General procrastination/support/panic thread for students?

[QisforQcumber]

Be gentle, this is my first ever attempt at a thread.

Is anyone interested in starting up a general chatty thread for posters undertaking any kind of study? I'm supposed to be catching up on reading for my course but decided to start a thread instead.

No pencils, books or brain matter required.

I will start. I'm Q, I am an English Lang/Lit student with the OU. I work full time and I'm in my first year if study.

Over to you....

Hope it's ok for me to join

I'm doing a full-time undergrad degree in Theatre, TV and Performance (hoping to become a teacher, and a writer of educational/social theatre on the side), and my boyfriend is studying Creative Writing and History. Our DD was born in April, on the day of the last lesson of the year. I was in class three days before I gave birth and submitted my final essay when she was two weeks old. Going back for third year in September, dissertation year!

This wasn't how I envisioned myself this time last year - turning 20 at the weekend with a baby and a degree I'm 2/3rds of the way through - but it's great

Hello Moomin!

It's a bit quiet in here at the moment, I guess people are winding down for the summer holidays. Not an option for me sadly, although I am taking the 'procrastination' part of the thread title very seriously!

Impressed that you have managed so much with such a little baby!

Hello fellow students. I'm really enjoying my summer break and not at all looking to going back in September. I got my first year exam results last week and they showed that all my hard work has paid off. So delighted but also nervous because I think I have forgotten everything!

Hi Mad

Is everyone else working over these holidays?

I'm up at this time because its been too hot to work all day. I have a deadline in the next week but have also been the queen of procrastination and made some, but not loads of progress. Its a rewrite which is hard because I am sick of it by this point!

I'm working on my dissertation at the moment but procrastinating BIG TIME. The summer is going so fast, it's all going to run away from me if I'm not careful! I'm still not entirely sure this is what I want to do as my dissertation

Hi Moomin, is there enough time to change your topic, or is it too late?

I'm still working on this fecking piece. It's now 31 pages (started at 21), I was up until 2.30am doing the 247 references and now I need to reread and do the Bibliography. So close to finishing but my motivation has gone, lurking on MN instead .

Hi everyone, can I join you please?

I'm just wrapping up year one of a nursing degree (huge career change for me; so far this degree is proving hugely more challenging than my first, which was law).

I just have my final exam to revise for; anatomy and physiogy is not my strong point, the last time I studied anything similar was gcse science 20 years ago. So I should be revising....

I've got time to change it, but I came to a compromise late late last night - I'm sticking with the same topic, but changing it slightly. I've done so much research, I'd feel sick if I started something new - plus I can't think of anything I'm as passionate about as this.

247 references?

Hi chestnut :)

Compromise is good! What's the topic?

Hi chestnut, good luck with the revision.

I have done the bibliography and printed it out, just need to do the final read through. But I don't want to. Humph. I want to play Sims and watch daytime TV.

Hey everyone, nice to be on board. Is anyone else finding this warm weather a total hinderance to getting anything done? I am just considering a nap, and all I've done is eat lunch!

I submitted about two hours ago, only to get an email from my supervisor telling me that he is on holiday until the 12th August.

Bum.

At least it's out of the way, I suppose.

Yes, heat makes me sleepy and itchy and grumpy and sweaty and I hate it.

Hey all the new people! Welcome, I'm sure we will get alot more busy again come September.

I am still have a relaxed holiday although I really need to choose my modules and start reading the compulsory texts because I should be getting my unconditional offer any day now.
I passed my motorbike test now and feel so unstressed it is amazing.
DP got a L3 apprenticeship so next year really is going to manic with two of us full time and 1 and 5 year old DS's.
I am trying to enjoy being chilled whilst I can because I know it is going to be half a year of hell.

We have to do a 25 minute theatrical piece and the dissertation too. Mine is a piece of Theatre for Social Change about prejudice against young parents :)

Hello Ladies, Can I join in? :-) I'm doing a course with the OU, started off doing HE Diploma in Business but am changing onto a PPE degree. Need to get my EMA for the current module submitted by 15th September. I've been 'thinking' about it. But not really done any work yet! But it's only 2500 word so know it won't be too taxing though.

Don't suppose anyone on here is doing 2 modules at the same time with the OU? Thinking of doing 2 60 credit modules together. Anyone have any experience of this? Am I crazy considering it? I work full time, 2 kids, single Mum....

nightwish I have a bike license, but not ridden one for years, and I failed twice on that stupid U turn can't put your foot down rule! Well done for passing :-)

Hello Chick, give it a few weeks and I am sure this thread will be really busy again. It had slipped off my threads I'm on and I just came across it idly checking the studenty type forums.

How are you getting on?

I got feedback on my last piece. Supervisor said the only criticisms he had were related to organisation of the material and signposting. Lots of advice on how to overcome problem, so I am feeling positive today.

Hi WanderingUterus - what a brilliant name!

I was hoping this thread would pick up.... :-)

I've finished my EMA and just sitting on it for a bit before I submit it. I've decided to keep it simple and just do the one module for now. I've gone mad on eBay buying books for my course though.

