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

Thank you for this. We are also dealing with BRACA news so have been advised radiation is not an option for him at his age so surgery is really the only thing on offer.
Now we both have the next generation to worry about. Very worrying.

@Delphigirl dh's dd is ok but was advised a double mastectomy as she has the gene. So all of my dc's have a 50% chance of having the gene too. They'll test at some point. But are enjoying life at the moment so will wait. They are aware but not bothered, they are young so they probably think it won't be them.

Not been around for a while
but just been catching up and sending all the best l @Delphigirl @Comefromaway @Piggywaspushed - hoping that these early catches mean effective and efficient treatment. Hope your holiday is a wonderful break @Delphigirl. And also sending thoughts your way @Monkey2001 - what a sad story, and a reminder of trying to keep work ‘crisis’ in perspective…

I'm so sorry to hear about your DH's @Delphigirl @Comefromaway @Piggywaspushed @icanbewhatiwant it must be so worrying for you all and the added worry of the BRCA2 gene too.

Enjoy your break @Delphigirl

Thanks (though it is my dad not my dh, just to clarify)

DH had his follow up form MRI today and it is 'mildly concerning' or some such medical euphemism so now he needs a biopsy. Marvellous.

Oh dear Piggy. I know how worrying it can be.

Good luck @Piggywaspushed , hope it is not positive for him, but if it is, the progress in successful outcomes are encouraging.

Oh dear @Piggywaspushed. Hopefully that's will be asap.

Fingers crossed that it turns out to be relatively minor. @Piggywaspushed

@Monkey2001 so sorry to hear of the two losses. It’s shocking when it’s close to home.
@Piggywaspushed thinking of you, fingers crossed

Hope it's at an early stage @Piggywaspushed and can be easily dealt with. I can imagine how stressful it is and for you too @Delphigirl

Dd has gone back now and all is calm here; she's definitely the high maintenance offspring in our house! I'm hoping she doesn't over do it.

Ds2 came home Thursday eve. It was great to see him. I dropped him at the train station this morn. He had booked a return from Brighton to Cambs instead of via London as it was cheaper. Then gets 2 trains home from Cambs. He asked me to drop him for the 6.45am train this morn. But he'd forgotten he was meant to get a train to Norwich instead of to Ipswich. Then Norwich to Cambs as there wasn't an early train from Ipswich to Cambs. So he had to wait an hour and a half in Ipswich, almost coming back home again once on the train. Plus he missed the train he'd booked at Cambs. So had to pay £30 🙈 That will teach him to check which trains he needs. I think he missed his lecture too. 2 hours early in the morning wasted.

oh no @icanbewhatiwant that would drive me nuts, he wont do it again though!

DS told me today that he finishes 2 weeks after the Easter break, that can't be right can it? Why am I paying 39 weeks of accommodation??

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn Ds looked the night before and saw he had to go Norwich direction. But then forgot and headed off the normal route 🙈 also yes, I noticed ds's term dates say summer term begins 24th April. Teaching ends 28th April. Then just assessment period after that.

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn Same here. DS finishes lectures two weeks after Easter. There are some exams but they are a few days not eight weeks to end of June!

Well this feels like a scam. Is it wrong that I'm hoping he has to sit actual exams in a hall rather than the online ones he's done so far just so I can get my moneys worth?! 😂

I remember when DS finished his year in halls. Had to move out end of June, new house contract started 5 days later so had to move him out of halls, bring everything home and then five days later drive it all back to Bristol to move into the house. Very annoying. He stayed in halls until the last minute - I think because he started in the height of covid, they all wanted to get the most out of it after exams when restrictions had eased a bit.

Thanks for the messages of sympathy.

Re value for money after Easter, St Andrews don't have an Easter holiday, they have a week off in Feb/March, but teaching finishes 7th April, then there will be a couple of exams before they break for the summer. This year DS1 is doing a dissertation, so only has 1 exam. So will have almost 6 months off before starting in Manchester in the middle of September!

Do the Nottingham people have any advice re parking for DS2? He is visiting his GF at Broadgate Park during half term week (2 nights) and driving up. I assume he will need to park somewhere else, but is there street parking around? Thanks.

That's even worse @Monkey2001 ! When have you booked accommodation until?

I'm not sure about parking at Notts as I've parked in the carparks there just for a max of two hours. I don't think there's going to be any easily available street parking, DS's house for next year is on a main road with no parking and I went on streetview to check the roads behind it and it was all either no parking or residents parking - going to be a nightmare moving him in there!!

Oh, fingers crossed, @Piggywaspushed.

My DD also has only 2 weeks or so of classes after the Easter break, but her rent continues until mid-June. She is planning to stay there with some friends to get value from that rent, and to work on developing her skills. (And maybe a paid job for a bit?)

Her house-hunting has found a small, non-luxury, Private Hall which is split into three-person flats, perfect for existing groups, and is within walking distance of the studios at a reasonable price. Her two intending flatmates are both international students and are trying to sort paperwork in lieu of a UK guarantor, so I'll be relieved when the process is completed!

Sorry to hear of so many worries - like pp it puts my moaning into perspective.
Have any of your DDs (sunny mean to be presumptuous with gilts btw) sold their unworn prom dress? We've realised that now would be a good time to sell but don't know where is a good place to advertise. I've put on fb and a local group but had no interest. I can't imagine people buying without trying it on which limits the advertising?

@NCTDN might be worth trying Vinted?

Fingers crossed the flat all
gets sorted Ok @PhotoDad

Well, I had a chat with DS today, he witnessed some appalling behaviour by fellow students yesterday which has made the national press. We are both a bit shocked. It really harms the reputation of the uni.

I sae that. So horrible. I hope they find out who the perpetrators are and send them down, to be honest. You are right - it absolutely damages the reputation of the university but it also makes me feel sad that people exist nowadays who would have so little respect.

I knew the uni had that sort of reputation but hoped it was largely a thing of the past. Utterly sickening. DS saw the car in question going past from inside a building. It seems weird, I dropped him off there the night before and there wasn't a soul around, total peace and calm on a Sunday evening.