Moving on up... Uni/CollegeS5/S6/S4/Work

[Groovee]

Hey everyone

It's that time of year... school returns within the next week or 2, others will be preparing to start college or uni. Some will be moving out. Some will start work... so here's the thread for those in that position.

For me Dd is going into second year at Dundee Uni. She did a fantastic first year. She's off to be a mentor to those starting uni this year. Ds has just gone into S6 and has the world to consider in the next year.

Me... I need to find a job after losing my job in June! Done in quite a callous way that I am taking my time to be kind!

Oh Wax that is priceless!

I met DH when I was 17 and he was 18. We thought we'd invented shagging. Get him more. We had loads of energy and no money. Maybe get him a gift card for Nando's and the cinema.

Haaahaaha.
Dd tells me that condoms are cheap if you buy in bulk from Amazon.
When she told me that I wasn't sure whether to be pleased she's so responsible or to stick my fingers in my ears whilst saying, "laalalalaala".
I know far more about her sex life than I want, but she's been with her bf for 3 years and I suppose it's good she feels able to talk to me.

She's coming here on Boxing day for a couple of days this year, we'll mainly eat, gossip, listen to music on YouTube and watch films.
I can't wait

Ds's been so overwhelmed with this years placement, that the GP has signed her off. Instead of having a lovely wake up on my birthday, I had my baby sobbing loudly. She's in a better place a few days on while I feel all over the place x

Sorry to hear that Groovee - am I correct in thinking it's primary teaching your dd is doing ? If so was there anything in particular that she found tough ?

I think this term seems to have been very long - dd came home yesterday exhausted and quite tearful as i think she was just tired, hungry and overdone.

Think they all need a decent break and an opportunity to recharge. Hugs to you and your dd

@readsalotgirl63 she found the whole thing an issue. But we've sat talking and we've realised that she puts so much pressure on herself to be 200% for the children. In all honestly a placement with specific placement tasks the 4 week prior to the Christmas holidays is probably one of the busiest/chaotic times of the years. This week at work with 2 year olds was off the wall. I was ready for the holidays and I had only been back 2 days after a holiday to Tenerife 🙈 Her uni tutor says she's not alone but I can say the support from Dundee has been outstanding, phoning you check on her etc.

Groovee hope your daughter gets a well earned rest over the Christmas break. Was this her first placement? I am not a teacher but do have first year uni students at work and the wee lambs are like rabbits in the headlights that first placement. They run on Adrenalin and are so desperate to please( generally speaking, there is the odd one who you know will not get far!) It’s the seemingly little things like where to find things without looking foolish trying to remember names of people and learning the new professional language terms as well. On top of that there is the preparation for each day and knowing you are being observed. No wonder she feels pressure. But we have all been there whether as students or starting a new job. As you say it is the pressure she is putting on herself because she is so conscientious. It will get easier and next time she will be better equipped to deal with it. Glad she found the uni supportive and I hope her placement mentor was too? It costs nothing to be nice after all. She will be glad to be home for a mum hug and some pampering.x

Teaching placements are tough Groovee - I usually mentor a student most years and they are balancing a vast workload. Much as I love teaching I do not look back in my placements fondly due to how hard going they were . You get through them and the assignments that usually run alongside them rather than enjoy them. Now that I am mentoring student teachers the age and on the same ITE course as DD1 I feel even more motherly and protective about them. Glad to hear Dundee were supportive though not all the ITEs are.
DDs has an offer from Dundee of a conditional of a C for Social Work. She also has a mini essay to write for her History application so it's all moving along for her.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year. Has everyone survied their students who've been home for the holidays?

DS2 heading back up on Monday. He's spent quite a lot of his home time with the new girlfriend so I still have the list of things he was to do whilst at home largely untouched.... It's nice to see him happy and obvs don't mind sharing him

I don't have that as such as DD lives in a flat all year round, but she has decided she's dropping out of education at the end of this college year
I'm supportive, but worried.

Glad your DS2 has settled so we'll WaxOn
How is DS1 doing?

Hopefully she finds something positive to do Brillo, nothing wrong with actually working :) It didn't do me any harm...

DS1 starts some talk therapy next week but they aren't sure it's necessarily the best thing for him but are going to give it a try. I think he'd benefit more from an assessment for aspergers tbh, but that's a conversation we've still to have when he's in a better frame of mind.

