Tuesday 10 May 2016

The Beginning Of The End


We're at the start of exam season here. Daniel rang me yesterday to let me know how his first exam had gone, according to him, half went well and half not so well but he's hopeful that he did enough to pass. His next one is tomorrow.

Eleanor starts her A levels tomorrow. She's got a number of exams which are spread just over six weeks.

It doesn't seem two minutes since Daniel headed off to university to study Physics with Astrophysics and I wrote my It All Went Well post. These are his final exams and then he's finished, though he's still undecided what he's going to do afterwards. He may go on and do a Masters if he doesn't find a job.

Eleanor finishes school after these exams and she's hoping to go on to university to study biomedical science, though of course, whether she makes it or not will depend on these exam grades. It won't be for the want of trying as she's put such a lot of effort in to her course and in to revision.

It's going to be very strange for me having my children all grown up and no longer at school, another milestone soon to pass.

52 comments:

  1. The time does fly and you never know where they'll end up. Our daughter went off to college pre-med, thought she wanted to be a doctor. Ended up doing a degree in political science and then a masters in the same field and most of the course work for her doctorate. But what's she doing now? She's in IT for a Japanese company in Fukuoka, Japan. You just never know.

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    1. Daniel didn't know what he wanted to do for a career when he was choosing his A levels so I advised him to take subjects he enjoyed. He was no wiser when it came to the end of his A levels so once again, I advised taking a degree in the subject he preferred. He may not end up doing anything to do with Physics or Astrophysics, but it's a good degree to have anyway. I just hope he chooses a career he enjoys, that's all we really want for our children, isn't it?

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  2. I wish both of your children lots of luck and success with their exams. Time really does fly; I was just thinking it felt like yesterday that Daniel went off to school!

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    1. Thank you. I don't know where the time has gone since Daniel started university, it's absolutely flown, and I'm sure it will be the same once Eleanor goes off later this year.

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  3. It is very strange when the second one goes off to Uni.We missed having them and their friends around the place.I used to love coming in from work ,sitting round the kitchen table discussing the lives and loves of the sixth form!It just seemed soooooo quiet but you do get used to it.We are at a point in our lives now when our eldest granddaughter will be sitting A levels next year and going off to Uni.Where have all those years gone?

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    1. It seemed funny not having Daniel around when he first left for uni but we soon got used to it, I'm sure it will be the same with Eleanor. It's scary to think how fast time is slipping by, I do wish it would slow down a little.

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  4. Wishing your children luck with their exams! I am keeping my fingers crossed for Eleanor so she can study what she would love to. A Masters is always a good option, although they come at a price but at least Daniel has another year to find a job, or decide what to do. My oldest, Sam, has just this minute finished his second exam of seven. These are his National 5 exams, your GCSEs. x

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    1. Thank you. As you know, Eleanor has to work really hard for her grades, it doesn't come easy to her, but she's put so much effort in that I do hope she achieves what she wants to. I'm sure Daniel will work out what's best for him, he's at that age now where he knows his own mind, he's matured so much since he left home. Good luck to Sam, I hope he does really well in his exams, I'm sure he will.

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  5. I hope that they both do well, as I'm sure they will. Flighty xx

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  6. Ooh quite a stressful time for Daniel and Eleanor, good luck to both of them. I too found it strange when my two left but then they kept coming back for one reason or another lol. Its great to see them getting on with their lives and even better when we all get together. xcx

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    1. Thank you. I think young people do have a stressful time these days, I don't remember there being as much emphasis put on exams when I was at school. Daniel may end up back home once he's finished, we're not sure yet but in that case it would be one in, one out.

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  7. We will keep everything crossed for them both, it's a hard time of their lives.

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    1. Thank you. They're both hitting important exams at the same time, we're just hoping they both do well.

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  8. Doesn't time fly by. I'm sure both of your children will do well and then another chapter in their lives will begin. Good luck to both of them.
    xx

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    1. The time has whizzed by. They've both got exciting chapters awaiting them once these exams are out of the way.

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  9. Both of your children with important exams happening in the same year! Stressful maybe?
    I wish them both well, and continuing success too. I'm sure they are working/studying hard.

    Family life moves on, it is inevitable.
    I just love it when our family can all get-together ...
    Special times and days to be cherished.

    Hope your week is going well - Wednesday tomorrow - where do the days go?

    All the best Jan

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    1. Very stressful, but then exams always are. Thank you, they've both studied very hard so I'm hoping they do well. I agree about family life, there's nothing I enjoy more than when we're all at home spending time together. I think we appreciate it more as our family starts to make their own way in life and these times become less frequent.

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  10. Good luck to both Daniel and Eleanor. I can't believe Daniel's finished uni already! Wasn't it just last week that he started?

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    1. Thank you. These years have certainly flown, I remember dropping him off thinking he'd be gone for such a long time, but as you say, it seems like just last week.

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  11. Wishing them all the best in their exams and hope both achieve what they want. It is such a stressful time for young ones these days, with much emphasis on how they perform, instead of looking at them as individual people. Something we are not going to change as the world moves forward. Their chosen career paths sound very scientific based. All the best Eleanor and Daniel. Take care Jo.

