Thread 56 – Covid GCSE Cohort – Spring 26 – Yr 4 Uni and Graduates

[crazycrofter]

The old thread has filled up and no one noticed - I think we're missing @oblomov26 sharp eyes!

I've tried to tag in everyone I can think of, but apologies to anyone I've missed!
@shimy @endlessdistraction @justherewithmypopcorn @mummyinbeds @aslockton @oubliettebravo @craggyrat @anothernewname460 @ealingwestmum @ewwsprouts @seeline @piggywaspushed @nctdn @icanbewhatiwant @comefromaway @heifer @kingscotestaff @delphigirl @zebracat @cantonet @socks1107 @blinkbonny @anneofcleavage

Sorry to hear about the work issues @craggyrat , that's really rubbish. I assume you still have a job?

@crazycrofter yes I'm part of phase 2 where there are no planned redundancies allegedly! There is going to be office move though so commute would be hour each way rather than 5 minutes which may not sound much but with my medical side effects and DH head injury makes a huge difference for us. So am looking out for local alternatives

That's a pain. Good luck in your search.

@craggyrat Sorry about the job upheaval. Fingers crossed something just right pops up locally.

@craggyrat - I survived last year’s redundancy round, but I’m now definitely an outlier. No one else with my role is based on my site. I fully expect it to be consolidated to the other site (135 miles away) in phase 2.

@OublietteBravo that is such a worry when so far away. Unfortunately even if they make me redundant I wont get much as I left briefly 3 years ago

Have you checked that @craggyrat in some cases short breaks don't affect your length of service, not sure all the exact ins and outs. Last time I was made redundant I was only working 3 days and they only wanted to pay me 3/5 of my redundancy package but I dug in and got them to pro-rata it for the full time and part time years.

Thanks @EffortlesslyDistracted no i haven't checked but I will!

@crazycrofter @Oblomov26 and other Notts folk - DS just forwarded an email to me saying results are being delayed by a week due to the cyber attack. So annoying.

Thanks @mummyinbeds. Interesting. I ponder!
Ds1 claims he's got a 2:1, flew to kyrgyzstan yesterday, for hiking.

Has his accommodation in Peckham , (we have teased him relentlessly re Delboy Trotter Peckham springs water) , for his start of his job in September.

sadly, his relationship with me and Dh is currently very strained. He seems absolutely obsessed with the church, giving up his career to do ministry.

And his communication skills re-letting us know : anything. What he thinks. Whether he's home for dinner!

like what's going on with his life and of his thoughts - is like drawing blood of a blood out of a stone.

I'm assuming many of you have had similar? 😉

So random that your ds and mine are in Kyrgyzstan hiking at the same time @Oblomov26 . They may well run into each other, if ds manages to get his passes.

He is also rubbish at letting us know plans, although he will open up about thoughts and feelings to a crazy extent, in a way I never did at his age. They're all different though and I do think at this age, it doesn't really occur to them that we need to know when they're home etc, especially when they've been living independently for so long. It's frustrating but it's also great that they're independent!

In terms of church ministry - I'm from a family of people who've done just that at different stages (dh was 40s when he decided to change career from teaching, one of my brothers was 20s and not really settled in a career, my cousin gave up his PwC training contract after a year or two to go to Bible college!). Don't worry too much; it's good that he's passionate about something. All my family members have had stable roles; my cousin has been a chaplain at a boarding school and seems to be on track to become headmaster?!

@mummyinbeds @Oblomov26 Re the Notts results - have yours had individual module results? Dd has had all hers apart from the dissertation. I don't know if that's going to be delayed, as it was supposed to come on 10th. But if they have all the individual results they can work out degree classification anyway? Or is this more of an issue for those who've not had stuff marked, so they're waiting for 'composite/estimated' marks?

@crazycrofter DS has no year 4 law marks at all (assessed fully by final exams) and only semester 1 French marks. He's convinced he's failed at least one law exam so has an extra week of nervous waiting. As far as he's aware, there is no marking boycott issue with any of his modules. I've been reading the regulations and have no idea what happens if he has failed a module. No resits for final year and the law modules he's worried about are non-compensatable (is that even a word?) I am a little amused by some of the angry posters on Facebook - nervous yes, but I don't see the point in wasting energy on being angry and protesting at graduation.

@Oblomov26 my two are making an effort to communicate their plans and whereabouts - sometimes at the last minute though. This has definitely been an issue with DS in the past. DD shares everything whether I'm interested or not 🤣 We are working on a transition from student to adult, starting with picking clothes off the floor and putting pots in the dishwasher, or at least the kitchen. DD at least offers to cook (still hasn't mastered cleaning the mess she creates)

My friend’s son is just the same about the church. He has started a grad job, but is very much into the church. A friend at university went into the ministry (female) and my best friend’s husband is a pastor after teaching for 10 years. A teacher friend has a brother who is an army Chaplin. He has been out in Normandy burying ww1 soldiers who have recently be indentified. I can think of worse careers.

Oh that's stressful @mummyinbeds - fingers crossed for him. I tried reading the regulations a couple of years ago, when dd had a bad year 2, and couldn't make head nor tail of them to be honest! I agree with you about the facebook folk - some threatening to tell staff off, if they see them at graduation 😂

So far, dd coming home hasn't really made much difference, she's been back in Notts every weekend, going straight from work on the Friday - or Thursday this week, as she can work from home today - and she spent one night this week with a friend in Birmingham, so she didn't have a long journey into work the next day. So this week we've just seen her on Monday and Wednesday evenings. No idea if it's going to continue this way, but it's very manageable! How are your dc getting on with job hunting @mummyinbeds ?

@crazycrofter job hunting is as depressing as expected. Not that either of them has tried that hard yet. DD applied to a volunteer abroad company for an overseas position - the company went into liquidation the next day (one of her friends was supposed to be setting off on a trip with them today 🥺) She's starting her part time online masters in September so she's not looking for a career job just yet. DS had done a few shifts in our local pub and wants to do a ski season. He's going to need more than a few pub shifts to make that a reality.

oh god, the mess from my two is unbelievable. DD's room is a tip, DS leaves the kitchen in a mess. Laundry at various stages all over the place.

@mummyinbedsa friend’s dd did a ski season in Canada four years ago, which turned into two years, then a year in Japan. She’s back briefly and then going out for another in Japan in October!

@Oblomov26 I know a few people who have followed a calling into ministry too, my cousin who was a teacher became a vicar in her 30s, DD’s friend’s Dad who is a successful IT whizz and Roman Catholic deacon. A RC priest who was formerly a teacher and is now a chaplain and still does tutoring, invigilation, exam marking and numerous other things, he is a true portfolio career person.

I think this depends on the Church. Some young men ard being pulled towards some rather dodgy outfits.

I’m sure that’s the case unfortunately. From what @Oblomov26 has said previously though, I think her ds is involved In one of the mainstream studenty churches in Notts, so hopefully not a dodgy one 🤞

Did your ds hear back about the football club role @Piggywaspushed ?

No, it's getting rather annoying!

Has he chased them?! Surely they don’t get loads of applications for a voluntary role do they??

Yes, repeatedly. I suspect they guy is on holiday.

He also has an (online ) interview on Monday for a Dorset local paper.

It’s so annoying having to wait isn’t it! Good luck to him for Monday’s interview 🤞

Job hunting for dd still ongoing here too. What’s frustrating is that there’s been a few she’s spent hours filling applications in for, to then get a reply a few days later saying they’ve decided not to go ahead with the graduate scheme or posts this year Why let them spend hours on applications only to pull them after that?!