Thread 52 - Covid GCSE Cohort - Autumn 24 - Start of Uni Yr 3

[Oblomov24]

2024 Autumn, start of year 3 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.

51 Previous thread - 51.

@BlueMarigold DS also crashed his car and has managed to get insurance from Tesco. His insurance has always been under his own name and he got a hike in his insurance but at least he got insurance. I'd try them.

@crazycrofter Ds1’s friend went to Surrey. I’m pretty sure they stayed in halls the whole time - maybe because private rentals were expensive or scarce.

Thank you @Shimy I hope he is ok

I’m sorry to hear that @BlueMarigold , so frustrating. I don’t really have any advice I’m afraid, but I would have thought this sort of scenario was pretty commonplace.

@crazycrofter thinking about it, we are in easy commuting distance of Surrey, but my local friend’s DD is in final year there and has lived in halls (1st year) and houses (2/3 year), I imagine she wouldn’t have done that if it was prohibitively expensive / difficult.

@blinkbonny Snap! It's just beautiful isn't it?

@BlueMarigold What a relief that she is okay.

Thanks @Decorhate @EternallyDelighted - one thing's for sure, it will be more expensive than Swansea and Colchester, which are the other places he's applied! And probably more than Norwich too! But we'll have to see what offers he gets.

Sorry about the crash and insurance issues @BlueMarigold . I don't have any experience either I'm afraid, and I'm never sure about the legalities of insuring a car in the parent's name.

Thank you. It was a pretty bad crash so we are very fortunate she was not badly injured. The car was written off. Insurance wise, the car was technically mine as I was the registered keeper but she was named as the main driver as she would be using it the most. The new car will be in her name so she can start collecting her own no claims bonus. I think we might need to get black box but the trouble is her placement job requires a lot of late night travelling so I don’t know how that will affect things. Will call insurance companies tomorrow.

Does anyone have experience of Marmalade?

Oh, @BlueMarigold, I'm sorry to hear that! No advice to offer, but I hope that it all gets sorted out quickly.

@BlueMarigold How is your DD? she must be very shaken, DS was alright but literally shaking when i went to get him. DS is looking into signing up for advanced driving lessons which i think is a pretty good thing, might your DD also be interested? I've see Marmalade being discussed on here before but can't tell you which thread it was. Hopefully someone might tweak.

Just seen this, sorry its not what you'd like to read:
Mums - avoid Marmalade Insurance for your Learner Drivers | Mumsnet

@BlueMarigold we used Marmalade when they were learning and using our cars but it was more expensive than other options once they’ve passed - haven’t read that thread though so I’m not sure what the issues are!

Just checking back in to wish you all a Merry Christmas, I'm at work but it's quiet today. DMum is still in hospital, we're at the stage of waiting for all the boxes to be ticked, meds provided etc for discharge but not sure about the logistics of getting her out with limited mobility. As to where and when we have Christmas dinner, still thinking about that, they were supposed to be coming to us but that won't work now, probably going to decamp to their house and cook there.

@PhotoDad glad you finally got the HMRC stuff sorted. I realised in March that I had made a mistake in a previous year's self-assessment and had to write to them to get it sorted, finally got it done last month after having to chase, they owed me some money, I suspect it would have been quicker if it had been the other way round.

Happy Christmas all 🌲❄️🌲
I haven't posted on here for a while due to many ups & downs ...
But wishing everyone a good one.

Merry Christmas everyone!

I have both DD and DS home from university for (I think) another 2.5 weeks. DD’s boyfriend leaves today to join his family for Christmas. I’m quite looking forward to just having the 4 of us at home.

We had some old friends (from the school gates at lower school) over for drinks and nibbles on Sunday. Plus 5 of the 6 kids who are all adults now, and all at university across the UK (and beyond - one is doing a year abroad in France this year). It’s so lovely to see them all finding their own paths.

Oh, and DD has been invited to an assessment centre for one of the graduate schemes she applied for. She’s very excited! We need to work out logistics with her.

Congrats to dd @OublietteBravo ! What area of work is it? Hope the assessment centre goes well!

Good to hear from you @Cantonet , I hope 2025 brings more ups than downs.

Dd has been back over a week and we’ve had no dramas/arguments/upsets! She really seems to be growing up and seems more settled within herself. I think her boyfriend has helped. He’ll be with us from Boxing Day till the 30th I think which will be nice. Ds goes away for 3 months on 30th too - we’re really going to miss him!

@EternallyDelighted I hope things work out with your mum and you’re able to have Christmas all together.

Happy Christmas 🎄 everyone. Hope your DM gets out of hospital and enjoys the festivities @EternallyDelighted

Another mum in hospital here 😢 and a DD post op on crutches. Feeling very torn between them…

Sympathy @KingscoteStaff . Torn here too because we have my DF at home alone, DM in hospital and DH’s friend alone with terminal illness and needing support. However we have the makings of a plan for tomorrow. Am spending a LOT of time on the phone.

Ds is on his way home. Lots of train cancellations and the trains to our city stop too early but he’s travelling & we are meeting him at the closest station he can get to.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Ds1 is hard work atm. Dh was in A&E yesterday because was bad after 3 days of recovery after his failed kidney stone removal op. I feel wrung out and am in bed.

Merry Christmas to one and all. I finished work at lunchtime and then DS and I went to get the turkey and a few bits. Big mistake he cost me a fortune in 'but these are reduced' and 'ooh these look good'. On the other hand I don't think we need to shop until the weekend now. Turkey will be the first thing I've cooked in our new oven so hopefully timings all come together.

Sorry to hear so many have loved ones unwell, in hospital or on crutches. The shuttling around does take the edge off the festivities but hopefully you will cheer them up and make their respective days.

@OublietteBravo Well done to your DD! fingers crossed it goes well.

@Oblomov24 Hope you are all snuggly with whatever you like to drink as you scroll. Take care.

Merry Christmas to everyone on the loveliest thread on all of Mumsnet, and I hope that all those of you with difficult health situations in the family still manage to have some relaxing time too. 🎄

@crazycrofter - it’s for the BMW graduate schemes (with a focus on marketing).

Merry Christmas to you all. I hope everyone manages to enjoy the day, even if it's not as originally planned.