Thread 40 - Corona Cohort , Falling into Autumn 🍂

[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 !

@CinnamonOrangeCremeBrulee that's what he's trying to do. The registration. It just says set up payment for fees. It also said set up fees for rent, he put his bank details in for the rent, it told him when the payments will be taken. Then when he clicks next it won't let him continue until the fees part is filled out. Though I can't see it as I'm home. Maybe there's a part to tick saying fees are going straight to uni.

@NCTDN no it’s NTU. A clearing choice so it’s all a bit tainted for her. We had a nice walk about and a drink and food. Loads going on and can see it will e fun but York it ain’t!

I’m sorry you had such a bad time and I know you are not alone.

Although they were a little last minute.com DD did get accommodation she wanted, but she had firmed Reading and booked early.

icanbe ring student finance first thing Monday morning?

Sorry that was at @sofakingcool about Reading.

been a long day,

@Oblomov22 thanks, I'm not sure it's a problem sfe end. As they've sent the letter confirming payment will go to university in October. I expect it's a mistake the university end. I think Ds will just have to wait until next week to speak to someone at the university.

I’m in bed before 9 on a Saturday night. Exhausted!

DTs crawled in just after 3:30 this morning, having enjoyed their last night out. I couldn’t get back to sleep.

We left for Brum just after 10, DD worse for wear & DS looking a little choked to wave her off (not expected: they’re like chalk & cheese & squabble a lot!).

It was tough saying goodbye.

Got home to hear from DS she was in the flat alone (she’d face timed him) so I’ve been worrying. Text her a cheery message but no response.

But all is well. She’s just snapped DS, drink in hand, with a gang of girls around her, looking happy. Phew!

I hope he’ll remember to message me next week when it’s his turn having seen how anxious I’ve been tonight!

Just catching up with everybody’s news - such a lot of movement going on this weekend.

DD dropped off Fri after a very busy 6 hour journey but parked right outside the halls, lovely warm welcome with Welsh cakes and much needed tea, trolley provided and thankfully a lift, so only took a few trips. Unpacked, then off to do a big shop, back to unload then left DD to sort her room and get some music practice in and we checked into a hotel. She phoned later and asked to meet up as she was a bit lonely so we went for a meal. Lots of tears later due to being very overwhelmed and tired we took her back to halls and said we’d meet her for lunch today. Had a bit of a sleepless night fretting but then DH and I went for a lovely morning walk and had breakfast. DD texted and we said to meet us in town. By chance she bumped into another student who she met on the offer holder day and exchanged numbers. She seemed so much brighter and on the way back to halls the other girl had asked her to meet up. We took this as our opportunity to leave and said goodbye. Got home and another message to say she was now off to the pub with her flatmates. Phew. Managed to hold off the tears till I walked past her empty room earlier. What an emotional rollercoaster!

Emotional rollercoaster indeed ! A nice lad in DD’s flat was friendly when we arrived and helped re kitchen etc. After we left, DD got chatting to him and he invited her to join a group out tonight that he had already gone out with from flats around. She was in her way out . One friendly invitation makes the world of difference.

I'm on the emotional rollercoaster tonight too, I have been OK without DS all week but I am really struggling today, I used to spend a lot of the weekend ferrying him around to work and sports and today has just felt so empty. He hasn't been in contact much the last couple of days which is great really as it shows he's ok but hard for me. He's always been such a quiet lad, hardly ever been to parties or evenings out without adults because of being at special school. Very little experience with girls either as the school is single sex. That thing of "it's always the quiet ones" is going through my mind. What if he goes off the rails. Need to snap out of it.

I know where you are coming from there ED. DS is terribly sensible.

DH and I are in our hotel, exhausted, after a long day moving DD in to Birmingham.
We arrived at the Vale at 2.30pm and it has jam packed with students moving in, but lots of stewards directing cars, and student helpers carrying people’s stuff up to their flats.
Only one other girl had moved in to DD’s flat when we arrived - she arrived yesterday and DD has been chatting to her online for a few weeks, so they immediately struck up a conversation. Another boy arrived as we were unpacking in her room. His parents literally put his boxes in his room and then immediately left again…they were there no more than 10 minutes!

I baked brownies last night for the flat and we left DD to organise her room while we went to mooch around the Bull Ring, and then we went back a few hours later to pick her up and take her for dinner in the Chinese quarter.
She was really happy, saying she thinks she’s going to get on well with her flatmates and is excited to be here.
Were going to take her food shopping tomorrow morning, before heading home.

Hope all DCs who moved today have a good first night, and any issues with accommodation get sorted very quickly.

