GCSEs 2018 (13) Untwisting our knickers, lucky for some!

[Stickerrocks]

Thread 12 Link to the thread with our potted histories. Now the end is in sight.

DS1 has had enough. He only has chemistry 2 this morning and physics 2 on Friday to go, but he hates it all so much that he wants to stop now. Or at least that's what he said before he went to bed last night.
Hopefully, he'll be feeling a bit more willing to pick himself up and keep on going this morning.

This exam season lasts so long, with so many papers, that it becomes a test of endurance as much as it is a test of knowledge and ability. There's also a significant amount of luck involved that you don't happen to be ill during the exams, that nothing upsetting happens to people close to you and that you go to a school or have a parent who will guide you through the exam preparation.

Is this what was really intended when the GCSE system was designed?

Good luck all Chemistry-ers!

Poor DS still trying his best at (compulsory) Triple Science. He would have been so much better off doing Double - and then he could have continued with Latin or Spanish, which he loved and was good at!

Best of luck to all for chemistry today. I'm up and out early for work trip.

Chemistry is one of DS1 favourites so hopefully today won't be too bad for him.

Not going to predict grades (too superstitious) but I can group in order or 'good', 'alright' and 'meh'.

Good = maths, chemistry, physics, Latin and history

Alright = English x 2, geography

Meh = Biology and Ad Maths

Good luck with Chemistry today everyone!

Ds has 2 more after today, Physics and Statistics which is a week on Thursday!

He seems to be ok- a bit grumpy occasionally, but that's not any different than usual!

The 6th form interview went well, and he has some taster days scheduled in there now, but his preference is his other offer so far.

Its a double whammy day today for DS1. Chemistry and Russian. And next Tuesday's finish line is now less than a week away. Woop!

I will be glad when today is over ...DD did 7 past Chemistry papers over the last two days...its a subject that she wasnt fussed about until she got 1 week into the exams and she developed a strong passion to pursue medicine...she had revised really hard for the exam ...

DD then just left with two exams in subjects she really enjoys Physics/DT Graphics.

Good luck for Chemistry and Russian, chemistry is DS's favourite science he says he's ready for the exam, but after having a double exam day yesterday only did an hour revision, so hopefully he's not going to regret that!

I will not be predicting DS's grades as I did this with DD and only got two right (and one of those was after a remark!)............still happy to hear others though..

DS and I have just had the following conversation, DS was looking out into the garden
Can you see that
me...What
in the garden
No
at the end
What
its in sight.......

Bluebelle
Good luck everyone with chemistry and to those with Russian!

🤣🤣🤣 love that Bluebelle......

Ds has chemistry today and then Leavers Assembly. 🙄🙄

They have to take in an extra shirt for signing and then be mentally prepared for any exams this afternoon.

Fortunately ds is coming home but how odd to have an assembly mid exam week.

Complete and utter meltdown last night. “I don’t know anything at all - literally nothing” - she had racked up 40 hours since Friday just on chemistry....surely she must know something?!??
Tears, wanted cuddles and so much reassurance that I barely recognised her. Then couldn’t sleep until about 1am and then up at 5.

Thank goodness it’s the last one - it’s dreadful

My heart goes out to all the DC going through this trauma. To turn them from confident, bright motivated individuals into jibbering crying wrecks.

Surely this can’t be the government’s intention? How can they get it so wrong?

Huge good luck for Chemistry and any others today!🍀

Nearly there

Cblue oh no! Hopefully just the tiredness talking and will feel much better once exam is done.
Can't say DS seems too enthusiastic about the last 2 exams. Biology is his favourite science and I suspect he's put far more effort into that.

Going to give 3 predictions. The first is the school )they don’t predict 9s) the 2nd is DDs and the 3rd I’d mine (based on what she said/answers she gave). Where an igcse I have translated to 1-9

Eng Lang - 7,6,7
Eng Lit - 8,8,8
Maths- 7,4,6
Bio- 8,4,6
Chem - 8,4,6 (unless something goes wrong today)
Maths- 7,5,6
History- 8,8,8
Art - 8,6,7
Comp science - 8,8,9

.....so nowhere near her school predictions. She’s always been good at the sciences but apparently they were really hard and she is desperately disappointed in how they went. Pretty sure she hasn’t done quite as badly as she thinks though.

Can’t wait for results day, NOT!!!!!

@loose - thank you so much for kind words. I think we are both emotionally drained. She’s off to her dads (up north) - she hasn’t seen him in months because of revision but I think she will just sleep for 5 days. He’s a twit anyway ha ha

Cblue I’m sure that will be exhaustion and a release of pressure now that she’s almost finished. Awful to see though.

Mmzz you’re right about it being an endurance test and there being a huge dose of luck involved.

Teenmum DS has done the same number of past papers over the last 2 days. I’m expecting more curved balls today though-they seem to have been a feature this year.

Good luck to them all today!

Cblue I also suspect DS will sleep for most of next week!

Normally dgd sails through chemistry but today another DC in meltdown! She was telling me that new topics on syllabus are A level topics new to this years GCSE. She said they are complicated, very wordy and why the hell does she have to study A level stuff just for a GCSE!
Usual calming tactics this morning which unfortunately didn't work

Can someone do me a favour and check whether that link goes to my Facebook page or just the video I had hoped to post! If mine I will need to report myself to MN!!

Reservoir it looks like it’s just the video. But I don’t use Facebook so I couldn’t say 100%

Hugs for you and DD blue. I think even the toughest are starting to show the strain by now. I'm not sleeping well, DS2 is in a permanently horrible teenage mood and DH is away all week so I get to do it all alone. Looking forward to spending some days alone with DS1 after he's finished on the 21st. He's got a lifeguarding course mid-July followed by a week in Spain talking to Spanish teens who are learning English. Focus on the nice things!!

Oh and DS sitting the same paper Reservoir. Any feedback afterwards would be greatly appreciated-it’ll be more than I’ll get from him!

I just snapped at DH who was pleased with himself for catching bin lorry.

Trying to think of how to get myself back on a even keel next week. DD can sleep and watch box sets. I'll have to pick up the rest of my life.

Reservoir that's very funny - and I can only see the video (also not on Facebook myself, though!)
DS says there's too much A-level stuff in GCSE chemistry! He is pretty sure he will pass but other than that no predictions are possible!