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

I also really adore that comment to @JustHereWithMyPopcorn!
Congratulations on the successful, largely sunny it sounds graduations. Even if getting there on time sounds a tad traumatic.

Thank you so much for all the birthday wishes for my twins.
Luckily the Bristol cake lady cancelled on us so Dd1 wasn't forced to travel all day with a cake which really did sound like it would be an unmitigated disaster🎂🫠
Dd1 and her boyfriend managed to pick up a lovely strawberry & cream one from the Golden Gate Bakery in London, which was apparently delicious. Twins were reportedly very hungover and a bit monosyllabic from the night before, as they were out celebrating wildly with their friends. Luckily DS2 was chatty & Dd1 being 6 years older is used to them 😁

Glad all the birthday and graduation celebrations have been so successful. Dd graduates on Wednesday and I’ve noticed a trend for huge bouquets in photos. I had never considered buying her flowers for the occasion, especially as we’ll be packing up her house the following day so they’d probably get squished under all the crap treasures she accumulated over the last three years. What did you do?

Yes we saw a lot of that @cariadambyth but they seemed quite burdensome with all the other things they had to carry and so many were just lying around. I love flowers but I'm not sure I'd want to lug a big bouquet around with me all day.

No graduation parties here. DS just wanted to hang out with his friends on campus for one last time.

I was shocked by the amount of bouquets and bunches of flowers at DD’s graduation. It was not a thing in my day. Luckily, DD was not bothered and just wanted to see her friends and their families and introduce us to them.

Lovely to hear about the graduations and birthdays! There was a thread a couple of days ago about making graduations special and there was quite a lot of competitive "do nothing it's their day not yours" type posts, but also quite a few mentions of flowers which surprised me. We won't be buying flowers for DS.

Well, today I have caught the train to work so he can take the car to his, he will be picking me up afterwards rather than the usual other way round which actually works better timing wise as he finishes earlier but still feels a bit weird.

You might remember I said last week that my dad had had a fall, unfortunately he has got a spinal (neck) injury and is likely to be in rehab for months which is a blow. He's in good spirits and can use his arms and move his legs but can't stand or walk (he was frail but mobile before). Mum is not coping very well. Going to be a long slog. The care he is getting in hospital has been excellent, he is friendly and sociable and nurses always say they like having him on their wards (he has had a lot of inpatient stays in the last 10 years).

@NCTDN Very sorry to hear about the accident, hope no severe injuries?

@Cantonet A very happy 21st birthday to the twins.

I think bouquets are quite nice, but it needs to be done with practicality in mind. Frankly, i'd leave flowers at home for a nice surprise once they get in.

@ExtensivelyDecorating Very sorry to hear about your DD spinal neck injury, that sounds VERY painful. Glad he's in good spirits though and wishing him a good recovery.

Really sorry to hear about your DDad and his neck injury.

We didn't do anything re graduation beyond what was happening in college. We saw a lot of bouquets too - some of the shops were selling them in C - but they just looked a pain to lug around to me!

DS now having second thoughts re just applying for Masters and is thinking of applying for secondary PGCE for history alongside everything else. Honestly his mind changes acc to who he talks to last....I think he's enjoying the whole TA summer school thing. Can you get student finance for a PGCE if you have a degree? I've no idea

@craggyrat
there are bursaries available for certain subjects. DD could have got 26k, sadly for history it is all self-funded or through a post grad loan. I would recommend a SCITT course to stay local.

https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/funding-and-support/scholarships-and-bursaries

Thanks @Aslockton - ah so he can get student finance loan for it if he wants to pursue it? I'll have a look at that link. Probably by tomorrow he'll be joining the Navy....at least he could keep up with his swimming then!

We did get a small gift for DS, we got a nice bottle of champagne and a personalised box with his name, 'congratulations' and graduation date on the front - uni and degree on the back. He actually really liked it but we gave it to him at home with a card.

@ExtensivelyDecorating I'm sorry that your DDad's injuries are worse than originally thought, I hope he makes good progress on his rehab and your mum is able to not get too stressed about things, it will be worrying for her.

@craggyrat I thought you were serious about the navy there for a minute!

Does he actually want to be a teacher??

History and PE are basically the only two subjects left which have an over supply of applicants.

@Piggywaspushed I don't think he knows what he wants at the moment to be honest! He's marking research papers for his summer school at the moment and he has enjoyed that. But then he has his archaeology job until Christmas. I think he would make a good teacher but as you say v oversubscribed subject. He has done sports coaching too and is good with kids . I think he just needs to take this year and see what he wants to apply for re Masters etc. Army application still dragging on and they have an education and training officer role - if his application ever moves on...

Thanks @Shimy - luckily and amazingly only a scratch!
@ExtensivelyDecorating hope things are ok.

I’ve just seen that Notts are awarding posthumous degrees to the two students who were attacked in their first year, same cohort as our DCs. They are remembering them at the degree ceremony. Such an awful, awful thing to have happened. 💜

Oh, how bittersweet.

@ExtensivelyDecorating , sorry to hear your dad’s news. The impact on the whole family is jarring isn’t it x
We won’t be giving dd flowers tomorrow, as you’ve rightly said, I think they’ll just get in the way! We are going out for a nice meal.
Those poor Notts students and their families are often in my thoughts. I saw two of the parents at a rugby tournament with their younger son last season. What they are having to endure is unimaginable.

@cariadambyth Echoing you re: Notts students parents, I can imagine they were only half there, just holding it together for their younger dc trying to seem normal. Awful!

DD is 21 today!
Family meal out this evening and then she has a couple of nights out in London planned with uni friends and school friends.
I know technically they're adults at 18, but 21 still feels more adulty - she's my youngest. Feels a bit strange 😁

Happy birthday @Seeline dd! Hope she has a lovely few days celebrating!

I know what you mean, 21 definitely feels like an adult - although when do they actually become fully independent?! 😂We were away last week and it felt like every day presented a new drama from dd, which we couldn't actually help with.... missed trains, lost driving licence, sleeping through her alarm and nearly missing her lift to camp, forgetting to take her medication to camp with her etc etc! Surprisingly, ds is much more organised and sorted these days.. I definitely recommend a gap year and some independent travel to improve their organisational skills!

Happy 21st to your DD @Seeline !

Happy 21st to your DD @Seeline ! 🍾🎉

Happy 21st to your DD @Seeline .

Happy birthday for your DD @Seeline👏🏼🎂🎈
21 definitely feels like a line in the sand to me too.

@Seeline Happy 21st celebrations!