Thread 54 - Summer 25 - Graduations after Uni Year 3

[Oblomov25]

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 53:
Thread53

Fingers crossed for your DS @ExtensivelyDecorating !

Definitely much quieter roads when I learned to drive - and far fewer aggressive drivers too. I think when DS is settled in a permanent location I'll trade in my car and he can get a better one with the proceeds if he needs one. We don't really need two cars now

Another parent of a still drives like she’s learning driver even though she passed nearly 4 years ago.

You past is my current stomping ground @ExtensivelyDecorating, there is zero fun driving around here these days :(

I think that is the only plus point my 2 have - they have learnt to drive in South London! Many parts don't seem to have heard of the Highway Code. Other parts definitely have their own private Highway Code.

We had DS's graduation yesterday. Such a lovely day and great to meet all their friends and lecturers. Only 14 graduated from the department. I hope the meteorology department continues as it is such a centre of excellence. I love the outside weather lab is at the heart of the university campus and the climate stripes infographic being on most University of Reading merchandise.

DD passed her driving test first time 7 years ago and has not driven once since. It is good that she has her licence for future driving, especially with all the test centres being so booked up. DS drives all the time. He has a big car for towing and drives all over the UK and Europe every year. He did forget the dart charge on the way back from Dover a few weeks ago. Luckily, it was his first offence so just had to pay the £2.50 (for the car and 6m trailer.) A work colleague was not so lucky. She forgot the dart charge in March and her husband put the letters on the side while she was in hospital. The fine ended up being £600 for the £2.50 crossing when she got another letter a fortnight ago. Eeek!

@ExtensivelyDecorating glad your DD got the diagnosis confirmed but sorry to hear about your Dad, I hope he's on the mend soon.

Driving is no fun these days, I also grew up in West London, took my test at Greenford in 89. I distinctly remember having to navigate Hanger Lane Gyratory on about my 5th lesson - terrifying! 😂 Both my DSs drive daily but I honestly worry every single time they go out in the car, we are just outside London and the driving around here is also diabolical.

@craggyrat good luck to your DS with his Leeds job.
@handmademitlove well done to your DD on her internship.
@rubyslipperss so glad to hear your DD is doing well now.

We have DS's graduation on Saturday, are we the last ones for this year in this chat? Seems everyone else has had them already.

DS2 is not enjoying having to be at work every day in the first week of his summer holiday. 😂 One of the interesting site visit days has been cancelled which is disappointing. He's off to the US this weekend, is it likely to rain in Texas? Someone has suggested that he take a rain coat.

@Aslockton we have regular trips through the Dart crossing as DD is in Norwich. I set up an auto pay Dart account very early on - the stress of remembering to pay was just too much!

@Seeline Yes, we have recently set up an auto pay. Years ago, you had to keep a certain amount of money on your account. We now only go across about once every couple of years since my mum died (she lived on the south coast).

DS started his job last week. He works 6am-2pm each day. Luckily, he is an early bird. Half of his friends have got grad jobs in re-insurance for major weather events or the met office. The other half are still job hunting or have just had their Phd's pulled. Many go to Oklahoma University to do Phd's funded by NOAA (The US government agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) However Trump/Musk have decided having forecasters who predict the path of hurricanes etc and inform disaster managers is a waste of money! No wonder they were not prepared for the Texas floods.

I have both kids under the same roof for the first time since Christmas 😁 DD arrived back from Ghana on Monday and has announced that she's definitely going to live there. She's sat next to me researching Masters courses in Ghana or online. In the meantime she's got a job offer in Aberystywth starting in August so she's not going to be home for long. DS has a shift in his friend's pub today but can't find any other work unfortunately. He has zero funds (having had too much fun in France) so is a bit miserable.

The job availability in our area is dire mummy. Not much recruitment in mid summer either.

He's applied for so many jobs @Piggywaspushed and not a single acknowledgement. DD hasn't even got any shifts at the cafe she's worked in since the end of year 11. It's a shame the planned theme park hasn't happened yet.

Well, ermm, yeah. I'm due to have Europe's highest rollercoaster practically in my front garden, so....

DS2 works at Gulliver's but I think their recruitment is over for this season. He had loads of non acknowledgements too. It's rude.

I'm guessing we might be able to see the rollercoaster too but not quite in our back garden. Please tell me your DS is dressed as Gully Mouse 😁

Who’s building the highest rollercoaster ?

We’re also going to be close to the highest roller coaster. DS doesn’t have a summer job. Several of his friends have gone back to their university towns to work there for the summer. Lots of DD’s friends are back and doing the jobs they did as students rather than graduate jobs. There are several working at Center Parks (DD used to be a lifeguard there when she was at sixth form college).

@NCTDN - Universal are planning to build a theme park just outside Bedford.

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn I used to go round the Hanger Lane gyratory fairly regularly to get to Ikea, never batted an eyelid but a couple of years ago after a 20 year absence it terrified me and I got beeped at for hesitating over a lane change, not fun. Well we're off in half an hour, the test centre is some distance away. I'm driving there to save DS's energy, also a lot of it is motorway.

Good luck to your DS @ExtensivelyDecorating

Crossing everything for your DS @ExtensivelyDecorating

Beat of luck @ExtensivelyDecorating

Haha, no! The uniform is quite something, mind!

Hope all goes well today @ExtensivelyDecorating 🤞

Good luck, @ExtensivelyDecorating!

I am going to be collecting DD and one carload of stuff next week. Her rent is paid until the end of August, so she'll be back and forth a bit; we also have a couple of little getaways before then. Her plan is still to spend a few months trying to find some freelance work, and also a day-job to keep her going; if it doesn't work out, she'll have to re-think.

We've agreed that she can live with us for free for a couple of months, but after that she has volunteered to pay board-and-lodgings as a spur for her to find work and a flat of her own (but that might be in any part of the country). I know there have been lots of threads about this in the past, but I was wondering what you think about this?

How did it go @ExtensivelyDecorating ? Fingers crossed for good news.

@Piggywaspushed @mummyinbeds @OublietteBravo is this the new Universal studios? I'm quite excited to visit when it opens, can I park on one of your driveways and save on carpark charges? 😁

Why not? All the school run mums do...

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn correct. And yes, you can park on my drive. I know a few people who are planning on providing Airbnb.

@OublietteBravo DS worked at Center Parcs between sixth form and Uni but couldn't see anything advertised there this year. He also has a few friends working there full-time and has taken advantage of their free day passes.

He has passed! Two minors. Phew.