I'm hoping some of you lovely mumsnetters will give me some good tips or ideas. I want to find a new career and study option to get there, but lacking direction.
I have some ADHD traits but not diagnosed, just been trying to cope with them.
I started an online distance learning course in agronomy a few years ago but couldn't stick with it. I'd still like to do it and find the time, but I've realised my brain needs accountability. The online course is brilliant, in that you can do it in your own time, but with no one chasing me up, I can't get myself to complete it. In all fairness, I started it in lockdown and the first assignment involved visiting somewhere to gather leaflets and everywhere was closed, then after lockdown I've never focused enough to get on with it. I've moved house a couple of times and finally settled and would like to get my career sorted properly. I'm mid thirties and I'm a single mum and my little one has autism and isn't in school at the moment, but that isn't an issue as I've found a family club house with a study and a crèche and lots of fun children's classes for her to learn from, and gym, swim, etc. We're starting in the new year so I want to plan what I'll be studying.
I have A levels, one brilliant results and the other two average. I have half a degree in a language, but I also couldn't focus on that alongside working to pay my living costs on top of student finance, and found it tedious. I found myself just wanting to learn the language and do creative writing, whereas the course was more about writing essays with quotes of scholars opinions on the french novels, and I could concentrate enough to complete it. I had some support but when that dried up I drifted and went travelling. I use an app to get me to do my basic self care and housework tasks.
So I looked up universities and none near me offer anything agriculture related or agronomy, and I won't move as I have a little one and we are settled. I get DLA for her so we are okay for now financially, but I want something for me which I feel focused on.
My plan is to stick with the agronomy distance learning course and try and force myself to study without accountability, but I was thinking of a back up, in case I can't manage it. Some kind of course which leads to a 9-5 job which I can do online but with accountability- deadlines etc...bit of structure to the learning. I looked at medicine to be a GP, as there's a course near me, but I don't think I can keep up with the workload, as would need to retake some A levels first, and wouldn't want to go to all that effort if I couldn't pass the UCAT. I did a test one for the first time last night and got band 4, although to be fair I was tired and just doing it on a whim, so could practise for a higher band. Something where you're guaranteed a great job after it, if you know what I mean. I don't mind studying for a few years whilst DD is still young. I'd ideally like to study before working, to give myself room to grow confidence and expertise.
I like science, writing and art.