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

He breaks everything almost just by looking at it.

Oh what a shame for him @mummyinbeds the same happened to my Dad fhere years ago. We went to Rome a couple of years ago and the DCs got tired of me going on about pickpockets, I had all our passports in one of those uniqlo bags across my chest but was terrified someone was going to get their phone nicked. I worry about phone snatchers in London, I love taking photos of buildings and scenes as I walk around but hold very tight.

Sorry about the car key too @Piggywaspushed those are expensive if you have to replace them, is there any risk it's going to get stuck in the ignition.

No, it should be OK sellotaped together for now!

Dd’s car key snapped too @Piggywaspushed - superglue worked well!

Sorry about your Ds’ experience in Barcelona @mummyinbeds - hope he bounces back soon.

Ds goes to Nottingham on Saturday. We haven’t bought anything yet but he’s very laid back - he says he managed with just one bag of stuff when he was travelling so he’s not too bothered about his room! He does want to take his electric piano though! He’s got bits and bobs of cooking stuff already as he’s used to doing his own high -protein ‘meal prep’. There’s a B&M next to his accommodation anyway so he’ll be able to get anything he forgets!

And if it does get stuck in the ignition @Piggywaspushed - that happened with DD’s a few times when the glue wore off but pliers got it out 🤣

It was a long stressful wait, but DD has managed to secure a graduate returners offer starting Sept 26. Such a relief.

That’s brilliant @ealingwestmum - well done to your dd!

Thank you @crazycrofter, and best to your DD returning (and her next test 🤞) and your son getting off to a good start at Nottingham!

DS has graduated. The ceremony was lovely and not too long (benefit of being a small uni). Weather held up just about. All good. Back to organising and packing for DD going on Sat.

Well done to DD @ealingwestmum

Well done to your DD @ealingwestmum - great news!

Glad you had a lovely day @ExtensivelyDecorating

Congrats to your DD @ealingwestmum. DS has gone back yesterday for his final year with a really good graduate job offer too from his placement employer (sw engineer for aerospace/defence company) so there is significantly less pressure all round. His GF graduated this summer with a 1st in a STEM subject from a RG uni and managed to get a job offer after a 3 mth internship with a local council. Work experience is king!

Thank you everyone.

Good to hear the pressure is off for you too @sansou, must be a huge relief for your boy and his gf.

Good news @ealingwestmum and @sansou . My girl’s feeling loads better after a week. She has to get that train again tomorrow and feels ok about it. She tried to report it on Monday, but when the people at the. Second police station told her to go to a third, she went home instead😒

That’s shit re the police @Zebracat, but very encouraged to hear she’s got her mojo back, onwards. You must be very relieved too.

Yay!!!!!!!🎉

And huge congrats to your DS too @sansou!

Great news about the job offers. Congratulations @ealingwestmum @sansou

@ExtensivelyDecorating Glad you all enjoyed a lovely ceremony.

@Zebracat So sorry your DD got an utterly dismal response from the police. With your support over the years you have helped her build her resilience!

DS has started his grad role this week. They've had a fairly typical induction programme so far. Next week they are all off 'down south' for the first part of touring the country for a month seeing all the different aspects of the business.

@EwwSprouts I remember going on one of those road trips round all the company sites in my first grad job, was so interesting and good fun.

Congrats to @sansou DS too.

@Zebracat sorry to hear about such a poor police response but glad she has coped so well.

Feeling a bit emotional here, graduation for DS and DD off to uni all in one week. Lots of elderly parent stuff going on too, I feel a bit pulled in all directions. Lots of thinking about the changes in parenting needed at this stage. I am feeling a bit awkward with DS as I have felt myself slipping back to micro-managing now he's back at home and I need to let go, but he also still needs support due to SNs, it's a tricky balance especially as I am a bit of an organiser and hate it when things slip, I find it very hard to stop myself interfering. He's doing well though, took himself off back to uni in my car and spent the day driving around his old area before we all met him at the hotel in the evening having travelled in DH's car. That's his longest drive yet by some way.

Well done to @sansou ds as well - great news!

Sounds like a momentous week @ExtensivelyDecorating - I hope dd settles well and you and ds get used to the new reality. Hopefully you'll be surprised at how well he is managing and you'll gradually feel the need to intervene less!

I'm trying hard not to micromanage ds' admin too! He's definitely improved in his year out but I'm still worried he will miss deadlines etc. On the plus side, I'm not at all worried about him socially or practically, he can look after himself well and he makes friends wherever he goes! He said yesterday that he's joining the a capella society and he has an idea for a viral TikTok that he hopes they'll go along with! Something to do with him being on the bench in the gym and then suddenly breaking into song!

@Zebracat that's really frustrating about the police, but I'm so glad to hear she's beginning to bounce back.

Good luck with the grad job @EwwSprouts ds - sounds great!

I feel some of your pain @ExtensivelyDecorating, the elderly parent needs are exhausting and relentless. Much solidarity to many of us on this thread in similar positions with our folks. Your boy is doing really well, I hope it gets easier for you.

All very exciting for your DS @EwwSprouts, I hope he really enjoys the rotational exposure and the new gears of learning in work world.

On a complete tangent, is anyone else finding MN cobalt blue font hard on the eyes or is just me?

The cobalt blue is ok for me but I am annoyed at how pale the colours are for the OP's and my own posts, I have had them in green and lavender for many years and now they are so pale you can hardly see them.

Well, we are off with DD shortly. She's got an afternoon moving in slot and it's only an hour from here so no meed to leave just yet. I have been sitting around all morning while she finishes packing, it's a slightly odd feeling. I have been on WIWIKAU to reassure myself that I am not the most micro-managing parent out there

Hehe @ExtensivelyDecorating, the FB forum is a good reality check that whilst we here consider ourselves as handsy, the reality is really something else.

Right now I am very happy of the 'distance' between DD and us. Her DJ for tonight's birthday bash (22!!) has pulled out last minute, and there is absolutely nothing I can do thankfully, to sort. And she will sort it, but times like this I am really ok by being divided by water :)

Hope your DD settles back really well too.

And she's gone, it took about 10 minutes to park, 20 mins to unpack the car and then she said she was fine if we went. Although we were both holding back tears. With DS we stuck around and walked around the campus with him but DD is more independent and we have been there a few times now. I worry a bit that because she doesn't like and rarely uses social media or group chats she's going to find it hard connecting but there's nothing I can do about that now.

Ahhhh that’s tough @ExtensivelyDecorating ! I am sure she will be absolutely fine though.