Roll call! New classmates check in here!

[MeredithMae]

Hello fellow adult learners!

I started my MA in Education last week. It's been 6 years since I did my previous course, so I'm feeling very anxious about having forgotten everything. Plus the world seems to have gone virtual and I'm expected to read everything online, when I used paper books and journals for my undergrad! But, was a great start to the course so I'm trying to stay positive and not give in to Imposter Syndrome.

I’m doing an MA too. Started yesterday. It’s part time so doing it over two years. Was hoping for online but I’ve got to go in 😬

Hello! I'm on week 3 of my first year, degree in Early Childhood. I'm on campus four days out of five as I find I work more effectively in the library than at home. Also recognise the struggle of getting to grips with all the ebooks and online resources, but mostly I'm loving it

An MA is quite a step up from an undergraduate degree. In addition, if you are combining work and study you should not expect to always be able to achieve the grades that you achieved when you were studying full time. Be kind to yourselves, do your best but accept that there will be times when you have to balance study with work and family.

Second year of my part time MA.

Working full time, with children, so am happy with just getting a pass!!

Week 5 of the first year of my midwifery degree. Loving it!

@mdh2020

An MA is quite a step up from an undergraduate degree. In addition, if you are combining work and study you should not expect to always be able to achieve the grades that you achieved when you were studying full time. Be kind to yourselves, do your best but accept that there will be times when you have to balance study with work and family.

I’m doing it for interest as much as it’s useful so a pass is ok but I’m hoping I can work my work around enough to have space for assignments 🤞🤞🤞

I worked through my BA but only 10-12 hours a week. I’m doing about 26 plus prep now.

How's everyone doing?

I'm getting frustrated with references!! Seem to spend longer sorting the refs out than I do writing the essay!!

Need to get back into the habit of reading and keeping notes, rather than reading and essay writing in tandem!

Hi! I'm nearing the end of my BA (photography). I submit my FMP in just 8 weeks and then I'm finished!
I was going to go straight into an MA but I'm very jaded about the art world, and being almost 40, I don't think I have it in me to "fight the power" or break into the privileged networks, so I think I'll do teacher training and teach the next generation to instead! Applications for teacher training have just opened up, but don't start for another year, so I'll get a job in the meantime, but I'm also going to keep up with studying unofficially because I just love it so much! #nerd

@BeautifulBirds

How's everyone doing?

I'm getting frustrated with references!! Seem to spend longer sorting the refs out than I do writing the essay!!

Need to get back into the habit of reading and keeping notes, rather than reading and essay writing in tandem!

Download zotero and set it up for your referencing style and university, and then referencing is made so quick and easy!

Can I join?
I'm just in the middle of filling in my application for an MSc , starting next September.
I've been thinking about doing it for a few years, and I've finally decided to bite the bullet!
It's been over 20 years since I did my first degree, I'm in my 40s.

I was going to go straight into an MA but I'm very jaded about the art world, and being almost 40, I don't think I have it in me to "fight the power" or break into the privileged networks

Could you expand on this, TammyTwoSwanson? Might be helpful for other mature arts students.

I did wonder if you might find the photography world opens out at MA level, when you would presumably have both more interaction with established practitioners and more scope to examine and advocate for your own work.

I think it would open up a bit at MA level, however I do many lectures etc with the MA students already and know enough about it to know it's not for me right now.

It's no secret that being an artist is a career for those already privileged, and to earn any decent money from it, you either need to devote everything to it and be lucky too, or have the networks. I don't want to devote everything to it: I am passionate about my work, but also about my children and having holidays and regular wages and a decent work-life balance basically!

I am not interested in commercial work either. I really enjoy working collaboratively and teaching - I get a kick out of it. So teaching seems a better fit for me. Maybe I'll do an MA down the line when my family life isn't as busy!

If I didn't need to earn money, I'd probably do an MA, I'd love to do it for the learning - I love the subject and the medium.

Yes … I can see that in my own field. It pained me when I first thrust myself precipitately into this new world (not least because my previous profession was expensive and dependent on obscure patronage and connections). But I love engaging with the work so much that I’ve made peace with the fact I’m never going to make the same swift, linear progress as my much younger, more energetic, fearless and better connected peers. I just keep doing my own thing and trying not to actively embrace career-stress.

That's a great way to be! I'm not going to stop making work, at this point I don't think it's possible to stop! I've got other projects I want to do too, but I can do them in my own time.

I am getting to grips with Zotero after giving up on bloody Endnote, which wouldn't seem to work on my MacBook. I recommend Zotero though, but it's not foolproof, I still have to move the odd full stop/bracket etc to match my school's referencing style.

@meredithmae go to the settings and search your uni - it should hopefully be listed! My uni has Harvard referencing with a slight change in some instances, but thankfully there is an option for them

Sadly not Tammy! Mine is also a form of Harvard so I've just set it at that and accept I need to edit

Hi everyone. I’m almost half way through an MSc in climate change and development through distance learning. I’ve done two of four taught modules but my dissertation is proving a bit of a bitch and I keep deferring. The modules are about 20 hours a week for 16 weeks. You can skip a session but once you’re ‘on the train’ you’re on it and only get a week’s grace on the previous week’s work. I’m also trying to teach myself Russian. Not also working at the moment though.

How have you enjoyed your first month, MeredithMae?

Would you recommend it?

I’m repeating part of my second year of Microbiology UG, I caught Covid in January and it knocked me on my arse. 3 modules to complete.

5 modules in to MSc ACP, one to go! Good luck all!

Hello! Currently working on my first assignment for my MA in English with the OU. Feeling a bit thick to be honest, finding it tough but have been told in a tutorial that a lot of people find the first assignment the same.

I graduated in 2012 so trying not to be too hard on myself.

2012? Amateur!

Queen Victoria was still alive when I took my first degree …

But isn’t that quite late to be working on your first assignment? Surely it would be easier if you were given things to complete almost straight away - within the first couple of weeks, say?

🌞Bumping for the Summer term.

How are people getting on?

I'm supposed to be writing an essay about childhood poverty right now, so of course I'm dallying on MN instead. I have passed my first two modules, with good marks (very pleased with myself) and completed 50 hours of work placement related to the course. Hand in date for my current two modules is in May, making fairly good progress, Easter hols have been useful for that.

After mid May I will have my first year done and dusted! I have set up part time work placement in a Forest School after my essays are handed in, very much looking forward to being outside, as opposed to hunched over a laptop in the library.

How is everyone else doing?