Do I need a degree?!

You need the version from disability services

I think take the extension, submit it and then reconsider.

I did an OU degree and most modules were hard copy resources. One was completely online and set up like yours sounds - I loathed it. Also ended up printing out everything on to paper and avoided as much of the other media as possible. My brain doesn't work that way either. Just give me bullet points!

I know exactly how you feel, the last year of, well the last few months of my degree actually, fell at the start of Covid. I was suddenly at home with my two disabled children trying to complete assignments while attempting to homeschool and care for them full time without the break of the school day anymore and I was utterly overwhelmed.

I genuinely considered throwing in the towel, my son worsened so much during that time it was frightening and my daughter does not do well at school/academically anyway so trying to get her to do anything work wise was horrendous. I actually remember one evening at my laptop bitterly sobbing like I never have before and my husband peeling my hands from the keyboard and just putting me in bed. We have no family support whatsoever so life can be very hard.

Somehow, I actually managed to complete what I needed to and finished my degree but it was a bloody hard struggle. I am so so glad I did it and I am so proud of myself for getting to the end. I am happy I continued with it but I know I would have also felt a huge relief to just stop too. It’s a hard decision. I think I would have always regretted not powering through those last months though.

I was not in the position of having a decent job change like you are where you having the degree may not make much of a difference so I didn’t have that decision to make.
Do you feel the degree and stress that accompanies it is worth carrying on with? You have already completed two years of it so it does seem a shame to throw all that away.

I totally understand the overwhelming stress of the situation op, it is hard.

I completed my OU degree in 2013, the days when a huge exciting box of resources would arrive at the start of a module and you had to watch DVDs and listen to CDs. I can well imagine how much it's changed in the ten years since as I work in EdTech now.

I don't see how you need this degree with how far you have got. Can you not just step off with a DipHE? There is no shame in it. If you want to study in the future you can either get sent on a management course as PP suggested, or likely step straight on to a relevant masters with your professional experience combined with a DipHe. You'll have to explain the ten year gap regardless.

On the module website I mean.

Is there a Word version in resources > downloads?

If you have the printed version, isn't the end of the book just all the solutions to the activities? Read those?

Or download the Word version because the end of that will be all the activity solutions?

Ok so just do this assignment. Only think about that.

Then do the next one.

Then once you get there, see how things are.

One step at a time. You don't need to have everything mapped out until next spring and you don't have to make the decision now.

You don't have to do the activities though. You're not assessed on them.

If you're happy you can pick up what you need through your own active reading style to pass the assignment, that's all that matters.

Nobody knows if you need a degree!

But it sounds like there is no need. If you started before 2014 and haven’t completed it then I would be inclined to give up. You have done well without it.

As an aside, I have read that many people with adhd actually tend to work better with deadlines and last-minute cramming. Is this not the case for you?

What job do you do?

Have you signed up to the student groups on Facebook and WhatsApp? Chat with them about what pages to focus on

Honestly in your shoes I’d drop it. It’s taken a decade.

Focus all your energy in your new job, then in a year or two get them to sponsor you to some executive course with a top uni (the ones where you stay at Cambridge campus for two weeks and it costs 30k).

You've got an extra week. Ask work if you can take some time off to get it done. Work In your lunch breaks, WFH but study etc etc.

Student support are your friends here and lean heavily on your tutor.

You'll regret giving it up this close to completion

Use the extension to do the assignment.

Book a phone call or better yet a video call n with your tutor and get a 1:1 tutorial booked in

What module are you doing? Best way to cram the study in is read the end part of each chapter/unit, read the tutorial notes and build something from there. Ask for an extension for this TMA and tell the uni you've got an ADHD diagnosis and need support.

I would keep going up Xmas and then see.

Though if not done since 2014 I'm not sure it would add much to your cv particularly-yes it would be a degree completed but stlll done over 20 years?

Though if you always have to also include the half finished degree on the cv and can't leave it off, that may raise questions so best to finish it from that viewpoint.