Thread 45 GCSE Covid Cohort - Bunnies bouncing into Spring

[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

previous thread

@AnneOfCleavage Dd will be on the Chichester Campus-I think it's only "Triple threat" of the musical theatre ones which is on the Bognor one. I think there's buses between them so I can see dd heading down to the beach at Bognor when it's sunny.
I'm hoping that dd has worked out that doing Musical Theatre at uni doesn't just involve sitting around talking about various musicals and performing them. she tells me she does know that-I'm just not sure it's actually sunk into her brain that there might be an teeny bit of work involved too.

Yes, my username is from Thursday's Child/Far to Go by Noel Streatfeild. I collect children's books-which was another plus for Bogner as there were lots of charity shops.

(((Hugs))) to @ZandathePanda . I remember what your dd was going through from the older one's uni thread. Hope everything goes as well as possible and she gets to uni next year with no problems at all.

Gosh @ZandathePanda that is one unpleasant roller coaster you are all on. I hope the specialists have come to a consensus so that your DD does not feel the responsibility of the decision is solely on her. It's a shame her friends have not all been super supportive, that's hard on a teenager. I have everything crossed for you. Your privacy will be respected.

Hi zanda. I was only thinking about you the other day. What an ordeal you've all had . Sending enormous Piggy unmumsnetty hugs.

@ZandathePanda I haven’t heard your dd’s story before. What a brave young lady she sounds. Sending every good wish to her and you all, I can only imagine what an ordeal this must have been for her and you.

@ZandathePanda Oh my goodness! I'm relatively new to the thread, and can only add my good wishes to those of everyone else.

@ZandathePanda your daughter has been through so much. You all have as a family. I really hope her uni dreams come true.

DS has an exam tomorrow, so true to form he just told DD he was too busy to talk as he's having an Xbox session with his old school friend (who is already home for Easter) 🤷

And in other news DD has finally pressed the UCAS button. It's taken a while to get her head round turning down two RG offers but her heart is in Aberystwyth. She says if she aces her exams she can always take a year out and reapply. She wants to apply to do Race Around the World 😂

Wishing you and dd all the best @ZandathePanda , what a gruelling and frightening ordeal for all of you. She sounds very brave and determined; I hope the decision on which way to go is clear cut once you hear the experts’ views.

Well done to dd @mummyinbeds for going against the grain and making the best decision for her.

Blimey @ZandathePanda that is an ordeal and a half, for you all. Thinking of you all.

Welcome back Zanda. Long journey still ahead I know, but huge respect for keeping it all together against such a tough few years for you all.

Wow Zanda what a time for you all! You sound like you have amazing resilience and well done to your dd for her uni place in sep. I can imagine the temptation to just wrap her up in cotton wool and keep her at home must be overwhelming. Is she going far?
It certainly puts my moaning into perspective. Good luck for the surgery decisions.

Also @ZandathePanda if you do want rl support, then I'm sure one of us must be nearby as we seem to be spread round the country.

I know your name @ZandathePanda but this is the first I've heard about your DD. What an ordeal for you all but how marvellous DD is starting her Uni journey this Sept - what an amazing young lady. Are you happy to share which Uni and course?

Well done on @mummyinbeds's DD on pressing the button. I noticed on WIWIKAU that student account offers generally open in August so we will wait for special offers then. Everyone keeps raving about the Santander deal of a free 16-25 railcard of last year but I'm sure the £100 from HSBC (also last year) is the better offer but we'll see...

Yes there is a bus between the two campus's @MargaretThursday which is so useful and the beach is literally 5 min walk from the Bogna campus. I loved your expectation v reality picture you painted re the MT course :-) I remember how much work went into GCSE drama and Dance and then A level Dance with DD. She's contemplating taking her LAMDA grade 8 medal solo M T exam this summer and has entered some competition festivals but this year for the first time as an adult so hope they'll be kind still. Eek!!

Welcome back @ZandathePanda I hope your girl gets where she wants to be. ❤

Welcome @MargaretThursday and @AnneOfCleavage I know Chi Uni very very well and lots who work there, happy to be your emergency local contact if needed.

Apparently the MT department had the guy from Outlander in the other day. My friend was spitting as she only found out after the event and she really a big big fan.

There are no clubs in Chichester and only a couple in Bognor...don't forget Butlins is there too. They have a little spa you can pay day entry for ...ever so cheap.
Buses to the Witterings too for sandy beach days.

@MargaretThursday there is a lovely bookshop in Chichester called Kim's Bookshop. It is very narrow and packed to the rafters with old books.

Well.done to @mummyinbeds Dd. Didn't our King go to Aberystwyth? 😉

I've been thinking a lot about Unis for next stage for Dd (PGCE or SCITT) there really are some that are very well known for teaching. I've had experience of Portsmouth, Chichester and Winchester over the years and all really do have excellent education departments. I only know this through my previous roles /studies there really needs to be some kind of Intel that is not centred around student surveys and statistics but real knowledge about course content, placements and how employers regard the graduates.

Sending prayers and hugs for @ZandathePanda

Not much happening here. DD1 home for Easter bit of course she’s not feeling well so has been in bed since she got home. DD2 is getting ready for GCSES.

@ZandathePanda - so sorry to hear about everything your poor DD has been going through. Thinking of you all and welcome back.

@MargaretThursday - big Noel Streatfeild fan here as well. I was obsessed with White Boots as a child!

