Thread 47- Covid GCSE Cohort - Summer's running away from us!

[OrangeCinnamonLatte]

...it will be Christmas before we know it.

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). 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 https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/parents_of_adult_children/4792342-thread-46-gcse-covid-cohort-searching-for-summer-solstice

@craggyrat so very sorry to hear this craggy. How are you bearing up atm, it is still very early days, presumably only close family currently know?

Haven't heard from ds1 about exam results yet. I've just text him. Throws toasty blanket over those already on the re-sit bench.

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn, so glad ds had a good time at the London the Weeknd concert. I did too. Took ds2. (I actually really really seriously missed ds1 at that time, for the first time ever, so text him to tell him so - because I'd bought a ticket for him and it was such a special experience, that I know ds1 would've loved, and I know he too knows all the lyrics to most songs, so it suddenly pained me that he wasn't there).

Sorry your ds missed last train home, but not surprised, as there were train strikes on Saturday. We left one song early. Good job we did, because many other people had the same idea, (there was 80,000 at the concert!). we only just managed to get on the tube at Stratford before they started restricting people. People were queuing and the tubes were packed. Jubilee tube to Waterloo couldn't move but just glad to be actually on a tube. When we got to Waterloo loads of Cancelled trains. And No more trains planned in the next hour . Got on train. Got a seat. Packed. No room. People shouting at eachother. Arguments. Got quite nasty. Got home at midnight. Pleased it all went so well.

Since then I still can't get over it. Sorry to keep harping on about it to you lot, but I'm a bit surprised that I can't get over it! The concert was just amazing and he - the Weeknd - Abel Tesfaye was just amazing, such a showman. The crowd sang all his songs word for word, which is just the ultimate flattery to the artist, as did Ds2 and I, sang our hearts out, both lost our voices. I've been playing his songs and clips constantly since. I just can't get over it.

I've seen some other fab groups, as I'm sure you lot have. With Dh I've seen some of them. He saw loads of good concerts before he met me : Rolling Stones, Queen, Michael Jackson, Wham. He's bemused by my reaction to the Weeknd concert and thinks I'm totally dodally.

He thinks I'm doolally!

Ah that's lovely @Oblomov23 . I don't really go to gigs any more (my DC aren't interested and DH tends to prefer small, folk music type things), theatre is more my thing now, but we went to see James on their recent tour as they were huge favourites of mine in the late 80s and had a fabulous time. I also have happy memories of seeing The Jam, Queen at Wembley in 1986, David Bowie a few years later, The Smiths. I must admit I don't listen to much contemporary music though (never heard of the Weeknd ).

I think you and my DS would get on fabulously @Oblomov23 ! 😄 he got the train there at 12.30 to make sure he was at the front of the standing area and was most upset that VIP tickets got let in first but he still was right up there singing everything and took some amazing videos. Those trains sound horrendous, we only live just outside the M25 but he didn’t get in til around 1am. He’s very into his music and goes to gigs regularly, and if that means going on his own then so be it - he’s there for the vibe with everyone else.

Thanks @Oblomov23 - have pretty much told everyone! I like things to be out there so people understand why I might be a bit off it. I only have my step mother who I'm friendly with but not close although she has been through the same. I never see my brother and my parents died many years ago. Have got good friends and good work friends and DH has lovely parents who live 5 minutes away

@craggyrat take care 
@Monkey2001 love those photos!
@AnneOfCleavage where did you stay in Austria? We're off there in a fortnight. DH is horrified at the prospect of a sound of music tour but I really want to do it.

@EversoDetermined I went (with dd) to see James recently! I've really got back into them recently.

@craggyrat - take care

@Monkey2001 we went to Iceland for our honeymoon 27 years ago and loved it. Really wanted to go back for our silver anniversary but covid ... Jealous of your puffin viewing - the only ones I saw were on menus 😲

@DD is getting into gigs - I went with her to a very small one a couple of months back and had a fantastic evening. Haven't been to one in years. DH is very much into classical rather than pop, although we did go to the Freddie Mercury tribute concert which was amazing.

@crazycrofter I played Laid again recently, I used to love that album so much.

So lovely to hear you got so much out of the concert Oblomov! I have to admit, my following Bowie around in my youth was a bit of an obsession, and no concert to date has beaten Live Aid. But I can’t do festivals now; portaloo days are behind me. I panic if I can’t find a decent ladies wherever I go, often doing a reccie ahead of committing to go out 😂

Haha @ealingwestmum I'm the same! Couldn't do a festival, but I can manage not to go from say 7-11pm as long as I've had no cups of tea during the day!

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn that's a good one! I really like some of the stuff they've done in the last 10-15 years too.

I first saw them in 1985 supporting The Smiths, they were complete unknowns and absolutely blew us away. Great memories.

It's funny how the support act can do that - I remember something similar, got free tickets to go and see U2 and much preferred their support, The Killers.
Also heard the Stereophonics for the first time when they were supporting Gorky's.

Ds text to say he passed, average 66%.

That's fantastic @Oblomov23 Well done him!

Fab news @Oblomov23 ! Do they work on average scores to judge the year or all the scores individually? Not that I'm being hopeful or anything.. 😀

I found this @JustHereWithMyPopcorn

ug-regs-flow-chart (nottingham.ac.uk)

Hi NCTDN I have just sent you a private message re Austria 🙂

Fab news for DS on a great pass @Oblomov23 👏

No idea Popcorn. I don't know how it works. Fortunately I don't need to know for his Notts year 1! (Phew) Plus his course might be different? because he had to do some general work, some exams eg extra maths to compensate for not doing A'level maths. But others of his papers were ACA accountancy equivalent papers that give him exemptions, ie part of his ACA Qualified Accountant qualification. So his might be a bit different to some of you others?

Well done to Oblomov jr and all those passing Yr1 so well, and good luck to those on the resits bench. Thankfully I don't need to worry this year as DS's place on his new course is secure either way, but he says he's not going to look, so I assume he thinks he failed Yr1. Here's to second chances 🍻

Yes it does sound different @Oblomov23 oh well, glad he's through though.

@singingstones glad to hear your DS's place is safe too. 🍻

Sorry, I missed this - how on earth do you find these things @crazycrofter ? I'm very glad you did though as that might mean he's OK. Fingers crossed!

My DSs would be horrified by the idea of going to a non-classical concert with either of us!

One more of DS's photos from last night. Taken on his phone through binoculars as he does not have a camera or telephoto lens. He has amazing videos too. A surreal experience!

Very cool @Monkey2001 !

Wow, @Monkey2001! Get him a camera. 😀And congrats to @Oblomov23 DS and others.

Possibly off to a wildlife reserve today with DD, but also want to continue a long-running boardgame with DS. Could do both if they're awake at reasonable times. Off down to London tomorrow for the weekend, meeting some visiting American friends. Have tickets booked for various museums including the Rossetti exhibition at Tate Britain as both DD and I are big pre-Raphaelite fans!