Here are a few good reasons why I should quit my OU course

[lilibet]

1. It's hard, its so much harder than I thought it would be. I have 90 points at level one and this is my first level two course. It's Introducing religions. I have a glossary of foreign terms about the size of a copy of Good Housekeeping and as each TMA is on a different religion it's learning completely new stuff every 5 weeks and not falling back on anything that I already know.

1. Time. I work 5 days a week and am out of the house from 8.30 to 3.45, this doesn't leave a lot of time, I have three children, 18 (learning to drive and wanting to go out for practice), 13, plays football, needs help with homework etc and 10 and an 80 year old mother. I am constantly struggling to fit it in. And because it's hard it's taking so much longer for it to sink in.

1. Money. It costs £70 a month and that is a lot of money to me - looking round Primark at lunchtime and considering saving up for some new shoes (!!)

1. Dh - he is completely behind me in doing this amd is very supportive and generally wonderful, but he is studying too and his exams are paid for by work and will end up in him gettign a better job. Mine wont'. Feel that I should be supporting him more in his.

Next Tma due on the 25th April and I've done hardly anythign as I have been busy with life, I could cry when I think of the amount of reading and notetaking that I have to do to get ready for it. It only seem sto take one weekend of not studying to make me fall behind.

What do you think?

What's the bigger picture, why did you begin studying, what happens when you complete the course ?

Something I wanted to do as I left school at 16 for an office job. Am now 43, still working in an office, have wanted to 'prove myself' and my brain by doing this for years but exh would never let me. As I said dh very supportive, I've been going 2 years. It's not somethign that will have any effect on my career. (the phrase carrer is a bit laughable here, but I do enjoy my job)

I do enjoy telling poeple that I'm studying with the OU, is that a bit of a snob factor, and would hate tellign people that I have stopped as I can't manage it.

Totally understand - am in similar boat with OU study and keep teetering on the edge of throwing towel in.

Have you got a study timetable? I'm pretty undisciplined and tend to study as and when, which leads to me spending too much time on one thing and not enough on another, and ending up in a mess. WHen I can be bothered to do it and stick to it, I find a timetable invaluable.

How many hours a week do you realistically need to study? Is it the usual 16 hours the OU quotes for 60 points? Do you think that's about right, do you need less or more time do you think?

You could drop this course and maybe start again next year, but I'm guessing your circs won't have changed much in a year's time. You could pick up the OU again in a few years' time perhaps, or find a way to carve out those hours now.

I get the feeling that you are very reluctant to drop it tbh

I did an OU degree years ago while working full-time - I didn't have kids then but did all the housework, etc. for parents - so I realize just what pressure of time you are under. I found the only way I could get it all done was to take OU stuff with me wherever I went. If I arrived at work early I would do some reading or typing up of notes (I underlined what I wanted to note, then typed from the text as this was faster than writing them out), for exams I learned stuff from sheets I carried as I walked to work, etc., I drafted TMAs or did CMAs in my lunchhour, I even read in my teabreaks. I realize this may not be possible in your work situation (I don't know what it is) but I just thought I'd mention it! Good luck whatever you decide.

My plan is to study from 4 - 5 each day when I get in from work - this isn't ideal as the boys need to be doing their homework andif I'm locked away can get a bit irritable with one another (that's code for start beating the crap out of one another), this should give me time to get on with tea before dh comes home. I then have another hour or so on Monday while both boys are out, another couple on Wednesday when they are with their dad and then every other weekdn when they are with their Dad. That's a guaranteed 8 hours a week pus what I can do every other weekend. All it takes is something to happen at weekend (like Mum's 80th birthday party or Dh and I going away!!) and I'm behind.

Thats as much of a timetable as I can get as as you can see if you check the time I'm very rigorous at stickign to it

Your ex-dh wouldnt LET you ??? wtf?

By the way i know how you feel - also work a lot and my TMA is due in Monday, havent even read the assignment question yet!

yep - He always ahd work from work to doand used to say that there wsn't tiem for both of us to study. One of the reasons we are not totether - that and he was a controlling violent bastard !!

Personally I lurch from one TMA to another, and only catch up on the bits in between in the month before the exam. During that month I neglect my family, indeed I farm them out to whoever will take them, and just get my head down and do it. I therefore spend 7 months not really understanding things, and then it all comes together before the exam.

sorry - my spelling isn't always this bad - I must be a cod wannabee!!

lol lilibet

I would carve out some time during the weekends that your dcs are with you, not just every other weekend.

They are old enough to understand that mum has studying to do and let you get on with it for a few hours.

I take my books everywhere too to get bits of reading done, but I find that for writing an hour isn't enough to get into the swing of it.

I do a lot of my reading in bed although that can cause insomnia

CanI ask a personal question Becky and ask if you do that what sort of marks to you get for your TMA's. My two so far have been 75 and 60. The 60 was my lowest ever

Totally agree , i only read/study what you need in order to answer the essay question!
Then 2 nights before the exam i learn most of it for the first time and remember it quite well just in time for the exam!

Lilibet!!! Don't you dare quit! You wanted to do this course and you know that you'll regret giving it up. Yes it's hard, money, fitting it in etc.... but you can do it honey. Honest you can!

Must add though, my results lately have been pretty shite!!!!!!!!

Wondered when you would turn up to shout at me Marsy!!

Perhaps this is more about you having more time for what you want to do (i.e. the course)?

If your dh is understanding and your children are old enough to sort themselves out then there's no reason why you shouldn't allow yourself the time to study.

Do dh and dcs do their share of housework/cooking?

Right... let's get you sorted!

Age of children?
DH cooking level?
School/nursery/playgroups?

psst mars

haven't you got a tma to write?

Just read back.

Ok.... 18,13 and 10. Perfectly capable of cooking. They get 1 night each to cook. They can choose. Don't worry if it gets a bit messy. They have to be responsible for their own mess.

Moley You do know that I'm practically finished don't you? I mean I've typed my name, PI, tma02 and the question already. There's just the mere matter of 2,000 words! lol

Well, I just got my first TMA for this course back and I got 85%. I have averaged there or thereabouts on previous courses. It's because I don't bother with the rest of the stuff .

I have also done pretty well up 'til now with the exams, because I work my arse off for that precious four weeks.

It works for me, because a) I am idle, and b) I have a good memory which helps me get through the 'revision' (or reading the stuff I haven't read yet) reasonably quickly.

Don't give up. You will regret it I'm sure. Especially if you've wanted to do it for so long.

Be selfish. Because it isn't really being selfish for you to want to do this, and do it well.

LOL!!!

I have written 220 words today

And about 8374 on mumsnet

But I do agree - your dcs are old enough to take on some of "your" work in the home, freeing up some study time for you.

18 yo can have a lesson for each meal that he cooks and helps 13 yo with homework.

10 yo can entertain 80 yo mother

Also.... can you negotiate with the family to spend one weekend a month in the library... or shut away from the telephone, MN and their demands?

laughing!

The dcs are pretty good most of the time, the eldest two do all their own ironing, not sure I would trust ds2 in the kitchen!!

Mars - 2,000 words to to tonight!!!

Get on with it woman!!