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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Congratulations again to ALL who got their results and now have their uni places . It's amazing how many similar stories of adversity similar to ds. When you're going through it, it seems the whole world is happy and their dc are all so perfect and yours is just not. Little do you know everyone is just pasting on smiles & soldiering on. So very pleased for everyone.

On another n ote, getting really worried ds still has not found accommodation in Reading and is still very laid back and not taking it very seriously. We have a few places to go and see next week so hoping he finds something suitable.

When does he start @shimy? I hope something comes up for him soon.

Thanks for all your lovely congratulations, and you made me tear up, Delphigirl.re
Every parent on this thread is an inspiration to me - you are all wonderful, supportive, kind people with young people who are doing amazing things in their lives.
I will always appreciate your words of wisdom and caring when DS was going through such a horrible time.

crazy, he's off to London in a month's time, on a scholarship to one of the world's top music conservatoires.

That's amazing @Alwaysplayspicc ! Hope he has a fantastic time there. What is his instrument?

Abuse, stalking behaviour etc is so often focused on the female as the victim @Alwaysplayspicc , I think we’ve all been all utterly horrified as to what your boy has endured from his female persecutor.

I hope his new London life gives him a clean start and he is able to put his last few years well and truly behind him. You must be very proud.

That is absolutely fantstic for him

Well done to All on such successful results. I too love hearing of all the sibling triumps.

And as Picc says we are all nice enough here to give compassion and understanding to all, because not one of us has had a completely plain sailing ride, have we?

@crazycrofter He starts on 5th of Sept and he just got a call one the rooms we were going to see on Monday has gone.😩

@Alwaysplayspicc All the best wishes for your DS. This is a good break in his life and will hopefully push this disturbed girl out of his life altogether.,

Very true. I don't post that often now but when I have needed support you have all been lovely.

It's true, and possibly what has drawn us all together and kept us all coming back to the thread. It's the first one I look for every time I come on MN. ❤️

It always makes me smile when i'm on another thread and spot one of you here on it, I don't know if any one else feels the same?

Yes, I like it too. A bit like when you bump into a friend when you're out somewhere.

Absolutely, @shimy! This is my favourite thread on MN. And. @Oblomov24, you're certainly right that nobody has had it easy. Just goes to show what lies beneath the surface of so many teenage/young adult lives.

Haha yes @Shimy , it makes me feel more confident to post!

i like that people are honest here, instead of trying to impress. There’s always someone else who’s been through something similar.

Ds is 18 tomorrow! He’ll be coming back from Aberystwyth after a tiring week though so I’m thinking we might celebrate on Sunday or Monday. He’s being very low key about it, whereas dd had cocktails with her best friend, then a meal with school friends, then two nights out with different groups of sixth form friends and then a belated family party.. Maybe I’ll give ds some money to take his friends out as I’m pretty sure I funded dd’s cocktails!

Happy Birthday to him @crazycrofter ! Mine are both very low key about birthdays, they liked parties and outings to trampoline parks etc till they were about 14 and haven’t done much since, usually just have takeaway pizza with a friend and out for a meal with us or similar. No parties whatsoever. They don’t go to parties much either, DD not at all and DS has only ever been to the occasional one. They are SO different to me at that age might be why their A level grades are better than mine.

@Alwaysplayspicc wow your ds is awesome to obtain such brilliant results, whilst being under so much pressure. That horrible girl will just recede into the distance, probably to be psychopathic forever. He will have learnt some valuable lessons though that will stand him in good stead for the future.

237 thank you 🙏🏼
I think ds1 went through something similar to your ds. I think it was burnout.
He was exhausted for @ 6 - 12 months.
He says he wasn't depressed though & had low b12 which can cause exhaustion. With ds2 it was definitely severe anxiety & depression that occurred twice. Once over COVID lockdown & then later in year 12. Counselling didn't help at all. He tried several different ones. He was just too raw. Literally Fluoxetine ( Prozac) has been a Miracle cure for him. It all takes time to recover though. Months & months.

@Crazycrofter thank you for saying that.
There's always some crisis here & I often feel like I'm rolling with the punches.
Luckily ds1 is fine. Returned to uni in February to do the second half of his first year. Passed his exams & enjoyed living with his flat mates. Mind you he managed to reverse into his friend's sports car the other day & caused over £600 damage 😱 Doesn't dare tell dh so I will have to secretly fund the repairs & he will pay me back.

Happy 18th to your boy tomorrow Crazy! Just finishing off my leo birthday tonight after a night out in Soho with the 3 of us. 56 not so exciting though; I felt REALLY old being out in town :)

Happy 18th @crazycrofter DS. I passed a huge group of older teens in Aber on Wednesday and wondered if one or two of them could be yours.

I have learnt so much from you lot. I don't think I'd have got through COVID GCSE's, A levels, uni applications, DS's mental health, failed exams etc etc without you. Now, if anyone can navigate the french accommodation guarantor scheme ....

Happy birthday to your son @crazycrofter - DS also had a very low key 18th. I just keep telling myself it’s fine, he’s a very different person to his sister. He does things the way he wants to.

We went out for a meal last night (DD only got home late on Thursday). I can’t believe we’ve actually finished the school years completely!

Happy birthday to @crazycrofter DS!

Hope your DS has a lovely birthday @crazycrofter . This is definitely nicest Mumsnet thread but I like it too when I spot familiar names on other threads.

Happy birthday for your ds @Crazycrofter 🎂🎉

I totally agree!

Happy birthday to your DS @crazycrofter 🥳 and belated birthday wishes to you @ealingwestmum

I too, absolutely love this thread that we've all been on for years. Hopefully we can find an excuse to keep it going, however sporadic, even after graduation 😀