Thread 51 - Covid GCSE Cohort - Summer 24 - End of Uni Yr 2

[Oblomov24]

2024 Summer, end of year 2 for those at Uni.

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 50:

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Thanks @Oblomov24!

Thanks @Oblomov24 !

Thanks @Oblomov24 .

Thanks for the new thread, @Oblomov24!

Signing in. Thanks @Oblomov24

Thanks @Oblomov24

Well, just putting all DS’s stuff away, that year went quickly. I am making a list this time as we haven’t got space to keep all of it together so quite a bit of it will get absorbed back into the house, last year we were having building work done and it was chaos then come September it was difficult remembering and finding everything again.

Thanks @Oblomov24

@EasilyDefined we're bringing DD back in 2 weeks and then DS for the final time at the end of July. I'm eyeing up my MILs empty garage - heaven knows where it's all going otherwise. Especially DS 's as it's not clear when he'll need it next.

Thanks @Oblomov24
Collected DS this evening so he can sit his law exams at home, and then back to uni for his final french in person exam (on a Saturday morning) He had a french exam this morning which 'was hard but alright I suppose'. I've no idea where his stuff will go when it comes home or how it will get to France (if he passes the year and can go). As for DD's stuff, I have no idea how it will fit in the car to come home. She has accumulated clothes, fancy dress, beach accessories, a clothes rail, cushions.....

Wow thread 52!

Signing in from 45 degrees 🇮🇳 😎 thanks Oblomov

@Oblomov24 thanks for the thread.

@ealingwestmum - any news on the luggage? Have a great time!

@mummyinbeds that's my worry with DS - he has been at uni 4 yes, and in the same house for the last 2 - heaven knows what extras he has gained since we last moved him! We have to go for his graduation before his lease ends, so I think we'll bring back a bit with us then.

@ealingwestmum 45 degrees😱! Have a great time.

Ealing you can get lost with your 45 degrees. FFS. It's grey and overcast here.

Ds1 has all his exams last week of May and 1st week of June. So he's way off finishing yet, but you lot have started picking up dc. He said he didn't want picking up till mid June.

I like ED's idea of noting down where stuff goes. Ds isn't bringing his stuff home, just storing it at friends houses, which I wasn't entirely happy with. Plus I said if I'm picking you up you can bring most of it home?

I haven't spoken to him for ages, minimal texts, a few photos of huge batch cooking, but he phoned twice when I was busy so he spoke to Dh instead.

DS exams last week of May too. I think we may pay a flying visit in a couple of weeks to bring some stuff back and just have a day with him. He will be done 3rd week of June I think

Thank you @Oblomov24 for the new thread.
Ds1 finishes his course this week I think.
I'm not sure when his exams start. But I've discouraged him from coming home as I don't want him to disrupt ds2 A levels revision. I'm not sure how much revision he's done for his exams as he's been handing in a couple of big assignments. He claims they're multiple choice so everything will be fine 🤔 He's not on his ADHD meds so he's very relaxed & happy, but not driven ...
I'm not sure what's worse. The constant exhaustion/low B12/almost depression of the 9 months following his A levels which he subsequently blamed on the pills. Or the happy-go-lucky, lack of much effort individual 🤞🏼. Looking on the bright side he's much more organised than he used to be so probably just needs time to mature.
@crazycrofter glad to hear your ds's Business exam wasn't too bad. Sending good vibes for the other forthcoming A level students. I'm doing a lot of cooking here to ensure that ds is eating a healthy diet. As there's such a strong link between gut/brain health & depression.
I think someone needs to write a book about healthy recipes for teenagers that they will actually eat. A bit like the ones for toddlers☺️

DD has exams for the next few weeks then is off on tour with orchestra. Will need collecting towards the end of June and house emptying and storing somewhere until she goes back into halls in September.

Last set of exams were a nightmare - she says that the average grade amongst her cohort was below the pass mark 😯 hoping this set will be better..
I don't remember exams being so hard when I was at uni that even the top level students barely passed.

Dd has just signed up for events hospitality. It says she needs black shoes but not trainers or ballerina pumps. Any suggestions what style? She has nothing suitable.

DS says the girls mostly wore DMs or brogues for hospitality - comfort is key!!

That's what I was thinking but she doesn't want to spend that much!

My DD dug out her old school shoes when she needed something similar!

Had such an interesting convo with DS last night. He found organising his work/his time really tough at university - especially long term projects like dissertation. Now he is working in a ‘proper job’, he says it is much easier - more like GCSEs! - as someone important tells him what to do and when it needs to be ready, he delivers that and then they give him another task!

Thanks @Oblomov24

I have been stressing over DS2's GCSEs so a bit missing in action from this thread. There just seems so many of the bloody things!

DS1 is still in Notts, he handed in coursework this week and has his first exam on Tuesday. He's staying up there to do them this time as he's also got his job. Last exam is on 28th May (please pray for him to get out of the low grades this year 😩🙏) and then he'll be home mid June and straight off on holiday with his friends. No sign of a summer job in any law capacity sadly.

On the way home with DD and her non-uni-specific stuff, which has filled the car 😬 Admittedly a few things that won’t be needed at home like bedding (I want to wash it) but the rest is in storage for the next year and a bit.

The task now is to feed her up - I don’t know how she’s managed to discover cooking and more interesting food and yet end up terrifyingly thin. Well, I guess I do, it’s eating one meal a day.

Joules has chunky loafers half price in the sale.