Thread 44 GCSE Covid Cohort - Countdown to Christmas & New Year

[OrangeCinnamonLatte]

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 advice to be had

Oh no @Oblomov22 thats rubbish 😩

We’re sitting in the urgent care walk in waiting to be seen as dd isn’t registered with the GP locally. Dd had a bad night, was sick loads so I hope they take it seriously.

@Monkey2001 What a nightmare journey! Train strikes are really inconvenient aren’t they.

Sorry to hear that @Oblomov22

hope your DD gets seen soon @crazycrofter

Took DD back the weekend before last, 12hour round trip as no trains running and lots of luggage. Only stayed 30mins as DD seemed to be pushing us out the door to go meet up friends. I’m glad she seemed happy to be back as she had no motivation at home. She got her first mark for her first essay which was a 2:1 so really pleased for her as she struggled to get it started and finished on time. Had a teary phone call last night though as one week in getting a bit overwhelmed so it’s a bit up and down for DD.

@crazycrofter I hope they get to the bottom of what's causing the sickness for your poor DD, hope she's feeling better very soon.

@crazycrofter I hope you get an answer - these things can be very difficult to diagnose.

@Oblomov22 give yourself some love and don't drive anywhere tomorrow if you can avoid it. These things are so frustrating, and easy to be angry with the world and with yourself, but at least it is only money - health issues are worse.

@Oblomov22 How annoying, I hope your day gets better, be kind to yourself.

@crazycrofter I hope you are getting somewhere with DD andthe doctors are helpful.

Thanks everyone. I know it's only a car, but I love my car, always take great care of cars. I know health is more important. The reason I was late driving was because I woke up at 4am, blood sugars too high, so pump gave me insulin, but it's too much (I've complained to pump nurse that the ratio is too aggressive) , so I woke up at 7am too low, hypo. Had to drink lucozade. Not a good start. Was thus late, driving to work/ car clean, that then never happened because of subsequent car accident. I'm just so fed up. Of everything. Everything I try and do atm just doesn't work, doctor refuses, someone somewhere doesn't do their job properly. I'm so fed up. My diabetes is shit and I find my current pump specialist nurse blasé. Talking of health, I know my problems are not first world, hope you are getting answers and help re dd health crazy. And love to your dd Paddington.

Eventually got seen by a doctor who thinks it’s just tonsillitis, which initially started with flu. So we’re back home with antibiotics and anti sickness meds. And a sick note to excuse her from the exams!

Sorry to hear about all your woes @Oblomov22 . Sitting on the floor in the corridor at the hospital because the waiting room was full was a reminder of how dysfunctional things are right now 😬

DS just got his first set of results back (don't count towards anything) - 66% for a group presentation and 72% for an essay on youth culture. So that seems promising!

Fingers crossed for @crazycrofter and that things get better for @Oblomov22.

I'm very jealous of under £100/week for halls! DD is going to be paying much more than that, it seems. Hope she can budget effectively, we'll see.

As part of my (minimal) health kick, I'm walking to/from work once or twice a week (an hour each way). Started snowing on the way in, was quite slippery on the way home! DS, who normally cycles in at the last possible minute, abandoned that plan and caught the Metro... his first "late" to school for ages.

Sending virtual hugs to @Oblomov22 and @crazycrofter DD. Hope you both feel better soonest. Also got some spare to anyone else that needs/wants one too :-) I am a hugger but neither DH nor DD are so I don't often give or receive in real life sadly.

I've been feeling Meh recently, can't concentrate on anything, feel low and uninterested ,even have to force myself to have a shower sometimes. I know I need to go to the docs re menopausal symptoms and possible solutions but to be honest, I can't be bothered... I've been reading comments on here but just couldn't post a reply. Thankfully feeling a bit better today and brain fog has cleared a little.

Good luck to all those doing exams this week - well done to @Piggywaspushed DS and anyone else I've missed, those are great results.

Hope things take a turn for the better soon @Oblomov22 @crazycrofter DD.
Blue Monday indeed. I got a puncture so was late to work.

@Piggywaspushed great start to the academics from your DS.

@heifer You need a dog to cuddle.

@EwwSprouts I've got 2 dogs :-) neither can give me a cuddle though ;-)

@heifer Very envious. Haven't had a dog for five years and still miss the company.

@Heifer I can lend you DS2? He's the best hugger in the world. Makes up for the complete lack of hugs from DS1 since he was about 10. Such different personalities.

I would love to, I think I would even pay! I love a good hug :-)

Nottingham crowd - just a reminder that 2nd accommodation payment is due tomorrow. DDs loan came in today so she has just paid accommodation. Assume same dates for all on Nottingham campus?

@PaddingtonPaddington similar story here. Drove DD half way back on the 8th as on the one day trains were not on strike there was engineering works meaning no trains going from London up the East Coast main line. So we drove from Surrey to Peterborough to join a train.

Half way through the week we had a lovely text to say she had forgotten how much she loved it there, but then the next day she was back to over thinking things (she is medicated for anxiety). She is also stressing about a summative due in tomorrow which she is convinced isn't good enough. I'm sure it's ok, but as it is a new subject for her she isn't really quite sure how to pitch things - but that is what the first year is all about, learning these things. She did get a solid 2:1 in a Geography essay which is great (but she needs to realise that!)

Thanks @Heifer DS got his loan today and plans to pay the accomodation bill tomorrow. I need to top up his account first as the loan doesn't cover it 😣 He's out clubbing tonight so I'll remind him tomorrow afternoon 😂

@GoldenRuby congratulations to your DD on the essay result!

@mummyinbeds it seems like we’ve swapped places! Glad to hear your ds is out! Meanwhile we’ve had multiple visits to different hospitals and now know that dd has glandular fever and a bad case of tonsillitis. So she won’t be back in Nottingham for a while. Thanks for the reminder @Heifer . Dd is a bit more with it today so she can check.

Last week when she was panicking about her exams she emailed her personal tutor and still hasn’t had a reply 😮 Thankfully the head of Psychology is better and she’s confirmed she’ll have to take them in August. Good job dd is fairly independent as the ‘pastoral support’ is clearly non existent.

@crazycrofter sorry to hear about your DD. Good to have her home to make sure she gets plenty of rest and TLC. Hope she starts to feel better soon.

@crazycrofter sorry to hear about the glandular fever. Hope she manages to take it very easy for a while to give her body the best opportunity for recovery. Good thing that she already has good friendships and house share sorted for next year.

Thanks both. Good point @Monkey2001 , she’d be so stressed about housing if that wasn’t already sorted. She’s said she doesn’t mind slowing down a bit now that she’s got friends and not drinking will save her some money!

Hope your DD is feeling much better soon @crazycrofter No wonder she's been so tired and poorly. DS has yet to meet his personal tutor despite emailing them a few times and Student Support asking him/her to contact DS back in October.
I am glad DS is finally having a social life but he has managed a have a huge overdraft whilst hardly leaving his room (mostly on train fares home/gf''s). He's even spent a bursary he was awarded so I'm a bit cross with him too. He now has until lectures start on 30th to sort himself out, catch up on missed work and have some fun.