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

Puddington that article is a depressing read.

I'm struggling with ds2. He's yr 10, start of GCSE's. He doesn't know what he wants, only does bare minimum. Does ok. He just doesn't want it, inherently. I can't instil that.

But then I remember back to ds1 who I now recall did little. Until the Feb before his A'level's, then decided because he did want that course he'd study.

I've offered help, Spanish tutor, maths revision classes next year. I don't want the stress of last minute panic. Actually that kid wouldn't panic, he's too laid back! (For me, I don't want the drama).

I know of a good spanish tutor of you need one Oblomov, she offers free trial, GCSE and A level boards :)

Only kidding. I hate to do this generalising lazy thing, but do remember many boys will only do the bare minimum whilst being super bright. What doesn't interest them just doesn't warrant the energy...

I might call you up on that tutor Ealing thanks.

@Oblomov24 ds is extremely like this! He started working for his GCSEs in the Feb of year 11 and had loads to catch up on as he hadn't kept up/listened in class for several subjects. He's now just done the same, but a more extreme version, for A Levels!

I think year 10 is just too soon for it to feel urgent for them. Ds was getting 3/4/5s in year 10 and ended up with an 8, three 7s and four 6s, so not amazing results, but certainly enough for A Levels.

Not sure if your ds2 is like this, but I think if they're bright, they know they can catch up when they need to. Ds would never accept a tutor, because he'd say he doesn't need one - he can understand the work perfectly well - but he doesn't feel the urgency until the exams are looming. It's so stressful as a parent! And this time, I'm not sure ds will pull it off, as A Levels are a different kettle of fish. But for GCSE, it's perfectly possible.

Bless you Crazy your ds is such a sweetie! Ds2 is not as dynamic as your ds, ❤️ but we'll see. I told him I'd let some subjects go, some I don't care that much, but other subjects a 6 won't be good enough for 6th form, he'll need a 7, to just stay on. So I told him that's what I expect.

@Oblomov24 he’ll probably start to get some motivation if it looks likely he won’t be able to stay on at his school for sixth form. Fingers crossed for you!

Hello everyone. I can't believe I fell off the thread. I kept thinking I'll go on mumsnet and catch up. But I never did. I've had a brief flick though. The last time I looked was January...where has half the year gone? I've must've missed so much. You are all here still. I had been following for several years.

Ds1 is still travelling. He's been in Australia since December. Ds2 (the year of this thread) is going to Brisbane in 4 weeks time, to UOQ for his year abroad. In true ds2 style, he's only just sent off for his visa, even though flights are booked. He's driving me nuts by not sorting stuff out. He needs to sort a case, clothes, a bank card to use abroad, a SIM card etc. etc. if I mention any of it he say "nag, nag, nag" so I've given up. It'll be weird having 2 ds's in Australia. I'm tempted to go for 3 weeks. But dh won't fly, ds3 will be in gcse year after the summer. I don't really want to go by myself. Ds will have 2 months holiday from uni in the December and Jan so that would be the best time to go, but it'll be too hot for me then. So I won't join them.

I might have to go back and try to do some catching up.

Lovely to hear your news ican, great update. Fingers 🤞 your DH is keeping well too.

@ealingwestmum thanks for asking. The drugs are doing their job keeping dh's bloods low, so that's good. But they are making him feel poorly. He's very tired all the time. He's slowed down so much, I used to have to run a few strides every now and then to keep up on our dog walks, now he's asking me to slow down. He's also getting a lot of headaches. The drugs give him hot flushes too. He's really struggling with those, we joke and call them man flushes because of course they are way worse than woman get. He often says that he's tempted to stop taking the meds. for quality of life, but I think he knows that's not a good idea. He feels he's aged 10 years in the past 6 months. I can see the change in him, but I'm not sure others can.

I'm sorry to hear your DH is finding the meds so difficult @icanbewhatiwant but it's good to see you back

Good to hear from you @icanbewhatiwant sorry the meds are having such an effect on your DH .

Thanks. We are trying to not think about the prognosis the consultant gave him. I've joined a forum with lots of men/wives of men with a similar diagnosis. Some have been on similar drugs for 10 years plus and they are still keeping everything at bay. So hopefully it'll be the same for dh. Though he says he doesn't want to feel how he does for 10 years. But maybe his body will adjust to the drugs.

