Come on, squeeze in... It's my graduation today, and to be honest, I never thought I'd make it! I get what you're saying, that's for sure. Because it felt like I was suffering through real mud at times. Studying is sometimes compared to running a marathon or competing in a Tough Mudder.
Study support
Well, studying is like running a marathon or competing in a Tough Mudder because, at times, it was like truly battling through mud.
but I've done it. To tell you the truth, I find it hard to believe. I believe that I spent most of the first year really not knowing what it was that I should have been doing. My instructors provided me with a great deal of assistance in this endeavor.
Yes, I feel the same way, particularly when it seems like there is no end to the amount of work to be done. I had a full-time job, and every challenge I faced got in the way of my progress.
I was fortunate enough to have this wonderful instructor. They guided me through the process of narrowing my attention to what was most important in order to finish the module when I was feeling overwhelmed. I make it a point to go to any and all tutorials that are available.
I found it helpful to concentrate on the TMAs, and attending the sessions helped me overcome the feelings of loneliness that came with studying on my own.
Despite these benefits, though, I almost didn't go through with it at the beginning since I was anxious about everything being brand new.
I didn't want to bother anybody by asking for assistance when I was filling out the documents.
They are challenging to complete in their entirety. I don't enjoy asking for assistance either. I believe that I was anticipating being criticised or, even worse, being spoken to in a condescending manner. I was afraid that the employees would look down on me because of my race (because I am black), so I pretended to be clueless.
I didn't want to take that risk. What makes you think that? The systems are complex. Well, I assumed you'd know where to look for the answers, but wow, the information isn't easy to come by, and I had such a bad experience in school.
I really assumed that my experience at the OU was going to be the same, but I was reassured that what I shared about when I wasn't feeling well was confidential, and an advisor explained that and answered my questions. I know what you mean. I had this one tutor who showed me where to find the study skills website. It was like they handed me this key to the secret library.
Yeah, I benefited from asking for help when I was unwell. I had thought I would need to provide a doctor's letter, and that's not cheap, not cheap at all, and I was worried that if I mentioned my health condition I would be labelled a mad, crazy black man. You know, you don't want to be labelled like that, do you? I'm tired of being stereotyped and the impact that would have had on my family and the relationship I had with my tutors.
They would treat me differently to other students. In fact, when I confided in my tutor, he was very understanding. They sent me links to the website and some videos, and they arranged for student services to phone me.
They support a lot of OU students with all sorts of mental health conditions. Did you know that? Yeah, I had support too. I've noticed there's much more understanding about mental health than there was when I was at school.
I didn't want to be labelled as lazy because I needed extensions, but it was such a relief to get that help as a single parent. With support, my marks increased, I gained confidence, and my motivation was definitely stronger. In fact, I really started enjoying studying. I would procrastinate.
When things got too much, I would hide from my studies. Yes, sometimes I was intimidated by my studies I panicked when I was out of my comfort zone... but advisors helped me manage my anxiety. They listened to me too and helped me believe that a degree was doable.
I was glad I told the OU I was struggling with my housing situation. The disability support made such a difference for me. I had my own advisor to contact.
I joined the BAME student association. I valued the community; it was good to know that I wasn't alone. You see, I came to the UK without my family.
Why? I left Syria; it wasn't safe because of the war, and on top of that, I had such difficulties with the home office in my early days in the UK.
You've done so well! That must have been so tough. My studies are really important to me. I want to be a good role model for my daughter. It sounds like we've all had our challenges, and it sounds like we've all benefited from the help from the OU. We did it! Yes!!! Get more from the open university Check out the links on the screen now.
0 Comments