Thread 53 - Covid GCSE Cohort - Happy New Year 2025 to our fab young people

[Delphigirl]

New thread! Looking forward to traversing 2025 with this fantastic group 🎉😘

I went nearly 25 years ago in February - loved it then, but think it must be magical at this time of year before it gets too hot. Just really hoping the coach gets them to the airport on time!!

Hope your DS is not feeling too messy today @mummyinbeds , he has lots to look forward to now and can relax.

I am always in awe how parents are able to juggle multiple DC needs @OublietteBravo, that's a lot of miles across the 2 geographies!

Good luck to your DD @crazycrofter for her June exams. Mine has her last on 19 June, so so different vs her home university, this year she's worked her socks off for just pass/fail across both YA studies. But, she has also played VERY hard so I don't feel too sorry for her.

Best of luck to all those like @handmademitlove with DC doing exams. The field trip to Venice sounds just fab @Seeline, it really is a lovely time to visit before the summer crowds.

Very relieved here as DD has received confirmation she has secured on-campus accommodation for her final year. Not easy, and many of her peers did not due to demand (as aways the issue in Ireland), it also means the wallet takes a massive breather, we've been very fortunate over years 3 and 4 re costs of study there with Erasmus covering all of Y3.

Yes, good luck to all those with exams starting. DD only has two, with only taking one A level this year, one next week, one the week after then she’s done. She is very tired though, she was sipping a monster energy drink this morning before heading off to college.

DS is still a bit up to his eyes in stuff. He has had the internship interview I mentioned last week, I don’t think he was as prepared as he could have been TBH due to everything else happening at once but he said it went OK. Will have to wait and see, but I suspect the competition will be tough. He has also submitted another very detailed job application this week, submitted another assignment, then he has one more assignment and his dissertation due in next week and he’s done, moves out on 31st May. I am shattered too, I have had to do quite a lot of supporting for both the interview and the job application, I took him to the former as although there is public transport it is complicated and he had a 9am slot, but we made a day out of it and explored the area. But I’ve had a lot of other stuff going on, DH is hardly here at the moment because he is supporting a terminally ill friend who has no family, I could do with a holiday. We have one booked for mid June.

So, my relief at DS finishing his exams has now been replaced by panic at his next adventure. I knew he was taking a trip to Paris to meet up with friends he met in Semester 1. I thought he was getting a Flixbus. Apparently, he and his equally dippy friend have hired a car. I pointed out to him that he hasn't driven for two years, has never driven on the right or in a left hand drive car, it's 450 miles, it's Paris and traffic and parking. But it's all okay because they've planned a route without tolls. I despair 🤦‍♂️
@crazycrofter I feel this is something your DS would also do.

Good Lord, tell him not to accidentally end up in the banlieux like I nearly did when DH wanted to 'take a shortcut'.

Well, when I was on my placement year my friend did hers in Switzerland. I went to visit, we hired a car and drove all over the country for 2 days and into Austria. First time for both of us in LH drive car / drive on the right. We were fine. But there was probably a lot less traffic in those days.

Oh yes @mummyinbeds 😩 Ds and a friend went to Tunisia in the summer - I was pretty sure they wouldn’t be able to hire a car, both being only 18, but they eventually found someone whose cousin was willing to oblige 😬 They drove 6 hours across Tunisia and back, taking it in turns- his friend had passed his test two weeks before! Thankfully I didn’t know about this til they returned…

Good luck to him, hopefully he’ll be fine! We’re actually driving to Paris next week! At least there’s a bit less traffic in France than the UK 🤔

Good luck to those in exam season. DS falls into that group.

Loving all the tales of travel. DS and friend want to visit third friend who is working on Sardinia over the summer but he's working on the expensive Costa Smeralda so the cost is looking prohibitive.

Best of luck to everyone taking exams and hope all the travellers stay safe. DS has handed in dissertation and has one extended essay deadline next week and then three days of exams in June. These three years have flown.

I've finally got MRI results for my back which is still hugely painful. I've got a badly slipped disc so am back at hospital soon for next step - am hoping it will be an operation as I'm taking so much medication I'm rattling. I've had this fortnight off work as we would have been abroad if my back hadn't happened. It has been lovely though even without travelling anywhere.

/Well I'm in sunny Crete having a marvellous time. Good luck to all those with exams. So sorry to hear about your MRI @craggyrat & hope they recommend surgery as a permanent fix, all those pills are just bleurgh! Goodluck to @ExpensiveDecoration DS with his interviews.

That sounds awful @craggyrat, poor you. I hope they recommend an op asap for you too, being on pain meds longer term is another challenge you don't need, especially for our guts/lining for starters.

@craggyrat hope they can sort something for you soon!

Good luck to all those taking exams. So relieved that DDs course is exam- free.

@craggyrat Pleased the MRI has given you a clear diagnosis. Hope you get the desired operation soon and the pain is banished!

Thanks everyone- have a fabulous time @Shimy

Sorry to hear this Craggy. Why on earth did it take so long to both get an mri and for that to be needed to establish a slipped disk, surely all that should've been established long ago. So poor.

It really did drag on - once they said to have an MRI the appointment was within 10 days, but reporting it too almost 6 weeks- i think they forgot me!

I really hope they sort that out for you swiftly @craggyrat. Back pain is horrible.

Isn’t it weird thinking that 5 years ago our DC were living through lockdown instead of doing their GCSEs? And look at them all now! What a fantastic group of young people they all are.

My girls going to Copenhagen for a year. She’s so excited. Glad you got a result @Craggyrat. I got mine too, the consultant called me by the wrong name and told me my back is absolutely fine apart from a little bit of grey hair of the spine. He gave me a leaflet. Im to take up Pilates! I honestly think he was looking at someone else’s pictures. I had Cauda Equina 20 years ago, was diagnosed with stenosis 4 years ago, and I’m honestly in more pain now than ever before. I really can’t walk 200 metres without crying. I have a plan though. I am following every scrap of advice in that leaflet , and if, in 6 months I’m no better, I’m paying to see someone ( not him though!)

Oh I love Copenhagen @Zebracat! I hope she has a fabulous time there - how exciting! She’s come so far since that difficult start at Exeter, hasn’t she?

That is terrible @Zebracat am sorry to hear you are struggling so much. My issue is sitting and lying - walking actually helps for me.

I’m sorry to hear about your useless consultant and back pain @Zebracat but glad you’ve got a plan. Woohoo for your girl! I love Copenhagen too.

@craggyrat glad you've finally got some results for your back problems, hopefully you can get the surgery fairly quickly.

Well, DS didn't get the internship, it was a bit of a stretch for his skills and experience to be honest, but he did well to get the interview and it’s all good experience, he can apply again next year if he hasn’t found a better alternative. I spent the day with him yesterday going over his dissertation for SPAG errors, that and his last assignment are due in this week and then it’s all done. I felt a bit sad that yesterday will be my last proper visit, next time will be moving out day, three weeks today, but there is graduation in September.

We are en route to Heathrow where DD will be catching a flight to Seoul. Just for three weeks (plus ten days with us) so much shorter than we once expected, but it’s been a longer journey too than expected!

I’m sure I will love Copenhagen too. I’m definitely visiting. I’ve just written to the consultant and asked for a second opinion. Yes oubliette, she has come a long way. I still can’t understand her giving up that bursary though.

Sorry to hear about the internship @ExpensiveDecoration . I hope something good comes up instead. It's a v tough market out there.