To have started an Open University degree?

[user1473509591]

I've only been doing it three weeks but I'm already struggling to keep up. Only doing it part time, equal to about 18 hours a week. I have two young kids, and work full time, although I only work 4 long days. I know I should give it more time to just settle myself into a routine but I was so excited and I'm struggling to find the time. I have the evenings but I'm finding I'm so exhausted from the day that when I finally settle down to start I'm not taking anything in.
Any tips from other mn who have done a degree in the same way?

[pitterpatterrain]

How long have you got that is quiet "you time" for studying?

I found I had to actively put aside quite a bit of continuous time to study particularly at the start when my brain was feeling rusty about the type of work - it got easier as I got more into the topics and how to study

I also had to give stuff up towards the end, I used to like a yoga class but there are only so many hours in the day

[Newkidontheblock22]

Keep going! I have been with the OU 5 years and have 18 months left until I get my degree. Are you doing a level 1? What subject?

Once you get into it you may find it does't take as long. If you're on Facebook there are often groups for each course where students chat and can be helpful and motivating. Its hard going especially with full time work and kids but once you see results its fantastic

[Timeforabiscuit]

It is really hard in the begining, but you find your groove in the first semester. Have you got clear quiet time in the evening? Just slotting study time in didnt work for me, working like a metronome 7:30 -10:30 each weekday evening worked for me, weekends I kept free.

[user1473509591]

I'm doing DD103 investigating the social world. I know it's to settle you in but I'm doing Criminology and psychology and at the moment I feel like I'm doing economics!

[grafia123]

I am a bit behind with my course. I am on my second level 1 course. I really struggled with the first one but kept going until the end and I passed. It was worth all the stress. I hope you manage to keep going.

This time I am not stressing about it and am just doing the minimum to pass the course rather than aiming for high marks. I am skim reading a lot of stuff and doing activities really quickly. But spending more time on my TMA's. Last year I spent too long on the course work and had to do my TMA's in a rush.

I hope you find a way of doing it that fits in with your life.

[BecauseIamabear]

Part of the thing is learning how to study and what the course tutors will want.. I did a masters after working for ten years. the first few months were pretty difficult learning how to sit down and concentrate and read... as in read to understand exactly what is being said, pick out the important bits and how to bring different arguments together.

Oh and good luck.

[NinjaFeminist]

When I did mine years ago, I arranged with my employer that id take an extended lunch break (1.5 hrs) & work 30 mins after my usual finish & it meant I could go to a wee cafe nearby, have lunch & read. I did social sciences too, & it helped having that time structured into my day so I could keep on top of the reading at least. The TMAs I did on a weekend.

[RatOnnaStick]

I'm on the second year of a part time Language degree. I've found that although having big chunks of time is important for some of it, lots and lots can be got through on OU Anywhere app whenever I have 20 mins. Bit of reading here, quick activity there, while waiting for DS to finish at Beavers, listen to stuff in bed with earphones on etc.

Have you looked at any of the study guides? They can give some helpful ideas about how to carve out time here and there.

[SwedishEdith]

I found it easier to just concentrate on what I needed to read to get the TMAs done. It meant I did skim quite a lot but I'm a slacker by nature. It's probably not as satisfying as trying to do everything but, you're working full-time so cut yourself some slack.

[Newkidontheblock22]

That's fairly similar to my first few courses as I'm studying the psychology pathway. I have to say the introduction ones can be quite boring and not seem too relevant to what you want to study. They just aim to get you thinking in the right way and act as a broad introduction, but once you are past these the modules get more interesting!

Like others say, you can just look at what is needed for TMA's. You may have to skip some material but for level one you just need to pass - its not the grade of pass that counts.

[michy27]

I'm doing one too. Working 50 hours a week plus an extr 2 hour each side of my working day for travelling home. So I'm just doing mine at weekends. It's hard to keep up!

[Cary2012]

Keep going OP, it takes a while to adjust but I did it so you can!

I had three small kids when I started mine, worked full time and did majority of stuff at home.

Tips: I used to get up at five a couple of mornings and study then before they all got up at 7. I used to read the books during my lunchtime, and whenever I could find a spare ten mins. I did literature and there was a load of reading.

I insisted that DH did all the childcare for three hours either on a Sat or Sun so I could do coursework. I'd go to bed early and read for an hour or two...

It wasn't easy, but it was so worth it, I loved it.

[ragmayo]

I found it better to get up at five and have two hours solid studying time before school run/work than you trust myself to do it at night.