Anyone else staring an OU course next month?...

[Badvoc]

...specifically AA100?
Got all my stuff and my set texts have arrived.
Am very excited, but also very nervous/worried.
Haven't really studied since I was doing a levels in the late 1980s!

[carocaro]

I have done two OU courses Intro to Psychology and Intro Social Sciences, and like you did my A levels in the 1980's and done nothing since. I loved it, the online stuff is set out so well and you feel like you have a really good guiding hand with it all, tutor feedback is really good and not at all scary, even the stuff where they point out where you could have done better, where you would have got more marks etc only goes to help you improve your next essays, or as they are called TMA's - tutor marked assesments. Go to the tutorials and days schools if you have them, worth their weight in gold and you meet some fab people, everyone is nervous at first, so just head for someone same age as you and say hi. I feel the OU is such a hidden gem and more people should do courses, I did not go on to do anymore as level 2 course were more £ and I started to work more hours and felt I could not fit it in, but for years when an OU flyer fell out of the Sunday papers I always thought one day I will do a course and now I have and I got great makes and I have a really good sense of personal acheivment and well deserved smuggness! Goold luck!

[mumof2princesses]

im startin on my birthday feb 2!! and im very nervous... but can wait to get a crack on too im doing a open degree in maths eng n science wat bout u x

[BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability]

Not AA100, but starting towards my BSc Health Sciences with module SDK125. Am very excited! :)

Only doing one module for now to see how it works out time wise, as I'm a SAHM to a baby and toddler, and DH works shifts...

[BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability]

Task this week is sort the box room so I can get to my desk
Have a new computer coming too!

[NuzzleandScratch]

Hats off to you Beyond, studying with a toddler & a baby! I'm hoping to do their BSc in Health Sciences too, I started it before dd1 was born, & competed S104 and SXR103, and loved it, but just can't get my head round doing any more courses for now (dd1 is nearly 3 & dd2 is 6 months). Hopefully one day! Best of luck with your studies.

[Glowlamp]

I am starting intro to Social Sciences - terrified! Funded through work. Not sure where I will find the motivation or the time. DS is 5 and DD is 4.... Eek.

[BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability]

Woohoo - I can get to my desk! Now to tidy the edges of the room a bit, put up a calendar and create a general studious ambience

[elfycat]

I'm in the middle of the A230. I took the A103 (replaced by the AA100) and loved it.

I get such a thrill from opening the materials. The courier used to laugh at DH (just finished his BEng with the OU and claimed it at Xmas) jumping up and down in excitement as the stuff arrived. No-one else was ever so excited to get their post.

DDs are 4 and 2 and this is the hardest course to squeeze into my life. Next year DD1 will be at school and DD2 will have funded childcare and will be in for an extra day a week. I'm tending towards fitting an hour-90 mins into my evenings. All plans to get up early are dashed by DD2 waking most nights!

Good luck, and have fun!

[toomuchpizza]

Good luck everyone. I'm starting SK320 Infectious disease & public health - it's all pdfs and no printed books so that will take a bit of getting used to. I did SD329 last year which was tough but I got through it.

I'm also a SAHM to 3 boys (5,3 and 13 months) and I won't lie and say its easy but it is doable. I rarely manage to do any study through the day although when a TMA is due sometimes I have to call in favours! I can only manage to do one course at a time so it's taking me a while but after this one just 60 points at level 3 and I'm finished!

Beyond I did SDK125 in 2010/11 and really enjoyed it. I found the workload pretty manageable and the exam wasn't too bad either although I was terrified as it was the first exam I'd sat in years! I sat the exam at 14 weeks pregnant with DS3 and had horrendous morning sickness which made it difficult but I got a good grade.

[Lifeisontheup]

Beyond I'm doing SDK125 at the moment along with S110 Health sciences in practice. SDK125 isn't too bad although I find the chemistry a little taxing but it is 30 years since I did A level Chemistry.
Respect to everyone doing courses with small children.

[BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability]

life what bit of chemistry in particular? Might as well read up on the a level text books while I wait for my books to come!

[Lifeisontheup]

Calculating the energy produced in a reaction. It's not really complicated but has taken me a while to get into the swing of it.