@ZandathePanda lovely to hear from you again. Your poor DD (and you) have been through so much. Wishing you both all the best - she sounds very determined! Always feel welcome to offload here 💐

@AnneOfCleavage DD had a rotten start last year being permanently ill for most of the first term, she didn't get on with a flat (13 people was just too much for her) and not enjoying her course. The one element of her course that she did enjoy came from the course she will be studying in September - archeology, anthropology and history of art. It's something completely new to her so 🤞. She starts a summer job after Easter at one of the London museums which will fit very nicely!
She lived UEA and Norwich, hence the desire to swap courses. She got them to agree to a suspension of studies, so is still registered as a student, and counts as a returner for accommodation purposes. UEA are very keen for 2/3 year students to continue living on campus and offer them early bookings in February so she already has a room confirmed in accommodation opposite campus in a much smaller flat, in a quieter area. I think she has matured a lot since last September (very young in her year) and she is now really excited to restart so hoping for better things this time round!

Glad dd is excited to restart @Seeline and it’s great that she’s been able to separate out the things she did like from the main issues. Some young people would have given up on the idea of uni completely or at least thought UEA was the issue. I’m sure she’ll settle more quickly this Sept as she knows the lie of the land and where everything is.

Dd is going slightly mad with travel plans for the summer! The latest is she’s visiting a friend in Spain after exams and they’re going to take the opportunity to visit Morocco while they’re there! She’s already got a visit to another friend in France booked in, as well as holidays in Croatia and Portugal and two festivals. I hope she’ll find some time to work and pay for all this!

Top tip is that she’s switched her bank account to NatWest to take advantage of their offer - £200 if you deposit £1250. She’s moved some money temporarily out of her trust fund.

Wow! Thank you so much @OrangeCinnamonLatte that is so kind of you to offer and I will be very grateful to accept.
I love the idea of a spa and the town of Chichester sounds right up my street with its quirky bookshops and theatre culture. Yes the Butlins is a couple of minutes up from the Bogna campus and DD had wondered if there may be some jobs going but until she starts her course and knows how busy she'll be it's not a priority to know yet :-)

@seeline I totally agree with you as DD is also a summer born and just didn't feel ready for Uni straight from school and this gap year has been perfect for her. How wonderful your DD has found her perfect course and the upfront accommodation is a stress now avoided. We're hoping to hear next month as DD gets her first choice apparently. Fingers crossed it's true.
Her new job sounds brilliant too. Congratulations!

@craggyrat White Boots was a fave here too and the Gemma series and The Painted Garden too. Oh and Wintle's Wonders with Dulcie Pulcie ha-ha.

That is a very good offer @crazycrofter.

@AnneOfCleavage - ditto Gemma and I loved the Painted Garden!

@ZandathePanda what an awful time you have had, but great to hear how well you have all coped.

Another Noel Streatfield fan here. Loved White Boots, Gemma, Tennis Shoes but Ballet Shoes was read to shreds!

@ZandathePanda oh my goodness, the strength you have found. I so hope that the decision proves straightforward. My girl had a mental health isssue and came home at Christmas. We don’t know what she will be doing yet. She’s better and looking for a job, but does have the option to start again at Uni in September.
Quite apart from all the worry about health, it is quite difficult to be off the normal progression of school and Uni. But they are young, they have time.
We also have a grandaughter, almost 2, who has been having major seizures. Just had a barrage of tests and waitingfor results. We have been told no tumour though, so that was 1 big nasty crossed off the list. It is ghastly💐

Thanks to everyone - woken up to all these nice messages making me cry. We are not particularly keeping it together just trying to get through. She is amazing (after a 8 mark remark on a paper she got 3Astars!) but doesn’t want to be. She wants to be normal and not have the constant ‘buzz’ in her head as there’s part that’s firing constantly the drs said. She is so tired and medicated up. Very luckily there’s a good BA in the nearest city so she’ll be going there. She will be identifiable so I don’t want to name - although I know a couple could offer support- thank you xx

We feel pretty helpless but one thing that I am active on is the feminism board under a different name. I am an ex biology teacher and have worked in lots of schools. Dd had in ‘her plan’ to go into the girls toilets (which has the gaps under the doors). If she collapsed in the toilet it would be noticed - she gets confused before seizures so a cord in a disabled loo is useless. It’s not just 1 in 100 that are epileptics, years ago as a student I was clubbing and a girl’s arm was sticking out of a toilet door gap. My friends shimmed over and opened the door. She was blue, vomit all around her and unconscious but alive. I thought it was too much alcohol/drugs? An ambulance took her away and we kept dancing. But I started thinking of her recently and how the fashion to make school toilets unisex with full height doors is a risk to so many people. So if you find a toilet thread I am probably on it! And bear in mind our situation it you ever are in a decision role. When your on a constant state of alert, little things make life easier.

I feel sorry for my other Dd who has had a lot of ‘standard’ problems that she has had to minimise but still needs help on, as well the guilt of doing stuff her little sis can’t do. What this thread gave me is taking me back to a normal reality. Some of your young adults are facing big challenges too.

One tip I can give you now is video absolutely everything, including the state of each side of the mattress, going into 2nd year! State of oven, yard weeds, the washing machine drawer etc. Never overestimate how low landlords can go when you leave a property. And make sure your child is allocated ‘water’ rather than gas/elec when allocating bills. Very much less hassle!

You’ll also find me on good crappy tv threads (waves at Piggy) which keep us going!