A level results today. Reminds me of three episodes last week.
One. A young woman said she was nervous about what she might get. I said: “what do you need?” Before she could reply, her grandmother answered for her. I said “where do you hope to study?” Her mother replied. Then, “and what will you be studying?” Finally, she was allowed to get a word in.
Two. Can’t remember the topic of conversation, but I was again chatting to a young adult, man this time, and his mother kept answering for him. I ignored her and pressed on.
Three. I met a young relation for the first time since he was about 10. A personable young man, at home in his own skin. He’s in his first year “at uni”. (Ye Gods, how I hate that abbreviation.) I said “which?”, and blow me, but his father answered. I said “you’re a fantastic ventriloquist: I didn’t see your lips move and the sound came from over there!”
All these people are old enough to vote, to reproduce, to fight for their homeland. Not to speak for themselves, it seems. It’s highly commendable that they acquire any articulacy skills.
Luke 14:26.
There comes a time when fledglings need to be shoved out of the nest if they haven’t gone of their own accord. Such a pity that leaving home is increasingly not a viable financial option these days. As SWMBO observed “I don’t know how young people can afford to go to university now”.
There is a tide in the affairs of men, which if not taken at the flood, leads on to boredom. And mothering becomes smothering.
Rambling Rector Retired 
Most medical school interviewees seem to come with a parent these days. Having been taken to school by car all their lives they can’t be expected to find their way to a medical school in a strange city. The question “would you come to my university interview?” was as likely as “would you come and watch me have sex?” when I managed a solo trip to Cambridge by train in 1968. But I managed the school trip alone from the age of six.
Well written. We were the lucky ones I think. As for today’s students, there are so many going to Universities of ‘lesser standing’ studying degrees of ‘dubious merit’. Their expectations are high, but the reality (post-degree) is rather different.
…Well said! For a while I undertook undergraduate interviews for A level students applying to medical school. I was amazed how these have become a family occasion with various parents, grandparents and other hangers on coming along. On more than one occasion parents expressed surprise that they were unable to sit in and be interviewed too!
From: Rambling Rector <comment-reply@wordpress.com> Reply-To: Rambling Rector <comment+rhqa1yttbg-05zwnij8sw_h@comment.wordpress.com> Date: Thursday, 13 August 2015 17:04 To: Andrew Grainger <andrewgrainger@nhs.net> Subject: [New post] For God’s sake, go!
Rambling Rector posted: “A level results today. Reminds me of three episodes last week. One. A young woman said she was nervous about what she might get. I said: “what do you need?” Before she could reply, her grandmother answered for her. I said “where do you hope to study?” “
I’ve added: And mothering becomes smothering. Hello Andrew!