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

Love the photos..I need to get over to the IoW to do some red squirrel nutkin spotting!

Love the photos of the red squirrels! they've taken me back over a decade ago when ds2 was simply obsessed with them. I mean talked nonstop about red squirrels and how grey squirrels were infecting them with disease and they were about to become extinct yadda yadda yadda! It got so much I decided to take him to see a red squirrel and we did a day trip to Bronwnsea Island.

When we got off the boat it was chucking down with the rain to the extent we could barely see let alone find a red squirrel but we persevered, in the end we spotted some hiding under branches and ds was delighted. They're beautiful little creatures, thanks for posting that pic.

@OrangeCinnamonLatte I was talking to some friends about the IOW yesterday and we have decided to go on a day trip next month (we all have Fridays off work), drive to Gunwharf or Southsea catch the catamaran or hovercraft (I love the latter) and have a day pottering around Ryde. My squirrel was spotted at Quarr Abbey near Fishbourne.

@PhotoDad /@EasilyDirected : gorgeous photos! We are heading up to Scotland this summer and hoping for some good red squirrel action! We were down in the SW last week and had the most incredible close up view of a couple of kestrels hanging on the cliff edge so low - we were wishing for a decent camera (Ds has it and left it up at uni).

Lovely holiday and both dc got on well - lovely to see them together. He’s just headed back up and the house feels very quiet!

and what a lovely update @ZandathePanda : thanks for keeping us updated and so lovely to read!

Oh, whereabouts in Scotland, @Isthisjustnormal? Could probably recommend (or warn away from) some nature reserves. Love squirrels! DD is mainly a bird enthusiast so jealous of kestrels.

It was DD's birthday today, and (per request) it was very low-key, we watched a favourite classic TV show, plus some of the new David Attenborough, and cooked her a meal as requested from our repertoire. She's back to uni on the train tomorrow lunchtime, it's been lovely to see her.

About to run DD to the station! While she's been home she's put the finishing touches to the puppet for a uni assignment (of course, she went OTT and hand-sewed clothes for him), and also done another illustration for her own story-cycle. Her ideal goal is to illustrate children's books, especially folk-stories (but beggars can't be choosers). Click to see the whole thing!

@PhotoDad I often wish Mumsnet had a "like" function for posts of your DD's art. Love the passion and the style.

Wow @Photodad I love the storybook illustration & that puppet is so brilliantly quirky.
@Zandathepanda it's wonderful to hear how your daughter is recovering, after such a difficult time for you both.
How are all the A level students doing?
I can't believe Dd2 has her first exam in May. Time seems to be speeding up as I get older, or maybe I'm just on a hamster wheel.....Has anyone firmed yet?

Hi @Cantonet DD not doing much A level revision here. She tells me she hadn't finished the content in any subject yet. She has six out of nine exams before half term too 😱 She's firmed Aberystwyth and her exact room is booked. Her mind is on Prom dresses and her return to Ghana. Oh, and a Harry Styles concert in a week with four exams 🤦

@PhotoDad I love your DD's storybook illustration especially, and the craftsmanship on the puppet is impressive!

That illustration looks ready to go into a book. Is she drawing for a particular story she has in mind?

She's got her priorities right then @mummyinbeds 😂. DD has been spending a lot of time looking for a columnar white silk slip dress for her Grad. Ball. She's now ordered a vintage one from US eBay. What's the betting it doesn't arrive on time 🤷 It took Dh months two years ago to get refunded for the 5 US dresses she ordered for the last ball.

@PhotoDad , absolutely love the Story cycle illustration, that's amazing! I'm always jealous of creative types.

Haven't been on this thread for ages, would need all day to catch up on all the chat!

DS heads back to Uni tomorrow. I'm taking him as he's got a ridiculous amount of clothing (and shoes ) and we can do a big shop which with top ups should hopefully last him the 5 weeks before he's back for the long summer break. Reading Uni isn't great for supermarket locality, next year will be much easier as he's planning on taking his own car to Uni so will be able to use it to drive to Asda.

