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:

50

That's brilliant @Alwaysplayspicc ! Ds got into Reading last year, but they had fake wristbands (which didn't look very real to me). Passing as under 12 is impressive!

It is very impressive. I remember managing to get into the cinema as a child under 16 when aged 21 (with a friend from my part time job who was only 17 and had got some free child tickets from somewhere) but 12, nope.

Well...ds2 did get packed, literally had nothing packed when I left for work yesterday. I told him I wanted to leave to come down to Sussex at 3pm. He was actually packed and ready by half past. He asked why I made such a fuss about him packing. He had lots of room for extra clothes. But didn't want any.

It's now 5am he's in the shower. Then we are off to drop him at Gatwick. I will miss him. I'm hoping a year will go quickly.

Ds2 has landed in Adelaide. One more flight to go. I keep thinking if he'd packed sooner, there was space in his bag, we could have fitted bedding in. But in the last minute rush I didn't think of that. I expect he will sleep on a bare bed for a while.

Yay! Well done him getting there. You need to leave the whole bedding thing to him. I’m sure he will work it out.
In latest excitement, DS is returning from Central America early having had contact with a bat which flew smack into his face. Although not bitten, there is concern that a healthy bat would have working radar and saliva on fur can pass rabies. He has had one rabies shot in some tiny field hospital and now needs to continue the course in the Uk. Sigh.

Oh no @Delphigirl what a shame. Does that mean the end of his trip? Hope he's ok.

@icanbewhatiwant that's good news he's arrived safely

@delphigirl that's scary! Hope he's okay

Wow, that’s scary stuff Delphi, hope he’s ok and gets the follow up treatment needed. Endangered I know, but they do carry some bad shit so good they’ve been on it quickly.

Glad your boy arrived safely ican

Ds didn't bother to sort out with accommodation that he was arriving late. He messaged and asked me to phone them. His phone wouldn't make calls. I did tell him to sort a new sim. Of course he wouldn't do that either. I phoned and explained to the lady at the place. She asked another person if they were on late shift, he said no. So her reply was "ahh bugger" in her Australian accent. Made me smile. She was shocked he hadn't ordered a pack of bedding, towels, cooking stuff etc. Anyway....She explained about an intercom at the door that would be difficult to see in the dark. Ds FaceTimed me from the doors to the building. He couldn't find the intercom. He was tired, very cold, dizzy, he's come out in a rash. He got in eventually. He refused to take a coat. Only packed one jumper. In fact, almost all clothes are here. Just shorts and t shirts gone, and underwear plus 3 pairs of shoes. He was going to change into shorts before I dropped him at the airport. I suggested keeping his trousers on. He won't listen to me, but dh's dd told him to keep on his trousers. Thank goodness he listened to her. As he's realised it's not as hot as he thought. He's a nightmare. He will learn the hard way. Actually, I'm not sure he'll ever learn. I sent him a message saying I hope you feel better after a good sleep, you'll have to sleep in the jumpers you didn't take 😂 I couldn't resist that. I hope he can find bedding etc tomorrow. It was 11pm there when I last heard. I don't suppose I'll hear from him for a few days. He bought a sim at the airport. So at least his phone is working now.

@icanbewhatiwant I'm panicking about DS going to France with his lack of planning/sense etc. although he has asked how he gets his stuff there (meaning his Xbox probably) I think I'd be going with him if it was Australia.

DD on the other hand, is planning a safari trip this weekend. 15 hours each way by bus (£13 apparently) from the Southwest of Ghana to somewhere in the north. An organised trip would cost £600 plus flights so she's going independently and dragging a couple of volunteers she's met along with her. An armed safari guard costs a couple of quid but is compulsory. I'm not sure if she's crazy or brave but I'm strangely calm about her plan.

@mummyinbeds Ds2 certainly has a lack of planning! It is funny how they can be so different. Ds3 is very organised. DH is almost military at getting places on time and getting out of the house early. When the dc's were young, before many an outing dh would be yelling at us all to hurry up, he'd be tooting his horn outside in the car, we'd end up with the dc's crying and shouting at each other. I'd always try to plan and make things go smoothly, but they never did. Dh's dd says she can remember family outings being stressful when she was young too. I wonder if that's contributed to ds2 not being in a rush, ever.

@mummyinbeds and your dd sounds organised!