He's up and down to be honest but trying his best to join in and has rediscovered an old school friend on-line and has been gaming with him and I can hear him chatting away so that's positive but just been last couple of days..

Ah yes, an ASD assessment, tell me about it!
Im hoping Dd will do that next year, she says she wants out of education to get her health, both mental and physical sorted out.
That sounds positive.
Dd is fine with socialising, her BF, hmm, betterish, but only if she's there and or their old school friends.
He won't even come here, but doesn't try to stop her coming so I see her once a week or so.
It never gets easier even when they get older, it's just a new set of worries

Wax, good news about DS2. Hoping the therapy helps ds1.

Brillo I'm sure your Dd will be fine. Doesn't ever stop us worrying.

Dd has been working and seeing her friends and seems much calmer. She goes back next weekend.

Ds is busy studying.

Your ds2 seems to have settled in well Wax Hope ds1 finds the talking therapy useful. It might help get him the right frame of mind to look at alternative diagnoses (such as ASD).

Ds went back up to Aberdeen on Friday as he was working yesterday. He actually went back up last Friday for less than 24 hours as he was working and then came straight back down (he said it made more sense just to get the train straight after work as it's in Union Square, rather than going back to his flat and then getting a morning train).

It was nice to see him for a bit longer, even if we didn't do much while he was here.

Brillo - your dd sounds like she has her head screwed on right by prioritising her physical and mental health

Good news is that ds passed his International Law with a C2 . He'd been worried he'd failed and would have to do a resit in July, which would have had a knock-on effect on our plans to for a family holiday to NZ or Australia in May/June. So that's him passed everything in the 1st semester (PIR, International Law and 1st year Philosophy).

He only has (Macro) Sociology and PIR this semester, which he should pass.

Great news Prettybird😊. You must relieved!

Well done @prettybirds ds!

Aww that's fab news Pretty.

Great news Pb he'll be relieved. DS1 still waiting on results back but he didn't have any exams as such. Ds2 should have his but for some reason he can't get on the website they are published on, he's a bit concerned about his economics but the others should be fine based on what he already had in the bank from class tests and assignments. His History was just one essay to be submitted and he got his results for that on a different web thing and he got an A5 for that so was chuffed. he's been very unwell since last Thursday though so is currently back at home and slowly improving. He had an introductory lecture for something on Tuesday morning, he ended up having to leave and basically just went straight for the train and arrived back with only his books and the clothes on his back. I'm laying off the nagging to sort his system access out for another day or two...

I know it’s a ‘how long is a price of string’ question but wondering if anyone could tell me how much over the entry requirements you need to be for a place at uni?

DS2 has AAAAB in his highers. He’s got one unconditional place at Herriot watt who wanted ABBB but only a conditional for Glasgow who wanted AAAA; he needs now needs AB at advanced which I was surprised at. He’s got the I guess normal DoE, is a Queen’s scout, and represents county at athletics so plenty in personal statement. I know there’s no point second guessing but can’t help myself . 2 courses at St A and one at Aberdeen still to reply.

Congrats on your son's fab results. Which course is he applying for?

My DS has just gone off to uni so I am referring to events from last year.

I would imagine an unconditional offer from Aberdeen will be shortly forthcoming.

St As is a difficult one. There was a friend of my son who had an academic scholarship for a great independent school and achieved straights As in everything and still didn't receive a St As offer. Others (in my son's state school) received offers with much lower grades and less impressive reference etc. I think they are unpredictable and seem to be working hard to increase participation from less advantaged backgrounds IMHO.

I'm surprised about Glasgow as they generally make an unconditional to anyone who already has the required grades. I'm guessing it's maybe a highly competitive course?

Yes, Dds Bf got an unconditional after highers for computer science, he got 5As.
No idea where else he applied to as he's not my son obvs, but I know his top choice was Glasgow anyway.
I do know he has no extra curricular, not his thing at all.

Unless Glasgow have changed this year they don't use the personal statement for most courses except to check for contextuals not already disclosed. I went to open day with DD and noticed a difference from 3 years previously with DS2. They were saying if you met the entry criteria you would get an offer but did not say an unconditional offer. However AB seems a bit steep. Could this be for 2nd year entry? DD still waiting for any sort of offer from Glasgow. She'd be a bit meh about an AB offer in her AHs as they are least relevant for the course she's applying.