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Original poster

2019 SQA Results

347 replies

Groovee · 15/07/2019 00:54

So the 6th of August is fast approaching... here is the 2019 thread.

Ds was sitting a mixture of highers and Nat5's. So we'll see what this year brings.

I'm just grateful it's not 2 lots like last year as it was a mare.

OP posts:
WaxOnFeckOff · 26/07/2019 22:09

Thanks sassanach, your offer of help and support is much appreciated and hopefully it will be completely unwanted come Tuesday week!

I've just found out (as I was planning a weekend away in September) that moving in weekend for Aberdeen is 31st August/1st September - that seems so soon - we've prepared nothing as yet as didn't want to jinx it!

I suppose I should do a bit of research on what he should be taking, other than a corkscrew/bottle opener and 10 litres of hair conditioner. those two items are not necessarily connected other than it's all about the hair and cider... :o

How is everyone else bearing up?

prettybird · 27/07/2019 09:10

Has he been allocated a flat yet Wax ? - not sure what Aberdeen does with conditionals.

Experience is that he only needs maybe two plates of each type (dinner, side, cereal), 2 sets of cutlery (nothing special as it will get mixed up with everyone else's), a saucepan/casserole, a frying pan (ds also took a small non-stick saucepan as he likes to make scrambled egg), some knives and a can opener.

I can send you the "packing" list I put together but only after Results Day Wink

prettybird · 27/07/2019 09:13

For everyone with youngsters going off to Uni, there's a group on FB that it's worth joining (if you're on FB) called WIWIKAU - What I Wish I Knew About University.

Even if you "know" what Uni is like, it's useful for current issues facing both students and parents. (Although I was never distraught at ds leaving home like some on there Wink)

WaxOnFeckOff · 27/07/2019 10:48

That would be great pb and I'llook at that fb group. He can't book accommodation until his place is confirmed. He's supposed to have registered that he wants accommodation but I don't know if he has.

HotGingerPudding2 · 27/07/2019 11:02

Me too please Prettybird for the list! Would be very handy. So far I’m doing a fairly good job of not thinking about my DD going away come September.

She’s been allocated catered accommodation at DRA at St A’s, not her first choice and pretty expensive but looks quite a nice setup and the 1/2 hour walks each way will help offset the catered meals! She’ll be fending for herself at weekends so will still need to take crockery etc. So far my mental list just consists of bedding, including an Ikea mattress topper and an Ikea bag for trips to the on site laundry!

Alittewornout · 27/07/2019 11:25

Hot ginger my ds was in DRA for 1st year and loved it! He is going in to 3rd year now and still sharing with most of the first year flat crew as they all get on so well. Your Dd will have an absolute blast. Agree that an IKEA trip is a must! That sounds a fab Facebook group I must look at that for Dd next year if results go ok this year!!🙈

WaxOnFeckOff · 27/07/2019 11:36

i apparently need to find something the same height as the beds so to make a little extension on the end. DS is used to sleeping diagonally on his double so thinking he find find the move to a single a bit awkward.

He's only about 6'2 and a bit, so not hugely tall, I think he'll manage fine - we'll see...

Original poster
Groovee · 27/07/2019 11:38

I think we had 3 weeks last year with Dd before she moved. This year it's a week later for freshers but Dd is going early to be a 2nd year mentor for the new 1st years.

The only thing Dd didn't own the whole year was cutlery. She had utensils, pots and pans, crockery but no cutlery 😂. She bonded well with most of her flat mates. There were 2 she was wary off and with good reason it seems.

Ds is sleeping through dh installing a new boiler! I have no idea how though. He's saying little about his results just now! So we're going with the flow.

OP posts:
WaxOnFeckOff · 27/07/2019 11:49

I'm going to head into his old bedroom/dumping ground soon for a foray to see what we have in there as that's the last time he slept in a single. I think i will have plenty of bedding in there. I'm pretty sure he had a mattress topper and a good down duvet. I have a lot of nectar points too so thinking I might see if Argos have some of what he might need. Most of his clothes are black/grey so thinking of keeping bedding and towels the same so all his wash can go in together. He has a couple of black shirts he can take if he needs anything smart.