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    1. Thank you. You're right, exams play such a big part in their future these days which isn't good if you don't perform well in them. That doesn't always mean that you don't know the answers, there can be lots of reasons why you under-perform in exams. Mick and I have never done anything scientific so it's surprising that they're both following this route, though we always encouraged them to question things and take interest in the world around them so perhaps it isn't so surprising afterall.

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    1. Thank you. They've both got an exam this morning which they'll be well in to as I type this, I do hope they're doing well.

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  13. Such a stressful time for everyone, hope all goes well they deserve good grades when they have worked so hard. A Masters is a good option as it gives them an edge when applying for jobs later.

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    1. It is, we're helping and encouraging as much as we can but you do feel rather helpless when it's all out of your control and their future is at stake. I think Daniel would prefer to get a job if he can but I think a Masters would be a good option, as you say, it gives them a bit of an advantage over those who don't have one, but you know what young people are like, he'll make up his own mind in the end.

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  14. Best of luck to them both, I do hope their exams go well.

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    1. Thank you. They've both prepared for them well so I hope it stands them both in good stead.

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  15. Following your family news with interest via your blog it does seem no time at all since Daniel started university and now he's doing his finals. It's been interesting to hear about Eleanor's studies too. I wish them all the best with the exams and future decisions.

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    1. I can't believe how fast Daniel's time at uni has gone, he says he feels the same. Thank you, we're all keeping our fingers crossed that things go well for them both.

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  16. Wishing your 'young adults' good results and happy times in their chosen careers.

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    1. Thank you. They've put so much work in to their studies, I just hope they're not disappointed.

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  17. Best of luck to them both.. stressful time.

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    1. Thank you. Very stressful, for us all.

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  18. Life is full of milestones, isn't it? Our oldest granddaughter is just about to do her SATs! Hoping for good results for your two.

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    1. It is. It all starts with SATs and they seem to go on being tested for the next 12+ years. Thank you, we're hoping they do well.

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  19. Wow, it is going to be all change in your family! I hope that both Daniel and Eleanor do really well in their exams and whatever their futures bring them!

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    1. It's all a bit up in the air at the moment, unsure of what Daniel will be doing when he finishes and waiting to find out how Eleanor does in these exams. We could end up with them both at home, one of them at home or neither of them at home. Thank you.

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  20. Ah yes, milestones! I often wonder where the years go, like greased lightning mostly. I wish your clever guys all the very best, fingers and toes are crossed.xxx

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    1. Thank you. It's amazing how it's got to this stage in their lives already, it's like the blink of an eye since they were just starting primary school.

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  21. I hope Daniel's other exam went well yesterday, and that Eleanor got off to a good start with hers. Katie is currently taking her first one, and her other is next week. I was giving support via text at midnight and by phone at 7.30 this morning. She is a real worrier where exams are concerned as doesnt do as well in those as she does in her assignments. She is moving into a new flat this evening, started one new job 2 weeks ago, and starts a second job next week. She is making a new life for herself and won't be coming back home; time certainly flies.

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    1. Thank you, so far so good, I hope the exams continue to go well for them. Eleanor never seemed to worry about her exams but she's got more and more stressed with each lot she's taken over the last few years. I've got her some Rescue Remedy lozenges, we've never used them before and I don't know whether they'll work or not but it's definitely worth a try. She's the same as Katie, she seems to do much better in class work, even mock exams, than actual exams and I'm not sure whether it's because the stress is getting to her or whether it's her technique, it's very frustrating though that her grades never seem to reflect her knowledge, especially when she's put so much effort in. Good luck to Katie in her exams, I'm sure she'll do really well. It sounds as though things are going well for her, you must be so pleased. They deserve it when they've worked so hard.

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  22. Oh the best of luck to the two of them Jo. We have been let off a couple of years with exams. xx

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    1. Thank you. I didn't really space my children out very well, we've had exams here with one or the other of them for the past five years, this is the sixth year on the trot.

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  23. Bucket loads of luck to them both. I know that a lot of tie and effort has been put in over the years so I hope they both achieve their goals, they certainly deserve to.
    Lisa x

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    1. Thank you. You're right, we tend to forget just how long they've worked towards these exams and they have worked very hard. They seem to be happy with how they've gone so far, I just hope the results reflect this.

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  24. Hey Jo,
    Here's to exam success all round! Astro physics.... wow!
    Leanne xx

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    1. Thank you. I'm not sure what Daniel will do with an astrophysics degree, he didn't know what career path he wanted to follow so just chose a degree which interested him. I don't think he'll go wrong with physics though, it's a good degree to have.

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  25. Time flies and suddenly these little ones of our s are making decisions abut the path of the rest of their lives. I wish you kids the best as they move through exams,
    Meredith

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    1. Thank you. I know, time really does fly. I can't believe Daniel is coming to the end of his degree course and Eleanor's ready to start hers.

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  26. I wish them both all the best in their exams, Jo and I hope it's not too stressful while they're going on. xx

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    1. Thank you. Eleanor's got another exam today and then she's got a bit of a rest until next week.

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