Hey Chick, welcome. That U turn sucks, and thanks, I am loving it when I find the time to ride away from the DC!
I am sure it will pick up once the non-distance learners start back.

Awesome news on the feedback Wandering. Sounds extremely positive and constructive.

So pissed off today. Finally got to choose modules, only to be told the ones I really wanted to do are already full.
This is because the other third years got to choose ages ago, and as new students our group only got to choose two days ago.
I am actually pretty furious we are being disadvantaged due to no fault of our own.
Deciding whether to complain or not considering as it will probably do no good.

Excuse the raging!

Only a couple of weeks to go and the onslaught starts.
Stressing slightly.

Chick- simple sounds good. Buying books sounds even better!

Nightwish- that is beyond shit, so sorry. FWIW I'd definitely complain. Your choices should not be curtailed like that, it's rotten.

DS started school this week, wibble wibble. All of a sudden I have all of this time, it's very scary. Next week I have a meeting with both my mentor to be appraised, and my supervisor to discuss my last piece of work, so I am trying to prepare for that. DH has decided to rip out half of the kitchen which isn't helping my stress levels and his parents (wail) arrive on Sunday for a week. On the plus side I will get lots of work done to avoid the in laws .

Hello - can I join?

I've just completed the first year of a law degree (with a toddler!) and while I've loved it, I've had a wobble. Hold my hand and reassure me it will be OK.

My essay results all year were very good, usually between 64-67 and with one 70. My exam results - which are the only thing that counts towards end of year results - were not good at all. I got a low 2.2 overall, with individual paper marks ranging from 48-63. Gulp.

I'm relieved I passed (about 13% of my classmates have at least one resit) but pretty despondent. I need a 2.1 to stand any chance of a legal career. That's the minimum result required by employers.

On the positive side I only had to pass Year 1. Results in years 2 and 3 are the ones which count towards my final degree classification so I need to up my game right now. In year three I can go for modules which are assessed by coursework, but this coming year I'm facing the dreaded exams and I've already got the hee bee gee bees.

These were the first exams I've done this century so I'm pretty out of practice. Very out of practice in fact, surrounded by a couple of hundred 19 years olds who are exam passing machines with 15 GCSEs and 3.5 or 4 top grade A levels. They've been doing exams every year for the last 3 or 4 years. I am rusty.

Essays make sense, I can work hard, research and think about things. I probably didn't help myself by working part time during the first term and a half. My employer took the p*ss a bit, demanded too much so I quit, but I probably was playing catch-up a lot. I thought I'd salvaged it during the revision period but clearly not. I'm not sure that I know how to revise for exam situations iynwim.

Anyway, no part time working this year! I plan to treat the degree as a full-time office hours job, try and do continuous revision etc. Be sensible.

But reassure me that it will be OK. Did anyone struggle in year 1 and redeem themselves in year 2? Tell me your stories and give me your tips if you have them!

Thanks!

Hi breakwind,

It will all be OK.

When it comes to exams do you plan before you start to write? A good plan is the key to a good exam. I was a lazy undergraduate and handed in mediocre essays but I always redeemed myself in exams.

Also good revision notes and targeted revision help too. And rereading the question eight or nine times to be exactly sure you know what they are asking - not what you want them to be asking!

You aren't in the resit group,that's one blessing and it's very hard to do any study with a little one.

Do your tutors offer any assistance or your university? I know the two university libraries near me offer revision help, essay help and one to one skills development sessions.

You can definitely do this though! Don't give up.

I'm trying to look like I'm working, PIL are driving me crazy. Luckily they don't know what Mumsnet looks like!

Hello all, I am about to start my final year of International Studies with the OU, doing two modules this year (gulp) as desperate to finish. Am itching to get started but also mildly panicked about how I'm going to find enough time...

Thanks wandering. There's a writing skills course I can go on which covers exams. I'll sign up as soon as term starts.

Can I join? I don't have children but am doing a Level 2 course in Early Years Education & Care. 4 hours a week at college, 8 on placement and 12 in a part time job.

Plus hobbies and downtime. I started college tonight, having had a mild panic about my placement (in a children's centre) and whether I'd be able to find 8 hours a week of sessions. I need to check some things with the assessor next week, but I think I can manage it without changing placement.

As of now, if it ain't in the diary, it ain't happening!

Hi lollipop and zennor, no one else is around atm, I guess it will pick up very soon .

I have two meetings tomorrow, one with my mentor, one with my supervisor. I am totally unprepared and things aren't going well with the inlaws at all, DS is struggling a bit with school, DD is jealous of the attention he is getting and DH has ripped out half of the kitchen so we are living in DIY hell.

So mumsnet and the sims it is then .

On the plus side I read a parenting series from 1917 called 'Practical Child Training', implemented some of the ideas - and they are working on the kids. Responsive behaviour, hardly any shouting from me and lots more calm in the house. Shocking. It's much more progressive for its time than I imagined, no corporal punishment but using suggestion and kindness to get the desired results. And it has the most brilliant pictures.