and now on antibiotics. I'm annoyed she was at her bf and didn't come home for a few days. Didn't communicate terribly well. Says she is going to get nails done , walks in four hours later with antibiotics and this 'diagnosis'..didn't even tell me her tummy was playing up.

Obviously the usual worries about it getting worse randomly etc BUT she has cancelled her last couple of singing lessons. I don't know how this is going to work with her music degree. She has chosen two practical modules. Voice is her only instrument up to grade requirement. I'm really quite worried also that she won't communicate if she is feeling ill