Thread 50 - Covid GCSE Cohort - New Year of Adulting

[OrangeSpicedBun]

2024 here we are... our young people are still getting used to adulting and we're still doing that adulting thing ...it's tough !

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/4922401-thread-49-covid-gcse-cohort-the-nights-are-drawing-in?page=10

Easiest to get the SIM for the phone and use it as a hotspot for himself, leave the horrible flatmates to sort themselves!

We are not a techy family and don't think he knows what hotspot means!

I'm staying out of it really so they need to do some adulting...

As long as he's got enough data, he just needs to go into his settings and select hotspot on and then the hotspot will come up in his wifi/internet connection options on his laptop/other devices. But I'm sure YouTube will explain it well enough if he's never done it before. And it's one of those things he'll definitely need to know in work life in future, so a good lesson in adulting!

Quiet on here for a few days, hope all are OK.

I parked the camera thing for a few days as it was hectic till DS went back at the weekend and has been quite a busy week but I was out with DD this afternoon in a city we only go to every few months, stopped for a coffee and spotted a camera shop opposite so I went in and had a chat with one of the staff there which was helpful. He was saying the same about either buying an all-in-one which would be cheaper and lighter or a body with changeable lenses which is heavier, more expensive etc. I don't think I'm going to rush into buying one but will keep it on my to-do list for more research.

@EffortlessDistraction Always good to check things out in a shop! For what it's worth, the "all in one" which DD (and I) used for many years was a Panasonic FZ330. Excellent camera, although eventually she wanted to upgrade it...

All quiet here, I've been flat out in bed with a cough/cold for my entire Easter break, and now of course am feeling a bit better ready to go back to work on Monday. DD is spending her birthday weekend staying with a friend, which is lovely.

We have DD at home. Although it feels like she’s come back to get her car serviced, go to the dentist and see her friends. We’ve barely seen her. Although she did go out with DS today (whilst both pretending they didn’t want to do it, and that spending time with each other is the worst thing evah!

DS and I have had a few days in Dubrovnik. Good food, history and the sun shone! Very friendly people.

Oh I love Dubrovnik Sprouts, did you have a good time?

@Oblomov24 Thanks, both of us also loved it. Stayed just outside the walled city on Lapad, overlooking the marina. Did the city for a couple of days, a day island hopping and a lazy day exploring round the peninsula. We were struck by the warmth of the people and their quick humour.

Sounds lovely Eww. Good to also spend some one to one time with him?

All quiet here. DD had her last exam on Friday and nursing a sore head from last night’s Trinity ball. Being a musician for the first set (it’s allegedly the largest student ball in Europe) gave her free access for the whole event. Sounded like my personal idea of hell re volume of students.

She’s home early May, done for the year. Where does the time go.

@ealingwestmum Yes that too. When home DS is usually out playing sport in the evenings so not so much chat. He is good company on holiday as easy going and up for most things.
Can't believe your DD is almost done. She must have been buzzing after playing a set in front of so many!

I think it was more like the gentle warm up as people were arriving Eww, so not the crowd volume of the large well known acts but enjoyable for her nevertheless (think the access to VIP toilets and free bar were the main value ;)

She describes it a little like when school would pimp them out as quartet ensembles for charity raising/open events. She’d say no one really gave a toss but it was pleasant background noise 😂

She sounds multi- talented and grounded. Will go far if she chooses!!

Sorry to hear you've been laid up @PhotoDad hope you're getting better.

It's a bit frustrating when you've been looking forward to them coming home and then they arrive and you hardly see them, DS1 is particularly bad for this a few words snatched in passing and then its time for him to go back a bit. DS2 luckily likes to have a bit of banter which is totally soaked up but this Easter he's been working flat out on assignments. He also completed his internship in London which he thoroughly enjoyed. He got fast tracked to the final interview stage for a summer internship for next yr but had to turn it down as he's already got a placement starting this summer - that was a very difficult choice. Hope you've all had at least some time with them as the holidays draw in.

We're trying to get quotes for a new bathroom which my goodness..is tiring! but will be worth it.

So many people seem to be 'critically' ill. I'm not just talking under the weather but close to death in my circle. I don't know whether it's the age (birthday on Tuesday) we're at or not?. One cousin has been at death's door with something called GERD for at least a yr to the point of being unable to speak on the phone or eat anything, weight down to 39kg! I've been in and out of hosp. Now said cousins brother just been diagnosed with bowel cancer and in hospital as cant speak, friends DD (25yrs) diagnosed with cancer just completed Chemo. Old school mate had a stroke and now doubly incontinent and lost use of limbs. DH's friend got diagnosed with high BP, another had sudden onset of inflammation in every muscle, face swelling etc what in the world is going on?

Jeez Shimy. That’s a lot of dark health news from those around you right now.

But very good to hear of your second boy’s internship going so well, great to have control of the opportunities he’s created for himself.

Yes, this seems to be the case here too @Shimy , DH with his prostate cancer, my friend with cancer, another friend died recently aged 44, another a couple of yrs ago aged 60 following a stroke, one with T2 diabetes, one with high blood pressure, one with such severe arthritis she's having to move to a bungalow aged 60, it is really unnerving. I am making a real effort to increase my exercise and lose weight, I have started walking the local parkrun and have lost a couple of stones but need to lose more and have plateaued.

