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

I can't see the photos very well (sitting in sunshine) but DS had a fairly bright blue prom suit, he has very blue eyes and it really picked the colour up IYSWIM. He didn't want navy as that was his uniform colour and doesn't really suit grey or black. DS isn't a gym bunny so his still fitted right through 6th form, he needs it for a summer ball this year so needs to try it on again soon.

How about vinted for black tie?

@crazycrofter I would also prefer DS2 to stop getting bigger, but he is entering a powerlifting competition soon and keeps gaining muscle. He is using a big chunk of his pay for personal training with a guy who has won Britain's Strongest Man! He knows what I think of body builders and professional power lifter look, but his GF likes it and his friends and DS1 are all impressed, so my opinion has no impact.😥How many sessions a week is your DS doing?

DDs GCSE 2020 prom gown gathered dust in her wardrobe for two years but was given an airing for A level prom and at a black tie ball in first term at university.
it's a ‘classic style’ (no pun intended 🤣) and will be worn again by her or her friends for ‘black /white tie balls’ over the next few years.
@Piggywaspushed I’d look at the cost of hiring but also consider how many more events he’s likely to wear one- could be cheaper to buy one!

It's about £80 to hire one. I'm not sure he'll ever need it again, except for more balls. If he just gets a black suit...useful for funerals, as I cheerily told him.

Hi everyone, lovely to hear that your chicks are all coming home for Easter. My chick 3 has just left the Galapagos on his boat and has started a 27 day passage to Tahiti 😱😱😱. No phone no internet, won’t hear from him until May. I did speak to him a few times (and got his photos) from the galapagos and he is having a really fabulous time. His photos of him diving in a school of hammerhead and Galapagos sharks is extraordinary. He says the whole trip has been a fantastic experience and he is loving the oceanography work, but probably the best thing is the closeness of the friendships he is making on the boat with other students from all around the world. I have no doubt some will be friends for life. He is about 2/3 through that adventure.
chick 2 is coming to terms with the fact that his year abroad will be over in 5 weeks, and then it is bye bye Los Angeles, which he is sad about. Then has 3 weeks off before starting a great paid internship in London for 12 weeks, so I’m very proud of him for getting that organised from the other side of the world. Of course that leaves me trying to work out where he is going to live for 3 months in London, but I think we have sorted that now.
Chick 4 has done a week on a Spanish trip and now a week skiing, not back until tomorrow, and taken DH with her. I enjoyed the silence for 2 days and then it palled. So thank god for chick 1 who has taken pity on me, ditched London life and arrived home on Wed night for a long Easter weekend! We are off to eat sushi tonight.
happy Easter!

Delphi that all sounds amazing (if not slightly terrifying about your Ds3)! I would have to have a canvas of the shark photo on the wall.

@Delphigirl What amazing adventures!

Hi zanda - I find it a bit scary to be honest! They are so…. Shark-y! And the hammerheads are just bizarre

Thanks @PhotoDad ! Hope your DD is being as creative and talented as ever…

Last heard of making puppets for class. (!) Joining the rest of the family next week in a holiday cottage in SW Scotland, trains permitting.

How exciting Delphi!
@Piggywaspushed that site has black suits for less than £80 and dinner jackets as well. Full DJ suits seem to be more though.

Ooh I love him! Love how the character is focussed in the eyes with the simplicity of his head shape and proboscis setting that off. Fab

@Piggywaspushed www.suitdirect.co.uk/p-occasions-black-regular-fit-tuxedo-jacket-12552

Oh, thanks! I was looking for slim fit as he is so skinny but that looks quite slim fitting.

There's also 30% off atm if you spend over a certain amount. I have bought two to try (the ones I linked earlier) so got the discount. Just hoping that if I return one it won't bump the price of the other one up.

Oh, yeah, they can be sneaky with discounts on returns...

This just in from Cambridge School of Art....

Ds1 got home last night. Loving Delph year abroad antics. Like both suits I'm afraid.

@Delphigirl Galapagos is DS dream destination or barrier reef.

@Piggywaspushed DS got his black tie suit from Next outlet. Wore it again this weekend to a cousin's wedding.

If we're still voting B for a prom. DS 's friends all went bolder than I would have expected.

Great update Delphigirl, hope the night out with chick one went well :)

Wow @Delphigirl what a lot of travel going on in your family! Ds’ voyage sounds amazing!

@Monkey2001 your ds is even further ahead than mine, that does sound serious! Ds tends to do 5/6 sessions a week. He’s only 16 and a half though so I dread to think how much bigger he will get 😱 Like your ds, it seems to win him respect and gives him confidence so my opinion is irrelevant!

@Delphigirl your DSs trip sounds amazing, so glad he’s enjoying it and making good friends.

I can’t believe we’re talking about proms again, feels like five minutes ago we were doing this for our uni lot. DS1 would still fit in his clothes, I think he’s lost weight/bulk if anything, he only weighs 62kg and DS2 weighs 60kg at 15yo and 2.5 inches shorter. Both are skinny minnies but DS2 is definitely much more interested in getting a good physique as all his rowing has started to build noticeable muscle on his skinny frame.

Ahh thanks everyone.
night out with chick one was fab thanks @ealingwestmum 😘

Just popping in to wish everyone a very happy Easter! last yr we went to London to see the Passion play, but this year we seem to have left planning very late. Apart from church tomorrow, i think we'll just be dossing about at home, which is nice in itself.

Hope everyone is having a jolly time!

Dd making me lunch so v happy!