Anyone aimed just to pass, even when they know they could do better

[ihearthuckabees]

Struggling at the moment with my OU course, and one of my main problems is that I can't seem to bring myself to do 'just' what's necessary. I always find myself tied in knots trying to do something at the top of my ability (Bs and sometimes As so far), which then kind of paralyses me. People keep advising me to just do something 'good enough to pass' and not worry about it. I don't want this course to take over my life in the way it is doing, but don't know how to let go and not worry too much about my marks.

Help - how can I convince myself to care less?

NB I am not doing this to change career or anything, but just doing it out of interest (having realised I am reasonably content with my current 'career' IYKWIM, and that a change will take too long and be too much effort.)

... I have done this

Esp in 1st level of degree, the results don't count towards final grade at end of 3 years. As long as the modules are completed and passed you get the points to continue onto 2nd level...

I know exactly where you are coming from. Paralysis caused by fear of not being perfect is the bane of my life. Although in my case I do need to get a 2.1 to get on a PGCE course so 'good enough to pass' isn't an option. I spent days and days fussing around with my last essay and only ended up with 62%. I was devastated.
I think the only thing to do is break your tasks down into small chuunks and do a bit at a time rather than thinking about the overall picture.

How far are you into it? I finished an OU degree in October, and my TMAs got progressively better over the four years I was at it, as I became more familiar with what was expected.

But I'm afraid I could never convince myself to care less. I told everyone else I just wanted to pass, but it wasn't true at all. In my last course, even though it wouldn't have changed the overall class of my degree, if I'd got less than in my previous courses I'd have been devastated.

Sorry, I had to post then run, but thanks for your replies. I think you're right LadyGlen. I need to start breaking things down into manageable chunks. I hate being a perfectionist about this, it's just so silly.

TFM, I'm on my second 60-pointer, a level 2 psychology course. I find the way the books are written is really irritating (lots of snippets of information and then all the 'hints' about what the theme of the chapter is mixed in). I'd rather read through several text books and pick out what I wanted, although I can understand why the OU has to do it their way.

My sister told me that her husband's new motto about work is 'just try not to be crap'. I think I'll have to start chanting that every morning: a kind of anti-self help mantra. LOL.

I'm doing my sesond year through the OU, but I'm a lazy student and always have been. I know that if I knuckled down and really did my best I could come out with really good marks. But I'm content in doing enough to just pass because it means I can get on with other things.

I've never been a student that wanted to get stright A's because it would have meant all my time was spent studying - not for me.

I've been described frequently by my old tutors as 'the most frustrating student, ever.' I could do so well, and I know I could. But I've always been happy to just do enough and come out with C's and B's. It's meant that I could get on with other things and not focus soley on studying iyswim?

Whilst my degree and my studies are improtant to me, so are other things, like spending time with my dd. If I spent all my time studying I wouldn't have time to play with dd, or read books or watch films etc.

I am a lazy student but I also know that, despite my laziness I'm more than capable which does give me a very arrogant view towards my studies. Perhaps if my confidence in myself wasn't as good, I'd work a bit harder lol. I should care more, I know I should. I'm the opposite, I need to conivince myself to care more!

CatchaStar - you are what I want to be! You sound very balanced and sensible. Tutors always want their students to do well because, obviously, it reflects well on them.