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

I think that’s the right call @ZittiEBuoni although its £££. We did the same for dd (although less serous issues than your dd) and she’s not needed any help since.

Sorry for those feeling low. It’s a rubbish time of year isn’t it. We’re stuck living on a building site so there’s mud everywhere and noise from 7.30 in the morning. And we’re waiting for all our snagging issues to be sorted so in limbo and not settling. And dd has been ill. I’m away at my parents’ for two nights and it’s such a welcome break!

Sorry to hear those with struggles. I am not hearing much from ds1 or ds2 at the moment. Ds1 is somewhere in NZ. Ds2 did message this morn to say he has left his books at home, then the second message immediately after said GOT books. So I assumed he'd "got" the books, as in found them, I was mumbling to myself that he either had them or hadn't got them, then ds3 laughed at me and told me ds2 means game of thrones books. How was I to know 🤷‍♀️ I thought he meant books for uni. But apart from that I've not heard much else. Ds3 is behind all your younger dc's in age, so he's currently deciding on options for year 10 in sept. It is completely different to when ds1 and ds2 did them with a language compulsory plus citizenship, so I think that knocks off 2 options. I'd rather be helping him consider options than deciding on unis again, we have a long time until then.

Birthday commiserations, Oblomov. You sound properly fed up. I turned 53 at the start of the year and it was my general low mood and meh-ness that made me seek out HRT. Started sequi patches last week so too early to tell whether they’re going to make a difference.
The weather definitely isn’t helping, is it? (not least, your mud traumas!) I hope you feel more hopeful soon.

Thanks for the welcome back, you lovely lot.
The empty nest sadness is definitely a thing for me, and the various comings and goings at different times is even more unsettling; I found last weekend harder than any previously.

DD is in frequent contact, mostly by Whatsapp but calls too, just because she wants to chat/for reassurance or help. But DS hardly ever messages, and even when we force a phone call once a week, he doesn’t say much.

Hes starting to thing about post-A level plans and DH took him to an open day in London last week, but it’s tricky to find the opportunity to talk in any depth about options.
Ditto getting to know his teachers and getting a feel for how he’s doing, how much effort he’s putting in etc.

WhatsApp convo just now initiated by me in which DD throws - would u be able to be my guarantor again? Um, yes, does this mean you’ve got accommodation sorted? Oh yes! I really must get through to her that when I promise to stop nagging the exchange needs to be that she actually DOES keep me posted. 🙄 Top floor flat again, which she’s mostly liked this year as no one stomping about overhead, and we THINK this place has a lift. I’m going to hire passing students as Sherpas if it doesn’t, I’m not lugging stuff up four flights again, I felt like I was going to die in September.

She’s also sent me a list of strike dates. Three are in reading week, leaving another 15 days of strikes, and she thinks all her lecturers will strike and she will miss a lot. They’re going to try to get tuition fee refunds.

@seeline you and I are in the same place. I’m trying not to get involved too much, but ours is making very heavy weather of finding a job. I just want to March her to Macdonalds. All her depression symptoms have lifted, she wants to come off Sertraline. I’m thinking, what is going on?
I am glad she’s feeling better, but I just need some space.

Yes, yes to the trainer pile. DS isn't into fashion at all but needs a variety for different sports. He's a bit fed up as all sport has been off for couple of weeks due to pitches being frozen, and it's been tests and assignments, so in his room a lot but he'll bounce back quickly.

Hugs to those struggling with health issues, the time of year and lack of communication from DC. I don't know if it's our age but we've had a spate of emergency hospital admissions among family and friends. The NHS has managed to do a good job for most, for which we are thankful.

@Zebracat to be fair there doesn't seem many jobs around that DD could get to. Despite being on the edge of London it is surprisingly difficult to get to any where else apart from central London and that depends on the trains....
You have my sympathies

@Seeline I totally get the part about dh wfh and not leaving the house much. That's exactly the same here!

