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Original poster

Thread 48- Covid GCSE Cohort - Summer before Year 2 Uni

961 replies

Oblomov23 · 25/08/2023 20:39

Summer ending. Year 2 for many at Uni about to start.

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 :
old thread 47

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

...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, an...

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/parents_of_adult_children/4842562-thread-47-covid-gcse-cohort-summers-running-away-from-us?latest=1

OP posts:
Thread gallery
17
crazycrofter · 07/10/2023 18:01

Really pleased dd is doing so much better this year @heifer, sounds like she’s found a balance that works for her. Dd is also very happy in her house, she’s found a church she really likes (she went to a ladies breakfast there this morning!) and has only been ‘out out’ once this week! She also went to CU on Tuesday and has been going to the gym every day which is good for her.

@Piggywaspushed hope he’s not feeling too low. Are they not inviting him out or is he choosing not to go? Fingers crossed he finds some new friends over the next few weeks.

Piggywaspushed · 07/10/2023 18:25

Not sure. I think he is choosing not to go.

mummyinbeds · 07/10/2023 20:40

DS Nottingham timetable update!! He now has a timetable with all his modules on it. However, all his French classes clash with law lectures. How hard can it be. He's not doing joint honours. It's a fixed degree programme. The delay in sorting his registration also means he's still waiting for his student loan. Nothing ever seems to go smoothly for him 🫤

Shimy · 07/10/2023 20:48

@mummyinbeds So sorry to hear your DS is having a hard to with uni admin. Since it's a fixed degree programme it will no doubt affect a lot of students so perhaps there's some consolation in that, that it will get picked up & sorted quickly.

PhotoDad · 07/10/2023 20:56

Some lovely updates here! Sorry about continued problems (@mummyinbeds , @Piggywaspushed most recently).

EwwSprouts · 07/10/2023 21:20

@Piggywaspushed It sounds positive that he has done some stuff and is talking with you regularly (allowing for broken signals). I hope the others are being thoughtful in the day to day interactions.

@Heifer's hospital admin and @mummyinbeds DS's timetabling team seem to have been trained by the same person!

Original poster
Oblomov23 · 07/10/2023 23:45

Sorry to hear of timetabling issues mummy. Glad Piggy ds is doing good.

Ds1 popped home today unexpectedly. He's fine, liking the beautiful high tech glass office, says the office food is superb and subsidised? So incredibly cheap and fabulous and he's eating there often twice a day. London gym expensive. He's very busy with loads of audit work, so he's pleased, whereas some of his friends who chose general audit rather than his particular section have got practically no work to do, haven't been given any clients, so he's happy. I'm so very pleased. I think he misses Notts though and is looking forward to getting back to it in Jan.

OP posts:
BlueMarigold · 08/10/2023 07:37

Hi sorry I haven’t been on here much. I haven’t really got much to say. Same as last year. A week in and DD got sick. She’s a bit better now.

Looking at unis for younger DD so been doing uni trips at weekends

EwwSprouts · 08/10/2023 07:44

@Oblomov23 Super update. I would imagine at 19 it initially felt quite intimidating.

@BlueMarigold There's a lot to be said for steady! What subject does your younger DC wish to study?

BlueMarigold · 08/10/2023 08:03

@EwwSprouts she wants to do Maths.

BlueMarigold · 08/10/2023 08:05

DD1 in Birmingham has no signal or WiFi so I get the odd text. Last one said she’s still coughing a lot but feeling better.

EwwSprouts · 08/10/2023 08:35

@BlueMarigold No signal in a large city is a bit rubbish. Hopefully she is well on the mend. Oh wow maths, that's a competitive one. DS has a flatmate doing maths and he has the busiest timetable of them all. Any early front runners among universities?

BlueMarigold · 08/10/2023 08:45

@EwwSprouts we looked at Warwick because it has a good reputation and looked at Lincoln because we liked it so much for DD1. Warwick wants AAA* and recommends doing STEP, TMUA or MAT tests. It’s a bit early to know but that seems a bit hard. So two unis with very different requirements but without knowing what her predictions will be it’s hard to know what to do. She hasn’t done any assessments yet.

