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.

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@PhotoDad so sorry to hear that. Thinking of you.

Very relieved to hear his passing was peaceful Photodad, hope you and your family are bearing up as well as one can.

I’m so sorry for your loss PhotoDad

So sorry to hear that @PhotoDad.

I’m very sorry to hear about the loss of your father @PhotoDad

Sorry to hear of your loss @PhotoDad 💐

@PhotoDad I am so sorry you have lost your dad. I hope you find comfort in that you were able to be with him these last few days.

@PhotoDad I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your Dad. Rest in peace.

Sorry to hear that @PhotoDad - it's so strange how something expected can still be so shocking. My condolences to you and yours. Glad you have some good things happening for the DC, which must be a comfort.

Sorry for your loss @PhotoDad , my sympathies

Oh, that's sad. Sorry to hear your news photodad.

Sorry to hear your news @PhotoDad 🌹

I'm so sorry @PhotoDad.

I’m so sorry for your loss @PhotoDad 💐

So sorry to read your new @PhotoDad . May his soul rest in peace.

Oh @PhotoDad , I’m sorry. It’s so odd how something expected can still be so shocking isn’t it?

Thank you so much, everyone, it's been a real boost to get messages from people in various places.

Unfortunately nothing is ever simple. In his last couple of days, a nurse gave my dad the wrong dose of a controlled medication, which means that the coroner and the police have to investigate before I can make any arrangements. I can deal with Doing Things but I find waiting difficult. At least it is the school holidays for me.

As fate would have it, I then had to travel to Cambridge to collect my DS from a music thing, so I managed to have a nice dinner and talk with both my DC. DD is now on a trip to the Lakes with a university friend, and DS and I poked around a handful of Cambridge colleges (he'll be applying this year).

Oh the waiting is horrible 🙁 My Dad died very suddenly so we had to have a post mortem which took ages. Do you have siblings to help?

No, @Seeline, I'm an only child. I'm very sorry to hear that you went through something similar yourself.

My DW offered to cancel weekend plans/work commitments next week and be here for moral support, and I've had lots of kind messages from local friends. However, I get really on-edge when waiting for an unknown length. I deal much better with that by being on my own (and being able to watch TV, go for a run, do a hobby when I want without co-ordinating with anyone else). I'll probably end up doing some uni research I planned to do later in summer anyway to help advise DS.

Can any of you help to distract me with amusing anecdotes about your DCs' exploits? I feel like I know them!

Oh @PhotoDad I am exactly the same, it drives me nuts when people say "I'll come round later" and won't commit to an actual time (my parents and brother). Or waiting in for tradespeople when you have no idea what time they will turn up. We had the long wait when DMIL died 5 years ago, she was in hospital with a fairly severe GI problem but died suddenly and unexpectedly following cardiac arrest, DH didn't get there on time and then it was several weeks of waiting for the PM to take place. I am going to message you about something.

That sounds v stressful @photodad. I'm another one who needs definites and certainty and no procrastinating.

If you have any questions about cambridge college feel free to ask. DS is at Downing. Am glad you had a good time with your DC. DS took us to Knaresborough this morning as he wanted to go on the boats to demonstrate his skills. Which turned into me rowing for 45 minutes whilst he coxed me..... was absolutely shattered...

Hmmm DC related anecdotes. I’ve told you about DS1 being slapped in the face by a bat in Nicaragua resulting in an early flight home and a course of rabies vaccines I think. He finished his last jab this week sans frothing out the mouth so I think we are safe. He is doing a stand up routine at an open mic night on Monday - his first - so maybe that will be a fallback career if his strategic comms/policy job doesn’t work out. DD2 is interrailing and having a good time I think, save that I got a message a few days ago saying only “why am I in Bratislava”, so I guess she isn’t finding that too interesting.
dS2 is off the boats and around for a bit so I’m really enjoying having him home. He has just gone to sit in a field with a laptop, a mixing deck, a speaker and 2 dogs to “do some mixing and thinking”. I said what about other people? And he said “there are no people where I’m going”, waggled his eyebrows and loped off. Love him.

I am all out of amusing anecdotes, sorry @PhotoDad - and sorry for your loss.

I can offer vindication if anyone read “I don’t know how she’s managed to discover cooking and more interesting food and yet end up terrifyingly thin” two months ago and thought ‘that sounds like an eating disorder’. Yup.

In short DD isn’t doing her year abroad, half a year might be salvageable later on but no guarantees. She seems okay with it, it’s definitely the right decision given circumstances.

If she does go later we’ve negotiated every single bureaucratic hoop possible (we just had the flight left to book) so at least we know how to make it all happen!

Oh @DontCallMeBaby I’m so sorry to read that. Your poor DD. I know a few families - 4 off the top of my head - who have battled that recently and it is incredibly difficult BUT all of those kids are now doing extremely well and back in education/graduated uni. In each case excellent and intense therapy was key after any medical intervention and I must say also incredible levels of dedication from the mother. But the results seem to be a so much better and more stable young person at the end of it than was the case following treatment 15 or 20 years ago, so that is hugely important. All my best to you and her.