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

Greggs card is always popular!

Comeaway surely a supermarket gift card is best. Any uni search will bring up which local one they all use.

Ds is really struggling with the extra maths, and not having done A'level maths which he's regretted for a while now. I told him to stop dicking around, and face it full on, contact maths tutor. He shouldn't really need mum to point this basic thing out though should he?

That's not a bad idea. Young person is partial to sausage baps and pizza (not together)

Supermarket card might be the safe option though.

I got DS a costa gift card as there's one on campus, thought he could use it to treat himself occasionally without it coming from his living money.

She’s gone off to try and get to Denmark again. Hope it works out this time. Loving the peace, not that she’s noisy.

This young person doesn't drink tea or coffee, I've never known them go to Costa. (my dd would live there if she could.).

I did buy all ds's friends a Spoons card for xmas!

DS doesn't drink tea or coffee but he does like their mango smoothies and they do nice cakes and toasties... mmm.

Spoons is a good call though.

Good luck to your DD @Zebracat !

Good for her Zebra, hope she has a fabulous time!

Hope she gets there and has a great time Zebra

@Comefromaway DB and DSIL gave DD a Spoons card for Xmas (by which I mean DB transferred me £20 and I did everything else). It was much appreciated but she is slightly rueful that she has to go to the bar with it rather than ordering from the table 🧐

Something like that or a Costa/Greggs voucher is good for guilt-free ‘fun’ money, especially if you know what they like. I’d do a supermarket voucher if I thought the student might really struggle financially though.

I think an Amazon voucher is super useful and does not get lost, particularly if done electronically! I find gift cards which have expired when I look for things in DSs' rooms.

Something like that or a Costa/Greggs voucher is good for guilt-free ‘fun’ money, especially if you know what they like. I’d do a supermarket voucher if I thought the student might really struggle financially though.

They very well might, although they plan to work. They worked two jobs through college and are on a gap year. Their family are not in a position to help.

It is great to hear from those who haven't commented for a while.

All this talk of gf/bf's. I don't think ds2 has ever had a gf. He told me women cost too much money and he'd rather just be friends with them. He didn't have one at school and has only talked about the girls in his flat since being at uni. But he probably wouldn't tell me anyway. Ds1 met a girl in the October of his first year at uni. They stayed together through covid but from a distance, once they both returned to uni and returned to seeing each other regularly they broke up. Ds never told me why. That's the only gf he's had. But then my only "serious" bf was Dh. I met him when I was 23. He's 15 years older though, that seems a bit weird now looking back with that age gap 😂

Ds2 just had essays to do over Christmas as his assessments. No exams for history. The marks were between 70% and 73% on all 4 of them. So he's pleased. He was worried as didn't really know how to structure the essays.

@Comefromaway

sausage 🌭baps and pizza 🍕,no no - together. Now ya talking!

I worry about gift cards too. But Greggs sounds like a goodun Best thing might be to make sure they know most unis have bursaries for students from low income families, and that there are other peculiar ones available. and it’s fine to apply.

It may be a new partner moving into the family situation

I think mine would like Doninos or Uber Eats giftcards. He doesn't really use Amazon, I set him up with Student Prime and he has only used it about twice, I have bought masses of giftcards off him over the years. Must remember to ask him if he wants to cancel it now the free 6 months is nearly up. He doesn't use the TV or music either.

Also re Spoons, make sure there is one where he's going, there isn't one where DS is. Greggs is miles out of the way too.

There isn't a Spoons nearby? That's shocking!! I don't think dd would survive

I have just checked, nearest one is 20 mins drive away. There isn't one in the uni town I work in either.

Do struggled with no Spoons and no KFC or Macdonalds on the NYMT residential!

he and all his friends thankfully are in major cities.

The thing my DD would have really appreciated when setting up for uni; a Wilko gift card? (She doesn't drink or like expensive coffee -- can you get gift cards for vintage clothing and furniture?)

Dd looked at the Uber Eats app whilst home (in our new house) and was horrified that there wasn't a single restaurant in delivery distance - it's tragic apparently! She's still not happy we've moved to the countryside!

I'd get a Greggs or Costa gift card I think. Hope dd gets to Denmark @zebracat, she's done really well to cope with that situation.