Thread 15 - Corona Cohort Year 12, 2021 Lateral Flow & Driving Tests

[orangecinnamon]

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They put in a one-way system into the town the weekend before I took my test. Just to add to the nerves!

18 years Ealing of 22 years London Justhere. Never thought we’d stay here for that long but it’s still a great neighbourhood, well connected and in spite of all the lows of London living (like no driveway, ditch the car penalties, handkerchief garden, high crime etc), there’s much that’s made us stay.

And DD says she wants to come home to see friends from wherever she may be studying from 2022, though I’d ironically love more space once she’s not here!

Aaargh... 4 (confirmed) cases in DS's place now...so far not involving him.

Oh fingers crossed for you Piggy that the outbreak is contained to a tiny cluster. Such a shame with such low current numbers that your DS’ college is disproportionately higher right now.

Sorry to hear that @Piggywaspushed, I guess we should expect to see another wave of cases now as there is so much covid fatigue - young people are not taking care because they are young and older people are not taking care because they have been vaccinated. I think it is madness to allow holidays abroad this summer, sends out the message that life is back to normal.

We were sad to leave @ealingwestmum but I still have friends there so get to visit often (less so over the past year though!)

Oh no Piggy! I hope they limit the outbreak, maybe the tests will have done their job by identifying early before it spreads too much.

Fingers crossed no more Piggy.

Sorry to hear that @Piggywaspushed I hope it doesn’t spread too much more

Oh no Piggy, what a worry.

I'm feeling REALLY old now, I passed my driving test in 1985. In Portsmouth, which was great as it's completely flat so we were excused hill starts. No theory test or parallel parking in those days either, and Portsmouth is certainly somewhere where parallel parking skills are important.

I worked in Greenford for a while, lived in Hayes, it was a long time ago now though. Ended up moving out to Bucks and then back to Hampshire.

We have started on the virtual Open Days but it's a bit tricky, don't want to take time off work / school for them as they are all recorded anyway and we might want to do real visits later in the year but then we end up not watching the recordings. Same with a UCAS event a couple of years ago. This website is useful www.opendays.com/

I've been back to campus (a small local uni)quite a lot over the past month. There are constant tours going on. Always worth phonecalls if you have a nearby uni you can get to on a weekday. Problem is only the practical course students in campus. I would argue that offer holder days are the least 'contrived' ways to get to see students.

Dd has two Unis she really wants to go to that are great for her course by all accounts. I find that having to concentrate on her Music stuff (getting the right grades /theory etc) has meant that she has had more time to work out what she wants from a course/institution. An advantage for her as she is the most determined I've ever known to get her grades. In her mind this really means the other UCAS choices are a bit pointless...I'm not sure how much thought goes in to those outside her top two. It is her choice though. One of her choices (Surrey) seems to be a lot lower than previous years. Does anyone know if this is related to Covid still ?

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn I learnt to drive end of 1989 took my test beginning of1990.

I took my test in Surbiton. I don't know if the test centre is still there. I grew up in Kingston, so I drove around a large town straight away. Whereas here in Suffolk to get to the town/city with the test centre it is a 45 mins drive on a straight road. So lessons have to be a minimum of 2 hours.

@ealingwestmum Southall has brought back memories....I used to go to the horse market there every week in my teens. I wonder if it is still there. I doubt it. A long time ago now.

@orangecinnamon DS will only be putting 3 choices on his UCAS form, I don't think there is any point in using other UCAS spaces if there are only a few you are interested in, although there is no harm putting aspirational choices if there is room. I have a few friends with DC doing music - Manchester most popular, Cardiff was very flexible, the interview/audition was more important than the grades, one choosing Durham this year for a more academic course. Music numbers have been falling for years, lots of schools no longer offer A level music. UCAS has subject stats.

Meant to check that you know you can submit early with 2 choices and fill the other 3 any time up to 15th Jan.

That's worth knowing about campus tours @orangecinnamon, DS has Friday free some weeks and it's my day off work, maybe we should look into this, he wants to stay local but there are loads within about 25 miles of us.

Thanks Monkey ...Manchester was spoken about a lot in the early years of interest. Her choice, but she doesn't want to go too far. It seems a shame as we get heavily reduced train fares. She likes her home comforts and with her anxiety I guess she needs to know she can get home easily if required.

Cardiff is tops at the moment...it is really motivating her. She has been walking the streets virtually and everything. Nice to see. I do wish she had opened up her choices to further north as there are plenty of great courses past the Midlands but her choice I suppose.

Well definitely her choice DH reminds me often, like I'm some interfering Mum or something

@EventuallyDistracted

That's worth knowing about campus tours *@orangecinnamon*, DS has Friday free some weeks and it's my day off work, maybe we should look into this, he wants to stay local but there are loads within about 25 miles of us.

I think it is worth it...especially to work out what they might not like !

Cardiff is a great city for music, the Welsh are proud of their string musical tradition and having a music college, a BBC orchestra and chorus and an excellent opera company together with great concert facilities all helps. I have not spoken to the friend whose son is there, currently 2nd year, for a while but his first year meet his expectations.

We are planning a week's 'Grand Tour' of the North immediately after DD breaks up (if regs allow) - staying with relatives and seeing something of Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle, then leaving car and doing a day trip to Edinburgh.

Good thing DH and I both love driving...

I would love DS to go to Edinburgh! DD said loads of her friends’ parents suggested Edinburgh too.

Don’t know anyone currently doing music at Cardiff but my housemate did way back in the last millennium. Cardiff a great place to be a student and a popular choice with a fair few here.

There have been a few upsets on the offer fronts this year so I am going to emphasise to DS he needs to think carefully and come up with 5 he will he actually happy to be at in case it’s a repeat of this year.

Oh gosh I love Edinburgh! Better days are coming to explore (crosses fingers)

@icanbewhatiwant I used to go to Southall horse market too!! I always found it a really strange place to have one, don't know if its still there though.

I know this is a stupid question but when are they meant to submit their UCAS forms? Surely not til next year?

@orangecinnamon Cardiff is one of DDs top choices ATM - for psychology. She has done a virtual open day but we are hoping to visit over the summer - combined trip with Swansea which is also on the list. She's never been to Wales!!

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn

From UCAS site:

18 May 2021
UCAS Undergraduate Apply opens for 2022 entry.

7 September 2021
Applicants can pay and send their applications to UCAS, and unis and colleges can start making decisions on applications.

15 October 2021
Applications for Oxford, Cambridge and most courses in medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine/science should arrive at UCAS by 18:00 (UK time). The reference needs to be completed before the application can be sent to us.

15 January 2022
Applications for the majority of undergraduate courses should arrive at UCAS by 18:00 (UK time) on the equal consideration date (check course details in our search tool for the correct deadline). The reference needs to be completed before the application can be sent to us.

25 February 2022
Extra starts for eligible applicants.

30 June 2022
If an application is sent to us by 18:00 (UK time) on this day, we’ll send it to the chosen universities or colleges. Applications received after this date will automatically be entered into Clearing.