Mature Student Mutual Support Thread.

[unleashingtheflyingmonkeys]

Hi all,

I go back to uni in Oct to continue on with my LLB. There are very few mature students on my course and I am the only parent so I would really like some other students to talk to. About anything really, how your course is going, managing workloads, trying to socialise - so I don't feel so alone.

I am trying to prepare for going back, reading more to stretch my brain, getting a jump on some of the work, preparing workspace etc.

If any academics are also around, any studying advice would be really helpful - how you prepare for assignments, tips on how to prepare for exams, how to manage your workload and time more efficiently (something I'm trying to improve upon from last year),

I thought I'd try to start a thread where we could mutually support each other (so I don't feel as isolated as I did last term).

Mum of two under 9 and just started my masters after a 14 year study break, and I also work 4 days a week.

The reading is already killing me...

Thank you so much emo and sofa.

I am a single parent with two dc. It sounds doable. I emailed admissions Thursday so if they accept me (the course takes mature students with experience instead of grades) I'm going to throw it all to the wind and go for it!

If you're a single parent you should be able to claim income support (if you have under 5's) or job seekers over the summer as well.

My dc are unfortunately 9 and 10. I should be able to get a job where my placement is it's just how long it will take to get the job.

I really need to be able to pay bills, run my car and pay for what the dc need. I don't earn a lot in my current job and I don't think my annual wage is that much different then the maintenance loan. I'm glad to hear it's doable, I might see if I can deliver pizza's or something if I get stuck for money.

I have two weeks left of my undergraduate degree. I have three children and did an access course first. We have survived - just!! I am so glad that I did it, I have a job lined up for when I get my registration through.

It took a lot of courage to leave my good job to go down this route - the course is well known for being competitive to get on, it was seriously tough to complete with three children and for the last ten years or so the job prospects have been poor. However there has been lots of retirements this year and I actually ended up with my pick of jobs, as have most of my classmates.

I say give it a go! Also the uni's usually have support funds that you can apply to - I got around £1.5k per year from them, as well as child tax credits and I got a bursary due to it being an NHS funded course. We have managed to get this far with no debt and some savings still in the bank.

Good luck everyone!

Hi all,
I'm starting my second year of an English degree in Sept. I've found it really hard to socialise-after making effort initially at the start of last year I noticed people 'withdrew' or else formed closer friendships because they socialised outside of class/had more in common I guess. I've always had to run straight home to pick up the kids. There's only one other mum on my course and she seems to fit in-I wonder how she does it! Now, when I sit in lectures there is a circle of empty seats around me where everyone avoids me, makes break off discussion in seminars difficult! I keep myself to myself now but it does make me self-conscious (and I've cried a few times at home, before telling myself to get a grip!)

I'm wondering how other parents arrange childcare-I needed three days after school last year but couldn't find any so missed tons. I don't get my timetable until early to mid sept so everyone is booked up and the childminders I enquired with in advance of knowing my days were (understandably) unwilling to commit. Any ideas? I get no childcare funding so not able to pay all week in order to secure a minder in advance (plus, I'd never see them if I did that).

Irrespective of the above, I can't wait to start a new year. New stationary is the best! Had a few hiccups in my first year but planning on being super organised this time. I'll be printing off copies of all my lecture PowerPoints in advance (three to a page, I think it is, with lines alongside for notes) as my note taking is slow and ensuring each lecture is dated, in a folder for its respective module with accompanying seminar notes. I spent way too much time copying lecture slides in lectures last year instead of writing down what the lecturer was saying. Rookie mistake!
Also considering a microphone so I can add to my notes at home. Does anyone else use one of will I make myself even more of a social pariah?!

Argh, typos, bloody tablet. Microphone, not microphone. That would be weird.

• dictaphone ffs

I had a microphone. But I found listening back to lectures was guaranteed to make me fall asleep!

As for childcare I just arrange full time childcare 8am-6pm it's way easier. I also find I get more time with the children as I get most of my uni work in that time.