My two are the other way round to many here, they are very present in my life, DD has just finished two weeks Easter holiday and has not seen any friends her own age, she only socialises with us, a sport club which she goes to with DH and family friends which is lovely but I worry about her being so introverted going forward, the summer is going to hang heavy if she doesn't get a job after A levels. She does have friends at college but seeing them there is enough for her and most live a very long way away. DS and I spend a lot of time together when he's home and have spoken every day since he went back too although he does socialise with friends too. While I love being close I worry about them being so reliant on us.

DS didn't get an interview for the internship he went for, shame but I don't think he fully met all the essential criteria.He will have to consider his summer options too but at least he has two volunteer roles to slot back into if he can't find paid work. One plus of neither of them having huge social lives is that they aren't big spenders.

Dd just back for her summer term (even though it's only a few weeks long). We've only just paid the final instalment of rent yet she could be home in a month! She's chosen to stay and work whilst she has a job down there so at least the flat is in use.
We're now on round two of open days but ds will be looking for a different type of environment to dd. I guess a campus will suit him best.

I've definitely hit the age where everyone round about has poor health news. @EffortlessDistraction well done on the weight that's really impressive. I've lost exactly a stone since start of the year. It had really crept on over the last few years and I've got another stone to lose. It's slow progress! @ealingwestmum sounds like your DD had a great time. Can't believe she's almost done.

@Shimy glad yours enjoyed the internship and sorry to hear your DS didn't get his summer one @EffortlessDistraction . DS did his mini remote law one last week and said it was worthwhile but law is not for him! He has applied to RAF for when he finishes so will see how that goes! He's applied for a huge amount of summer internships and has nothing yet that actually pays. I worry if he did get something in London as it just not affordable for us. Just wait and see I suppose. It may just be working and being at home if nothing transpires. I do like him being home though - he's v easy company and we all get on really. I miss him hugely when he's away.

He's finished draft 1 of extended essay which goes in on 23rd and then he is supervised on that this term. Then he has one week coursework essay. Then exams late May. He's used to minimum essay a week so this term will be v different. He's got next year's dissertation topic signed off too. I think he finishes about 20 June.

We'd like a few days away in September @EwwSprouts so will have a look at Dubrovnik. DS is lovely to take on holiday but it just depends on summer work. DH and I are off to Lanzarote two weeks today. First solo holiday since 2002!

Hope you're feeling better @PhotoDad

DD is heading back today. She got back later than expected last night. Apparently they witnessed a fight outside the local kebab shop, and had to hang around and give a police statement. She was out with the friends she made whilst lifeguarding during sixth form. Which fortunately meant that they all knew first aid and were able to resuscitate the bloke who briefly stopped breathing (I gather this was actually the boys she was out with rather than her). So all in all an eventful evening. I hope she’s not too tired, as she’s driving 300 miles today.

It’s always impressive when YP can support each other and keep calm under those conditions OB so well done to her and her friends for applying their skills learnt through LG.

Well done to your DD @OublietteBravo

Wow @OublietteBravo I think my dd wouldn't have had a clue!
Hope all those and their friends with illnesses are coping x

My DS goes back today to finish his dissertation, then 3 exams and then that's his 4 years done. He doesn't appear to have applied for any jobs yet, so hope he doesn't miss the graduate entry job opportunities - he needs that to complete his professional qualification (surveying). Looks like he will be moving back here which I'm not entirely looking forward too....
DD goes back on Thursday. She has worked most of the school holiday at the Holiday Club, which after the initial shock of an 8.30 start I think she enjoyed. She borrowed DHs car and has been driving herself which has made it much easier. She has also done a far but of uni work and been socialising with 'home' friends.
We've even managed to find a week when the whole family is free over the summer so hoping to have a (probably last) family holiday.

We have got a family holiday in Scotland planned for July, we were meant to be going with my parents but DF really isn't up to it following a heart attack before Christmas so we are going just the four of us. We have holidayed in the same place most years of the DCs lives (it is where Dmum comes from). Other than that nothing planned, we've never gone away without both DCs, or them without us apart from scout camps etc. It is tricky to plan at the moment because they may or may not be working and as neither drive yet are still fairly dependent on us for lifts, also really not sure how the travel insurance is going to work out with DH having untreated cancer . I think a possible last minute booking somewhere else in the UK after A level results day (DD having a gap year so no clearing) is our best bet. We also need to start planning more open days in Sept for DD who wants to apply this year but no idea where or for what yet.

Dd has just arrived in Rome with a friend, just a short break but dubious timing I think, with coursework to do and exams coming up. She does love seeing new places though!

She went the whole of the last week without seeing any friends, 2 days at work and three supposedly studying, but she said it was very boring so jumped at the chance of a sleepover on Friday with a couple of old camp friends.

i feel a bit sad that others do so much stuff with their kids still - ours have been friend-orientated for years now. They’re happy to chat when they’re at home or in the car though and they might come on holiday with us this year, but only if we go abroad! Dd has already booked holidays to Albania, Corfu, Italy and Malta (none of them costing more than £150!) as well as a Christian festival/conference, working as a junior officer on a kids camp, Wireless Festival and working at Reading. So we will see her in short bursts over the summer!