Yay to the future!

[BEE.]

So, back in August 2017, I signed up with a distance learning university here in the UK called The Open University. You don't need qualifications to be able to enrol, which is good because I have none from school due to illness. (I did try and get them after leaving school, but because I'm still ill, it was difficult trying to get in class). I did get a Level 1 certificate for Animal Care back in 2011 though, so that's something! Anyway, I feel useless, not having any GCSEs or A Levels, and I want something to put on my CV for when I am eventually well enough to work, so I signed up with the OU on an Arts and Languages Access Module, which helps you get back into studying, and build confidence, etc. I decided to give it a go to see if I was capable of studying a Uni level.

My first assignment was a reflective piece, which I thought was bad, but it turns out it wasn't! I scored 80%. I was completely shocked as I was expecting 55% (I had a dream I scored 8%...)
My second was on poetry. I'm a writer, but I've never liked poetry as I'm more of a story teller, but I gave it my best shot and scored 69%. Small drop, but I was very happy with this result.
Third assignment, I chose history (2 options to choose from) and it was on Chartism. I had to use extracts from a speech, and I was worried I had misunderstood the quotes I had chosen to use, because of the different language used back in 1839, but it seems I understood it better than I thought because I scored 82%!

I'm now working on my final assignment, due at the end of May (managed to get well ahead!) and I'm excited, and also nervous for the end of this module. Last Wednesday started the process to enrol on to a degree, BA (Honours) Arts & Humanities, starting October 2018 and I am very, very excited! I just need to wait for Student Finance England to open for part time applications. Because I'll be studying part time, it'll take 6 years to finish the degree, meaning i'll graduate in my early 30s, but that doesn't matter. I'm planning on specialising in Creative Writing, but I won't start that until two years from now :(  (I know I'll have to do poetry again then, but I'll just do my best. Maybe I'll come to like it?)

Sorry this was so long! I just wanted to share my excitement with everyone :)

[Angeló]

good luck with that :)

sending you good vibes 

[rntracy1]

Maybe you will come to like poetry or something else.  Reminds me of when I first went to college way back in 198........ uh that's not important.  Anyway, I started taking business management.  Uggh!  Marketing and accounting.  It was horrible.  I couldn't figure out the difference between a debit and credit.  Which ever one I put was wrong.  So I thought, ok, I will put the opposite of what I think........STILL WRONG!  Uggh!  Then I learned that if an asset is depreciable it is a debit and if it is appreciable it is a credit, or is it the other way? LOL. but...............yeah, too much mumbo jumbo for me.  But my intro to psychology class, I loved it!  So I went in that direction.  Problem I had to learn on my own, because I was too stubborn to listen to anyone, was that with psychology, there is NO MONEY in it unless you plan on going for a graduate degree.  Which OF COURSE I was going to do.  LOL.  I didn't realize how much THAT was going to cost.  So I ended up with my Bachelors degree in Psychology and then went into nursing.  I got my Associates degree RN and my BSN.  I would still like to get my Masters degree in nursing but I think I will take a break from school for a little bit.  LOL

But good luck to you.  You will find your path.  It just takes some of us longer than others.  There is nothing wrong with that.

[Kute]

Congratulations on that. I will also be graduating late 20s early 30s with my BS. I think the best feeling was just knowing I am enrolled in a university and im actively working towards my goal that will eventually come. Just remember to focus on that :) Like your title said " yay for the future!", I'm really happy for you. 

[BEE.]

22 hours ago, Angeló said:

good luck with that :)

sending you good vibes 

Thank you :) 

22 hours ago, rntracy1 said:

Maybe you will come to like poetry or something else.  Reminds me of when I first went to college way back in 198........ uh that's not important.  Anyway, I started taking business management.  Uggh!  Marketing and accounting.  It was horrible.  I couldn't figure out the difference between a debit and credit.  Which ever one I put was wrong.  So I thought, ok, I will put the opposite of what I think........STILL WRONG!  Uggh!  Then I learned that if an asset is depreciable it is a debit and if it is appreciable it is a credit, or is it the other way? LOL. but...............yeah, too much mumbo jumbo for me.  But my intro to psychology class, I loved it!  So I went in that direction.  Problem I had to learn on my own, because I was too stubborn to listen to anyone, was that with psychology, there is NO MONEY in it unless you plan on going for a graduate degree.  Which OF COURSE I was going to do.  LOL.  I didn't realize how much THAT was going to cost.  So I ended up with my Bachelors degree in Psychology and then went into nursing.  I got my Associates degree RN and my BSN.  I would still like to get my Masters degree in nursing but I think I will take a break from school for a little bit.  LOL

But good luck to you.  You will find your path.  It just takes some of us longer than others.  There is nothing wrong with that.

Haha, my mind has already changed so much. I was looking into German, then French again, as  I had some lessons at school, and now I've arrived back at my original path. Thank you btw :) 

19 hours ago, Kute said:

Congratulations on that. I will also be graduating late 20s early 30s with my BS. I think the best feeling was just knowing I am enrolled in a university and im actively working towards my goal that will eventually come. Just remember to focus on that :) Like your title said " yay for the future!", I'm really happy for you. 

Thank you :)  Those I know who I've told have said nothing but encouragement so far. Also, the OU fb group, with existing students is brilliant because it has people of all ages working towards a degree which is very inspiring. It feels good knowing I haven't been left behind, and even though it's different to the standard Uni experience, it's still Uni after all! I'm already picturing myself at graduation.. Best get the walk covered so I don't trip!