Alittewornout · 27/07/2019 11:56

Good luck searching in the dumping ground Wax! We have one of those too so am glad we are not alone, it has everything from dh home brew( red wine!! Frequently taken by ds for house parties) to Dd ballet tutus!😂

WaxOnFeckOff · 27/07/2019 12:06

Honestly Alittle, he moved out of that room about 6 years ago and just left everything behind, it has the loft access hatch in there but since he moved out, instead of actually putting stuff in the loft, we've just been chucking it in the room. It's only about 6 and a half feed wide and the length of a bed plus a desk but it has a set of bunk beds, 2 sets of drawers, 2 desks, all our luggage, all his toys, 2 bookcases, christmas trees, guitars, exercise equipment, half a ton of lego, 6 bin bags of stuff waiting to go to charity, my secret curtain stash, spare duvets, pillows and god knows what else (lamps stepladders, the holy grail..) We call it Monica's closet. We also have a futility room though since the demise of all the scouts/dofe/sports etc stuff it's a bit better. Just need to keep reminding DSs to get their ironing done and taken upstairs.

Alittewornout · 27/07/2019 12:15

Love it Wax! Ours is called Tracy’s room (aka The dumping ground) after the Jacqueline Wilson character Tracy Beaker.😉

prettybird · 27/07/2019 12:16

I got ds a grey bath sheet - colour chosen deliberately Wink I also have him an old white scraggy bath sheet - but he never used it.

I have a suspicion that it didn't get washed until it came home again Hmm (It might have been brought home at Christmas as he did bring back a suitcase then rather than just his rucksack).

Ditto his bed sheets. Shock

Things that aren't obvious are a couple of hand towels for the toilets (one or two depending on whether the flat has one or two loos): again, I'm not sure whether they got washed in 8 months until they were brought home Shock

WaxOnFeckOff · 27/07/2019 12:34

Just been reading some of the tips and using turkish towels seems to be an idea as they dry so easily. That's actually what we've started doing at home as we use them on holiday as the sand doesn't seem to get embedded in them so easily and they are decently absorbent and dry themselves very quickly and are light and fold up small. So, decided when we came home just to get more and use them here as well. I'm thinking of getting a pack of the smaller ones as hand/hair towels too.

WaxOnFeckOff · 27/07/2019 20:06

@sassanach I have a question for you not related to the SQA results if I may?

DS1 did really well in his 1st year and has been offered to transfer to the Masters (Computing science), I think that he seems keen to swap over, is there any advantage do you think?

sassanach · 27/07/2019 22:04

Hi @waxonfeckoff

Can I check first what is his current course and where he is studying? What reasons does he have for being more keen on the Masters than his current course?

Computing Science definitely has a lot of career opportunities, its a very high demand qualification, but his current course could be as sought after.

Can also depend on the university too - some university departments are struggling, universities struggling with funding and there is inside talk of courses being dropped.

WaxOnFeckOff · 27/07/2019 22:34

Thanks Sassanach - he's at Strathclyde doing the Software Engineering degree which has the opportunity to switch to the CS degree (basically the same course, 1 with a year out and the other without). He's now shown me the email and it says that if he chooses to transfer he still has the option to transfer back to either of the honours courses until the end of third year (he's just finished first) but they've equally said that if he continues to do as well as he is currently (he has an average of around 90% and I think anything over 70% is a distinction) then they would allow him to transfer next year also. I've said that he should go look at the course contents over the next couple of years and see which one he favours.

WaxOnFeckOff · 27/07/2019 22:36

As for reasons, it's like blood from a stone. I think he is thinking that it's a no risk move and would mean he'd get funding for the 5 years in place now if he needed it. I think he is quite flattered too.