Its all going on. Total chaos here. She seemed to think she should take all her clothes, and when I said you need to select some, she picked the scruffiest most summery items. 1 jumper and 9 bras. She always looks neat as a cat, but she’ll struggle with that lot. I did try asking what goes with that but she looked blank.she seems to be focussing on micro details, worrying that we will embarrass her, hoping to spend lots of time with a girl she met at an Open day, asking what to do about spiders, but no grasp at all of the essentials. She has 1 tshirt that I really hate, grey and washed out, too small,So I kicked it under her bed when she wasnt looking, bet she finds it! Dh has gone to bed and clearly thinks I should too, but stuff like this stops me from sleeping.
I kind of want it to just be done now. Also every day is more money. Today was a haircut and treats for her treat box, and a Leaving meal. We are so skint,pockets to let.

All seems ok in Exeter. Slightly stressful at the service station with all the EV points taken, but got there in the end for our time slot. Lots of stewards to direct us when we arrived & easy to park & unload.
DS happy with room but a dodgy stain on the carpet quickly covered up with our bargain Dunelm mini rug! Left him making his way to the terrace area to chat to some lads. I saw one boy stepping forward to shake hands. DS had been getting v nervous about meeting people. Have had a look on phone to see he’s out and about on a pub crawl, then clubbing. He’s in catered but when we left at 5:30pm no sign of any food whatsoever. Hope he doesn’t go too crazy tonight, eek! He hardly ate anything today. DH & I now in our b&b, totally knackered!

Good luck to all settling in this weekend & for the coming week. I’m sure the finances will sort icanbe This sort of thing must happen all the time.

@Alsoplayspiccolo so glad your DD is happy & settling in. I had lots of good intentions of making brownies but ran out of time so gave DS a tin of Cadbury Heroes, which I suspect he will eat all himself.

Wow, lots of experiences! I do enjoy reading them all.

DD has now been away for 10 days; she is quiet/shy by nature, but has enjoyed Welcome Week even if she heads home early in the evenings. She spent yesterday at a craft fair in town, buying knick-knacks and a small rug to complete the 'look' of her room. Spending time each day hanging out with some friends from her course (coffee-shops/each other's flats) and she's going to try a couple of student societies when they start up next week. Only one wobbly phone call so far, but a brief exchange of messages most days. Very relieved overall!

@sofakingcool that sounds rubbish, I’ve heard a lot have had issues this year. DS got a room that he hadn’t even heard of, it’s all ok though. One of his friends got a room miles away from Uni and catered-he’s really annoyed about that.

My DS seems to be surrounded by girls 30 girls 3 boys in their section. They were very giggly, but I think they will make sure DS goes out and enjoys himself. We hadn’t visited Exeter, so have been very impressed with it. DS seems ok, once we have signed up to the gym he will be happy.

Just been css as aching up with all the news - lovely moving in stories and DCs sound like they are finding friends for a chat which is fab !

@Benjispruce4 back in the day I was meant to go to Loughborough but things didn’t go to plan and ended up at NTU city site. It’s not like York but the place is super friendly and nightlife is superb. Which halls did she get ?

Goose fair I imagine is next weekend ? That’s amazing! Plus there’s lots to explore - plus it’s just won Modern University of the year in the 2023 Sunday times uni rankings!

*catching up

Thanks @Fruitygal . It’s hard when the eldest was at Durham. The college system is so helpful for Freshers. She’s in private accommodation right in the centre so I think that’s part of the disjointed feel. Possibly more organised at uni accommodation.

DS is up and we had our last ritual morning cuddle. It feels like The End of Days. He did say he would text me every day with his Wordle and Yeardle stats!

Ahhh @Piggywaspushed

Glad all pretty positive today and good kick for those going today. @Piggywaspushed I’m sure Birmingham will be the right place for him, wherever they go is almost all the time the right place for them . Good luck.

@EspeciallyDivided I’m sure he will fine. DS is similar so I have a vested interest in it being fine but I do genuinely think it will be !

I’m a physical wreck at the moment after this last year. Once they are all settled in a few weeks is anyone up for a getting healthy/fit/thinner/ready for graduation photos thread?

DD has no timetable…. Apparently they were released a couple of weeks ago.

Liking all the drop-off stories. It all feels very tense and real.

@Benjispruce4 we’ve done city uni in private halls as insurance choice for first DS then last choice accommodation on campus but far side with shuttle bus but I’m doing Durham after these two very different experiences where she has preferred choice accommodation in college so we are doing the reverse of each other. I can see that the city private accommodation thing can feel unnerving after the very organised and planned college freshers thing but trust me she’ll love Nottingham.