Good to hear from you @icanbewhatiwant , I was wondering how you were doing as you used to post so regularly. Sorry to hear your dh is struggling with the drugs - hopefully he will adapt. It will be weird for you having two ds's so far away. Do you think they'll see each while they're away or do these two not get on?

Dd had her last exam yesterday. The rest of the week seems to be about parties/celebrations and then she's staying two weeks to do some paid work before she goes to Italy for a week. Ds has just three A Levels left, thank goodness! He's making me suffer til the very end.... yesterday morning I had three phone calls and two emails from school because he hadn't turned up to his exam. I knew he was onsite from the iphone tracker. He was in his car doing last minute prep and said he couldn't see the time (not sure why!?).... aagh! And because the head of sixth form had to go looking for him (he also couldn't find the exam room!) she noticed he wasn't wearing 'dress code' so I had an email about that too. Can't wait til it's all over!

Sorry @crazycrofter but tales of your DS do make me smile. I think my DS would be the same without me on the phone every step of way, including telling him to turn his phone off as he walks into the exam room. Despite me telling him to check the bus times for his Saturday exam and suggesting he left the house extra early, I got the inevitable call from the bus stop to tell me there was no bus 😣

Nice to hear from you @icanbewhatiwant

Haha @mummyinbeds that's why I’m relieved he’s not going to uni! I’m not sure I can take the stress much longer… Today his Criminology teacher rang to check he knew he had an exam this afternoon! Obviously he does because I asked school where his exam timetable was (on a portal he knew nothing about!) and printed it off for him. She said ‘he’s turned up for all his exams so far so that’s good’ as if that wasn’t a given and was a major achievement 🤣

Did the bus come for your ds in time? Hope he gets through this year!

I think perhaps the difference between your ds and mine @mummyinbeds is that mine hates my interference and always insists he’s absolutely fine and can do everything himself!

He ‘won’ a certificate in the final assembly for ‘person most likely to have a seat named after them in Mrs X’s (head of sixth form) office’ 🤣🤣

And yet he sounds utterly charming Crazy :) Maybe the chair nomination was secretly for ‘the one to watch out for in the future…’!

@crazycrofter yes, he made it in time. However, when I asked how it went he said it might have been easier if he'd been to more than four French workshops this year (2 hours per week). I do wonder what he thinks he's paying £9k a year for.

I'm hoping he gets through this year. Plans for France are on hold until results. He also didn't realise he needed a French Proficiency Certificate to apply to French unis. Nottingham managed to get the uni to accept his application with a 'tbc' and he sits the exams next week, in London at great expense.

I love the seat award 🤣

@crazycrofter Love the award and the spirit. His teacher's wouldn't do the chasing if they didn't like and believe in him.

@icanbewhatiwant Good to have you back. Here's hoping your DH suffers lesser side effects as time goes by and that there are many years of time.

I love your DS, crazy! He sounds much liked by his peers and teachers, which says a lot.
I'm sure he's very stressful to parent(or not!) right now, but in a few year's time, I think he'll be a delight.

Let’s hope so @Alwaysplayspicc ! He was late for his exam this morning as he took an age in the shower listening to Star Wars music and then just had to eat his chicken and black bean wrap before he could leave.😬 Just one exam left though!

How is your ds @Alwaysplayspicc ? Are his exams going ok? And how is he coping with the ex girlfriend situation? He’s done amazingly to keep going this year.

Oh dear @mummyinbeds , dd has had similar regrets about not attending labs and then struggling with the exams/lab reports. Hope he gets to France (and survives there without too much stress for you!).

@crazycrofter your ds adding to your white hairs again... Can't believe he's only got one exam left. Ds has another 7 to go. The two he's done so far have gone well though. Anyone else wearing all their lucky charms?
@Alwaysplayspicc hows it going?

@Ican lovely to hear an update. Sorry your dh is feeling rotten.
Sorry for all the exam tribulations at uni.

Thank you so much@EasilyDefined & @Piggy for the Loughborough feedback. I forwarded it on to him, plus lots of other information from the student room He has put it first without telling me. Apparently he changed his mind about Sheffield. And no further explanation as to why.
Is this an independent boy thing?

Definitely @Cantonet ds doesn't tell me anything, I sometimes resort to lingering outside his room to hear what he's telling his friends! At least your ds has made a decision though - that's good. Can't believe he's still got 7 exams to go! Ds had four before half term and four after. Glad yours are going well so far! Ds's last two have been the most positive so far... he seems to have worked out how to manage the timing at last.