DS has gone back today. I liked having him around- not least for bin days, going to get the paper, and dishwasher emptying.... but also my daily hug.

He ahs gone back with black suit now purchased form Next. To be fair to Burton once I sent photos of all the confusing tags, they refunded immediately.

@ZandathePanda Fabulous update.

@PhotoDad Love the squirrel photos. We've enjoyed a few holidays in Scotland where wildlife has enhanced the experience.
Does your DD follow https://twitter.com/mrjamesmayhew/status/1647499019789246464 ? Really brightens the day.

DS has a 12 month rental contract from July. They have to let the landlord have access for cleaning/minor works in the first two weeks. DS will be here for the summer as needs to earn some money and save it.

We're just back from a few days in France. Glorious weather but ouch the exchange rate.

DS is going back this evening, he's been out with friends this afternoon as it was the only time they could all make, DH is driving him back, he's just finishing packing. Will miss him but it won't be long till he's back again.

we’ll be on mull @PhotoDad : it’s a delayed holiday as it was ds’s promised post-GCSE holiday to see eagles! All recommendations but esp
wildlife related for that part of the world very welcome! I’m hoping to spot otters which are my personal fav!

love the story cycle illustration too: I can just imagine it in a kids book!

@mummyinbeds your dd sounds just like mine last year, including the Harry Styles concert! Choosing the prom dresses (2 proms at different schools) took up all her energy for several weeks… I couldn’t believe she plumped for two unexciting black dresses in the end!

Dd still has two weeks left at home. She’s got some shifts in the warehouse and is focusing on selling clothes on Vinted and seeing friends. No sign of any uni work being done yet..

I love that illustration @PhotoDad !

Thanks, all... DD's story cycle (about 15-20 tales) is all in her head but slowly being written down as novellas. (As you do.) She is still so happy that she gets to do what she would normally do, but it's all for the course. Although grumbly that a compulsory "half-module" next year is an interdisciplinary group project (teamwork yadda yadda employability...)

@Isthisjustnormal Been to Mull just the once, and it was amazing. We saw otters on the foreshore where we were staying! It's a surprisingly big island, my recommendation would be to pay for a guided wildlife tour one day (several companies available, they take you around in a minivan and point things out). And also book a boat trip out to Lunga (although it's not cheap; it's an all day sort of thing) to get incredibly close to puffins.

I also wanted to ask: Ds is getting stressed out by getting those tv licence chasing letters: they are saying that he’s scheduled for an enforcement visit. He doesn’t have a tv or watch live tv, but it’s stressing him out. Any advice on the easiest way to get them off his back?

They are scary, aren't they? It was the very first letter DD received at uni and she was freaked out by it. Webform here to say "no, don't need a licence..."
https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/telling-us-you-dont-need-a-tv-licence

Been catching up with everyone’s news, so good to hear all seem to be moving forward.

DD has been home 2 weeks and has another week here to relax before going back. Time seems to be flying by so quickly. It’s been lovely having her home especially as I’ve had some time off too.

Thanks @PhotoDad : we went through that form on screen share with Ds - hopefully that’ll sort it out and we won’t get any more scaries!

DD off on uni ski trip. Snow fab and rest of family v. envious! She took 3 bags of pasta and one of porridge plus 4 cans of beans - all in her carry on as she was scared she’d be over the weight allowance!

@Isthisjustnormal DS got totally freaked by those letters too, his came in the first couple of weeks at uni. He brought them home, we went through to make 100% sure he was legal (he occasionally uses his tablet to watch but that is covered under our licence so long as it's not connected to the mains). I don't think he actually filled in the form but he has only had the two letters and no visits. The letters are really intimidating.

@crazycrofter I remember you saying about your DD and the Harry Styles concert last year when I had to go with DD (and secretly thought it was amazing) She's going to have to rush off straight from an exam to get there and then she has an exam the next day. No talking her out of it. I think I'll end up driving her and her friend there just to ensure they get back in time.

@KingscoteStaff I remember living on porridge on my uni ski trips, packed inside my ski boots. I bet she's having the time of her life😁 I met DH on one such trip in my first year, just saying 🤣