ClerkMaxwell · 27/07/2019 23:18

For my DS2s course and uni you don't need to decide until 3rd year as courses only diverge at the end of 3rd year. Could he sign up for the masters now and decide later? He might fancy a change of location. Or develop an interest in a specific area and prefer an advanced masters in that area alone. I'd also look at the content of extra masters year. Integrated masters weren't a thing in my day so I did a separate masters. I think the separate masters are more more substantial (longer and more credits) However agree depending on what he planning to do afterwards not sure a masters is necessary. I manage a team of computer scientists and find their class of degree/work experience a better indicator of work success than whether they have a masters or not.

WaxOnFeckOff · 27/07/2019 23:57

Thanks Clerk. To be fair the email said something along the lines of his performance indicating he would be on course to achieve a 1st/2.1 which would also be seen favourably by potential employers.

sassanach · 28/07/2019 07:38

Hi @WaxOnFeckOff

entirely up to him really. CS is a good choice if he's very into maths, graphics, artificial intelligence etc. Yet if he is very hands on, then SE might be best to stick with.

As you say, there is a lot of similarities between them, and a lot of similarities in job prospects.Both courses offer work placements which I am strongly in favour of (you wouldn't believe the number of students and graduates I see with zero work experience, not even a saturday job).

If it were me choosing, I think the CS option could be better to go for as its a Masters and may have more variety within the course too.

HTH and he has his university careers service to speak to also if he wishes. Strathclyde careers service has a great reputation

ClerkMaxwell · 28/07/2019 08:59

Apologies I cross posted. He's nothing to loose by signing up to the masters now. Does the non-masters have any substantial project work /internships in industry? That can be useful to show team working coping with deadlines and just having something to talk about in an interview. If not and it's very academic then I'd be inclined to go with the masters year if he can find a project/placement he's happy with.

WaxOnFeckOff · 28/07/2019 19:52

Thanks both

Yes, he is very into all those things sassanach. Its seems that both the CS and SE courses are identical except that in fourth year the SE go on a years placement and the CS students go into 4th year. He really struggles with shyness and anxiety and hasn't worked yet despite being gently pushed and supported to get a job. My concern is that he gets to 4th year and switches to to the CS and therefore comes out with no experience at all. Like your scenario. The Masters also has placements so I am okay with that switch. I think a placement is important for him.

I've managed to get him to volunteer to mentor at a coding club but he's not been to it yet. Hopefully that will give him a bit of confidence and is familiar territory.

Anyway, back to SQA results - 9 sleeps...

susiewong · 29/07/2019 18:17

@HotGingerPudding2 my DS has also been allocated catered at DRA and not his first choice either. I did get him to ask if he could swap to self catered but it was a definite no. Let’s hope his fussy eating habits improve or it will be such a waste of money Shock!
We went up at the weekend for a sneaky peak - all looked great although rooms are small. There’s a short cut round the sports building so only 10 mins to the science buildings (if that’s where she is).

HotGingerPudding2 · 29/07/2019 19:48

susiewong my DD knows knows 2 people starting at St A’s and both have also been allocated DRA so it must be the default! It’s a bit rubbish they couldn’t allow your son to go self catered though given it offers both at DRA. I wonder if all 5 beds in each flat are all either catered or self catered. Catered was the sole criteria that my DD asked for that she did actually get! I did read that no swaps would be entertained for 4 weeks after the start of the semester but then they would consider requests. Might be worth considering if your DS dosn’t get on with the catering. They do have to organise their own lunches and evening meals at the weekend which will be more than enough for my one!
All her lectures will be in town but I’m sure there will be loads of them walking in that direction.
Did you just ask for a look inside a room? I’m wondering how much room there will be in the wardrobe etc to store spare bedding, towels and toiletries and if you can stow stuff under the bed? Thinking about storage baskets etc. Think she’ll have to learn some tidier habits than she has at present!
Not got very far with putting together a list yet but the facebook page that prettybird mentioned has a link to one that is a good starting point.
Is your DS looking forward to it do you think? September still seems quite far away but I think I’m in slight denial!