2017 feels like a lifetime ago now but it was a year of change for me and quite a few months were spent questioning what the next step in my life would be. At the end of the year, I decided to take the plunge and study a BA (Hons) degree with The Open University, I enrolled onto my first module and now, somehow, it has been a year since I started my studies. Time really does fly by doesn’t it?
With one module already secured under my belt and another one due to end in June, there have only been a couple of weeks which have been completely free from uni work in the last 12
months so it’s proved to be a very tiring year but one that’s been full of new lessons nonetheless.
So, with my brain constantly learning new things about different aspects of history, english literature, humanities and an abundance of other topics, I’ve also learned a fair few personal lessons during the first year of my undergrad degree and of course, as someone who shares a considerable amount of her life online, I had to share them with you. Here are just a few things I’ve learned in my first year with The Open University..
SELF-MOTIVATION IS KEY
I guess this one is a given with any work that is done from home.
I knew before starting my studies that I needed a lot of self-motivation in order to complete my work but I don’t think I was prepared for how much was needed.
I have a great tutor who is always prepared to help but almost all of my learning is done independently, there is no one there to nag me to do my work, it’s something I have to push myself to do and I’ve definitely learned the best ways of doing that in the last 12 months.
RESEARCH IS SO IMPORTANT
There are so many OU modules to choose from, so many paths you can go down. I spent hours, days, weeks, months looking into the different courses, degrees and modules in order to figure out what the best option would be for me.
Even though I spent all that time looking into the different options, I’ve still felt like another module or a substitute for a part of my degree would have been the better option for me so it’s proved to me that even though you think you’ve done all the research you can, maybe there’s even more to be done.
The same goes for the work itself, there have been times when I haven’t supported some points I’ve made in my essays because i haven’t done enough research to back them up – this is definitely a work in progress.
YOU HAVE TO FIND THAT BALANCE
Studying from home means that you do have that little bit of lee-way when it comes to when you want to do your work but sometimes, it means that you also have to be strict with yourself.
As I got into the swing of my studies, I started to learn what time of day I could work most effectively and how I could fit my blog and other writing work around my course. It took a while and sometimes it can still be a little tricky to juggle but I think I’ve finally found the right balance.
I UNDERESTIMATE MYSELF
I can’t begin to tell you how much I’ve doubted myself over the past year, I don’t think I’ve been completely happy with my finished work even once and that has lead to me thinking that I’d fail or wouldn’t reach my desired results.
Don’t get me wrong, I work extremely hard in order to try to reach my goals but even when I’m putting my all into my work, I’ve still felt like it wasn’t good enough at times, something I need to work towards changing in the next year of my degree.
But even when I feel like I haven’t done enough, I’ve been pleasantly surprised with some of my results, I’m averaging a 2:1 and have received a first more than once. Sometimes you just have to believe in yourself and what you can do.
IT CAN BE INCREDIBLY REWARDING
There is something very rewarding about knowing you’ve completed your work independently, that you’ve been able to motivate yourself to keep going without getting distracted by Netflix or Twitter.
You’ve achieved something all on your own, with little or no help and when you manage to pull it off and receive the results you’ve worked so hard for, it’s a feeling like no other.
The first two modules I’ve studied have proved to be a real challenge at times, there have been moments when I’ve questioned if I made the right decision, I’ve felt like quitting more than once but determined not to at the same time.
I think that starting my OU course was a step in the right direction for me, let’s hope it’s all worth it in the end.
Going forward, I need to make the most of the support that is available to me, something I haven’t done much of over the last year.
I need to believe in myself, my abilities and what I can do and i need to stop pressurising myself and stop beating myself up if I haven’t reached the mark I wanted.
At the end of the day, uni work is hard and all anyone can do is try their best.
I’ve learned so much in the last year, some things which I half-anticipated and other lessons which came completely out of the blue.
There is so much more to be learned and I’m excited to see what they are as well as where this whole university experience takes me.
If you’d like to see more university related content from me then please let me know, it’s something I’d love to do. Maybe a post explaining why I chose open uni over anything else? Your thoughts are always welcome!
Have you ever studied with The Open University? What kind of experience did you have and what did you learn from it? Or, what have you learned from your time at any university? I’d love to hear from you.
Elin x
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The Comments
Holly
Such an interesting post hun, I know that your first year studying with the OU has been a rollercoaster but I”m so proud of you and what you’ve achieved! This post definitely brought back many memories of University for me haha, I’d agree with them all but I’d also add making the most of the support that’s available to you, organisation is key, referencing is such a pain but worth it in the end, remember that everyone wants you to succeed and the hard work will pay off xxx
myblurredworld@gmail.com
HollyThank you so much my lovely. Yes, completely agree with all of those, this post could have gone on forever with all the things there are to learn haha. Thank you so much for reading as always xxx
Rasya
You’re awesome for learning from home! I’ve been looking for ways to take MBA online/coding boot camp but the cost is not something that I could afford to. T_T
I’d love to hear more on details on subjects you learn, lecturers and how you combat laziness/procrastination because self-studying is difficult to maintain.
myblurredworld@gmail.com
RasyaThank you! That sounds really interesting. I’ll definitely write more about my experience, self-motivation etc in the near future. Thank you for reading.
Bexa
I loved reading about your experiences so far with the Open Uni, Elin. It sounds like you have learned so much and achieved amazing results already, well done girl! I studied with the OU too, I did a degree in Health Sciences which was really interesting and challenging too. Like you say, it is such a rewarding experience and a huge confidence booster. I agree, self motivation is the most important thing with distance learning and it sounds like you are doing really well. Wishing you all the best with your studies lovely, I’d love to read future posts on your Open Uni experience and hear how you are getting on. Have a great week! xx
Bexa | http://www.hellobexa.com
myblurredworld@gmail.com
BexaThank you so much lovely. Your degree sounds really interesting! It’s great to find others who have/do study with the open uni, I love hearing about people’s experiences. I’m definitely planning on creating more uni related content in the future, thank you so much! Have a great week too girl xx
Jan Jones
Hi Elin
I’ve just come across your blog (such a good idea)! Great to hear about your study at the OU. I also studied my degree there. Several years later I went on to work with the team that evaluates new online materials to ensure they are accessible to everyone so especially good to read how positive your experience has been. Thanks for sharing!
myblurredworld@gmail.com
Jan JonesThank you for taking the time to read Jan! The materials I’ve used have been accessible which is great, thank you for ensuring that things are accessible for everyone!
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