Wear a shame for poor ds Delphi.

Ha ha the MN bat!!!!!!! Love it.
he is back 5 days early so not too bad on a 5 week trip. Jabs authorised by central govt and he gets the 1st tomorrow …

It'll be pictures of Terry Wogan next please no

Hope he's Ok @Delphigirl what a shame though

@icanbewhatiwant he'll get sorted, frustrating having to watch it all unfold from over here though

My goodness, there's a lot of travel happening with our young people on here. Hope they are all safe and well - particularly @delphigirl DS! 😮

Loving the MN bat and Terry references, proper throw backs! 😂

Just a quick pop in and lots has been going on here..we even have a new PM since my last post. Hope everyone's dc is enjoying their travels and wishing them all an eventual safe return.
DS just got back from his learn-to-surf- camping holiday and said it's the best holiday he's ever been on. I'm completely and utterly surprised he didn't lose his passport or any other vital object, his disorganization is of monumental A-star standards. He had so many stories to share - sitting round camp fires roasting marshmallows and singing songs every evening, meeting new people, friends with dislocated arms/shoulders, sliced fingers whilst surfing, visits to the hospital etc. I have a feeling if he got the chance he would spend the rest of his life globe trotting round the world enjoying the simple things of life..wish i could do that to be honest.

Sounds amazing @shimy! Glad he didn’t get his fingers sliced off! 🤣

Ds’ Morocco trip was a success and he’s now working like crazy to fund his gap year travels. He’s worked at Tesco every day since he got back - 9 hours a day since Saturday, except I think Sunday was just 7 hours. He says he can work either 14 or 16 days in a row, legally, before he has to take a 48 hour break? So he’s working tomorrow and all next week too. He did overspend when he was away though and has had to have a £200 loan to pay this month’s gym and car insurance!

Dd had a fab time in Corfu and Albania, she’s been back for a couple of days of work and now she’s off to Italy and then Wireless festival.

I love hearing about all these kids I feel like I know, travelling the world, getting into scrapes, achieving things, dealing with adversity 💕💕💕💕

Ds did feel better after a good sleep. The only thing is he's in a flat with 5 Asian new arrivals who appear to be friends. He's heard them talking among themselves in their language. But they disappear when they hear Ds coming. Ds is quite outgoing, so hopefully he will get the new flatmates chatting, it will be annoying if they have all arrived together and don't want to involve Ds. But he will deal with it, I'm sure. Also the fridge and shared bathroom are filthy apparently. He's wishing he'd booked campus accommodation now.

I also told Ds to make sure he can access his building society money(I saved for all 3 dc's for uni, it's not a lot, but plenty to last a year) I said move the money into another account before you go as ds1 couldn't access his from abroad. Despite me asking several times, he didn't do it. He text this morning to say he can't access the money as it sends a text to his uk mobile. Yep...that's what I told him. Though he swears I did tell him. Now he is almost out of money. Loan doesn't go in until October. But he loan just covers rent anyway 🤦‍♀️

How many more things can he do wrong? He's been out to buy bedding and some kitchen stuff. He hasn't had much to eat, but promised he would buy pasta and stuff tomorrow. So hopefully all will be good. The term doesn't start for a few more weeks. He joins in semester 2.

@icanbewhatiwant ds was put in off campus he wasn’t happy with when he went for his year abroad. He went to the international office that managed year abroad students to asked to be moved to campus accommodation and they did it within a few days. Strongly suggest that - it’s the easiest time to move

@Delphigirl thanks, the reason he didn't choose campus was that they close for 10 weeks over the summer. So he'd have to move to a hostel. It seemed easier to book private accommodation, though it is for students. I think he's signed a year contract too.

I don't think Ds is bothered about whether the others will speak English to him, but he is bothered about the filthy fridge and bathroom.

@crazycrofter Just about hanging on! @icanbewhatiwant Oh that sucks when it happens, really hoping they start to be more sociable and start to include ds in things, it's good that he's quite outgoing in himself.

I’m also enjoying hearing about all the adventures! Older Ds has 4 months off between exams and starting his graduate job and if it was me I’d have done a big trip but he is happy with just a couple of long weekends & mooching about. It’s been nice to have someone else to share the cookin with though!

Ds2 (this cohort) starts his placement year on Monday. Exam results are out and no hiccups