EversoDetermined · 08/10/2023 09:12

My DD went to Southampton open day yesterday and liked it but Lincoln is still her favourite, however she doesn't plan to apply this year as she still isn't sure about subjects. She is thinking psychology at the moment but I'm a bit concerned about the grade requirements TBH as she's only just made that switch from chemistry to Eng Lit. However her confidence seems to have improved, chemistry was dragging her down that's for sure.

Delphigirl · 08/10/2023 09:19

Great update @oblomov, I’m delighted for him (and you!)

Monkey2001 · 08/10/2023 11:39

Lots of lovely updates. Love the artwork, hope it was cathartic.

AoC how was the visit? Sounds like it was a very good thing she took a gap year; if she is feeling anxious this year, it could have been much worse last year.

Piggy hope that is boy-speak for "I'm OK".

Agree it is funny how DC all turn out, including how different siblings can be, when I blame my poor parenting for various things about DS1, I am encouraged to realise DS2 finds it much more natural to be thoughtful, and I don't think we did anything differently. I guess they will be influenced by friends, but it is fascinating how innately different they are. I am sure that mine would not do drugs, although both tried cannabis at school. No tattoos and DS2 barely drinks, DS1 mainly drinks to feel comfortable socialising, so I think I got off lightly. I discovered that DS2's services are live streamed, so enjoyed the eucharist this morning (@PhotoDad you will understand as it was the Byrd 4 part mass - lovely!)

handmademitlove · 08/10/2023 12:20

@BlueMarigold my DD is doing maths at York if you want any info 🙂

BlueMarigold · 08/10/2023 12:46

@handmademitlove that would be amazing I will PM you

AnneOfCleavage · 09/10/2023 08:46

Thanks crazy, Shimy and Monkey. Our visit went amazingly and she seemed her normal self thankfully. Her flatmates blow hot and cold so she's finding that pretty tough. Definitely agree that the gap year was a godsend.
I think she needs to branch out and not compartmentalise herself to just hanging out with the flat students. I feel she thinks she needs to keep loyal to them as they live together and 3 of them do her course.

Can't believe reading on WIWIKAU that students are already being encouraged to look at 2nd year houses. Surely the early friendships change considerably so by the time they live together things may have drastically changed!

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 09/10/2023 09:26

@AnneOfCleavage choosing 2nd year houses in early October? Well that's a disaster waiting to happen!

AnneOfCleavage · 09/10/2023 09:30

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn well exactly. That's my thinking Confused

Heifer · 09/10/2023 12:58

Great to hear from your @BlueMarigold sorry your DD is poorly. Did she enjoy 1st Year in Birmingham? How is she finding the Biology course?

Nottingham Lenton folk. How are your DD/DS getting to uni from Lenton? Did they buy a buss pass? walking? Jubilee Hooper bus?

@Monkey2001 that must be loving watching via live stream.

@Piggywaspushed sounds like a good idea not to socialise with them tbh, did he go out and about with anyone else last year? Did he enjoy his friend from Warwick coming to visit or is that yet to come?

mummyinbeds · 09/10/2023 14:46

@Heifer DS has walked in from Lenton, used the bus (but not the free one🤦) but his preferred option seems to be to stay in bed and watch lectures online. We've had words this morning and then I immediately felt guilty as I know he's struggling with sleep.
Tell me more about the bus pass....

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 09/10/2023 15:10

@Heifer DS walks in also, it's about 2km as the crow flies from his house.

Cranmer · 09/10/2023 18:24

My son is in his second year and had an email from their letting agent to confirm whether or not they wanted to keep the house for the 3rd year. Most of his house are going on a year abroad and in order to keep the house the majority (3 out of 5) have to stay. They have until the 16th October to find new housemates to replace the 3/5 going abroad. It is ridiculous and very stressful. Letting agents should be banned from making tenancy contracts before April for the new university year.

In London, you don't sort out accommodation until a few months before. Why is it 10-11 months elsewhere?