Hi all just dropping back in. I've been on holiday. Now on a health kick. Even joined a gym not just because it has a sauna and I feel freezing after my jolidays

Off to catch up on thread goings on

@AnneOfCleavage so sorry to read your news,I hope you are all coping OK x

@Seeline Dd just got her holiday job secured as a holiday scheme YouthWorker with a Disability Charity. Are you Surrey edge of London as they have branches there and seem to be recruiting for all sorts (including after school clubs etc) I'll pass on the deets if so

Sorry if I've got location wrong I seem to remember many of you were from around that way.

@OrangeCinnamonLatte yes we are. Would be interested for details - thank you! I just wish DD had got her driving sorted before she went away, can't seem to motivate her to restart at the moment. Jobs would be so much easier if she could get there🙄

@NCTDN you have my sympathy but it's nice to know I'm not alone although it would be bloody marvellous to be alone

Thanks @OrangeCinnamonLatte that's so kind of you. Bit in limbo at the mo if i'm being honest as the funeral isn't until next week so i think the healing process will properly start then.
I hope you had a wonderful holiday, very jealous you've been somewhere warm.

Yes yes yes to the pile of shoes although I am to blame for the contribution of an assortment of shoes i wear on a week to week basis. We do have a shoe rack that holds quite a few but still there's a pile up to each side of it haha.

DH and I both wfh too (me very p/t and him about 90%) but it seems to work fine and now i am also doing this invigilating p/t work it works well. i think once DD goes to Uni and i'll have a empty nest immediately it'll feel so weird as she's my only. Loving her being home on this gap year. She's pretty busy and sorts herself out with getting to places and work, and cooks independently that she is getting prepared for the uni life.
Can I ask does the Uni contact students to sort accommodation or is DD meant to work out when this happens? Also I think she has to sort student finance in the Spring so I'm guessing from March?

Just seen a notification from@JustHereWithMyPopcorn with a PM from aaaages ago so i am so sorry I didn't see it before. I have replied now.

Can't believe the train strikes are starting up again and it's typical that the one day DH and i have booked to travel to London is next week on one of the two days the strikes are on. Grrr.

@AnneOfCleavage the university will probably contact her re accommodation, but I would check the website as some are already open (Liverpool and Bangor) so others may well be.

@AnneOfCleavage Condolences on the loss of your mother. That waiting for the funeral to take place is hard.

Ds2 has another week to go before he returns properly. Apart from going back for a couple of days to do an exam, he will have been home for almost eight weeks. And now the strikes will mean lots of missed days this semester. I really feel for this cohort & worry they will have had a very poor 6th form and uni experience. He only went in for lessons at school, came home once he was done for the day. And seems to do the same at uni, spends so much time in his room.

He is going away for a couple of days this week with school friends, which I am glad of.

Just to let you all know that my day yesterday was just the best ever. Mid morning Walked into town with 2 close friends to have nails painted a deep red wine colour. Evening party in restaurant. Closest friends. Plain Victoria sponge cake. The whole day was perfect.

Happy Birthday! I love a good vicky sponge !

Happy birthday Oblomov! I'm surprised at how much I'm enjoying my 50s.

That looks lovely! So many cakes are too fancy. And happy birthday!

Happy birthday @Oblomov22 !
My 50th was in lockdown and I actually quite liked it.

Condolences to you @AnneOfCleavage . 💐

@Oblomov22 happy birthday for yesterday 🥂

Sounds like a perfect birthday to me and I like the plainer cake too, I keep seeing very elaborate ones on FB but you can’t beat a Victoria sponge.

It’s DS’s birthday this week so I have packed up a goody box to get in the post to him and he’s coming home next weekend which will be nice. I have been helping him apply for work placements, it takes ages to get each application just right. There is one that has had a tentatively positive response, really would be good to get that one as it is relevant, easy to get to from here and they do a lot of work experience / placements so hopefully it is all set up well.

Happy Birthday @Oblomov22 ! I’m really glad you had a lovely day

@Oblomov22 Happy birthday. Sounds like the perfect celebration.