It must be hard to be totally alone! I honestly don't think I could have survived without my motley crew .. revision breakfasts and the like

I used a dictaphone when I attended a bricks and mortar uni - I really found it helped loads being able to go back over recordings - I also found typing in lectures helped instead of handwriting notes - I am a super slow writer!

iregretnothing

Sounds like you had a tough year

Friendship groups do change in the 2nd year as people start knuckling down more and those that lived in halls first year move out and scatter across different student houses

Do you get no help with childcare because of household income?
If so then I think you need to ask your partner to be more supportive with childcare to relieve the pressure

If you are single then student finance will support but you need to book registered care -i'm quite lucky that my dc's primary had wrap around care
Now they are at high school it's less of a worry

I agree with sofa, I arrange 8 till 6 childcare as the timetable isn't finalised until the last minute plus there's always additional things that crop up. Even if there isn't, you could use the extra time studying, that's what I tend to do anyway.
Have you got a laptop? I take my Mac into lectures and seminars and type my notes directly into the lecture slides which the uni makes available online. Makes it all easier and you can really listen and try and absorb what the lecturer is saying!

Thanks all. I reckon I'd fall asleep too sofa!

I've just done the sums for arranging 8am-6pm childcare for the two at primary school (youngest starts in Sept which is a life saver!) and it'll cost £180 per week. We've lost our tax credits now as dh's wages have gone up which means we have a lower overall income this year (and student finance will be less too). I don't think booking childcare for the whole week is going to be an option. I'd love to do it though as it would mean I'd get more study time.

I've had a bit of a break through though! Emailed timetabling at 1am last night. Hadn't bothered before as I'd seen grumbling from other students on the fb page about being refused advance information. But they replied!! They've outlined the times which all contact hours will be scheduled within and it looks like I can get away with just one day for the kids in breakfast club and one day where Dh will have to work the afternoon from home and do the school run. Whoop!

Typing might be an issue for me, probably I'll be faster at writing. This is going to sound so lame but I'm tempted to do some note taking practice whilst watching tv. See how I get on and hone my skills!

emo really hoping this year is less cliquey for the same reasons!

iregret they sound awful.

Mature student and a mum of soon to be one year old here! Med student currently doing exams I missed when giving birth

There's a few mature students on my course but they don't talk to me at all because people tend to think I'm younger than I am and I definitely don't have time to socialise so I just kind of keep myself to myself!

wizzywig Do you mean the other students? I'm trying to be philosophical about it all and realise there's a few things that put them off. I'm really, really fat and tend to dress quite frumpily to cover myself up. Then there's my bad case of bitchy resting face, which is only made worse when I'm trying to concentrate! Now, I just tend to plaster my 'fuck-off-don't-talk-to-me' face on when going into lectures to make it seem like I don't care about the shunning. Probably doesn't help matters tbh!

advice In the initial weeks I had a few people I was introduced to tell me they were surprised I was reaching 30. I was shocked at how few mature students there are on my course (English), I think there must be three in total who are around my age-any other mature students are

Oh me!

I'm 30 with 3 dc (plus baby due November) and starting uni in sept.

I'm possibly going to part time for the first year which means I lose my maintenance loan - it's a bit of a minefield tbh. DH earns "too much" for childcare also. Just going to try and plough on however as I've already done two years of a diploma to reach uni . I don't think my course will have any mature students but there is a lot on campus. I'm so excited !

Hi pendu we're in the same boat it's all looking quite scary financially

Gracie it's the NCT Ante/post natal degree

Can I join you please? I'm 39 (40 in December -sob) and a mum of five aged from 18 down to 3. Starting a full time degree in Biomedical Science next month. I'm completely unorganised as I was offered this place as I failed to get the results I needed for my original course choice, which wasn't supposed to start til next March. So in short, I haven't sorted my childcare, student finance or my life on general. My head's in a spin atm, but it'll be worth it, right?!
Could any of the Biomed students give me a general view of their timetable/ day please? My uni is being very secretive of how many contact hours I will need to do, which probably means there's loads!

I start the first year of my degree in English & History in September. I am 35 nearly 36 and a mother of 3 aged 17/12/10.
We are also moving house a week before I start...I must be crazy.
I haven't met anyone from my course yet and will be studying in the Midlands.

Looking forward to chat and mutual support.

Steamboat. My contact hours were about 25hrs per week in the first year and about 20 in the second. Its contact heavy compared to most courses.

The other thing my course doesn't have that many do is a set timetable. It changes every single week. They say this is because of Lab classes which can be long.

University of Liverpool for biomed is very full on. I don't do it but my friends do and compared to other Bsc subjects they're generally quite full due to mixtures of labs and lectures

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to get full time childcare for my youngest and my two primary age kids into the schools before and after school clubs and take it from there!

I've just finished an Access course last year that ran over 4 days, plus I did GCSE English on one evening. So I'm sure I'll be fine (famous last words)