Do I go back to distance learning?

thelittlestranger

I studied Law with the OU earlier this year and due to mental health, I had to quit.

I'm currently signed off of work with severe anxiety but I am fed up of it getting in the way of my life. I have always wanted to study and better my qualifications but in the past my anxiety has made me quit.

I'm looking at doing English Language and Literature. I did great at these subjects at school, and read so much it's silly!

I know it's my calling as it's my passion. It's what I want to do and not influenced my anything/anyone else for once!

I'd love to help others who have suffered with mental health illness in the future, whether it is through creative writing, or helping children develop their reading and writing skills.

Problems are:

- How would I fund this? I know you can get a student loan, has anyone done this? I'm worried about the debt.
- I'm getting married April 2013. Will this be too much of a burden?
- What about when/if I go back to work full time? How will I cope?
- I also have another expense next year for a make up course which I really want to do as I am quite artistic and want to have a chance to build my confidence in talking to people.

Thanks!

x0emz0x

Hi there

Im currently studying with the OU. On my 3rd course, aiming towards a Business Studies degree. I havent got the student loan, but Ive researched it and you only start paying it back if you are earning over £21,000. If you fall below that £21,000, you stop paying. I think the monthly repayments are fairly low also, it depends on the amount you earn. I've heard it can also get written off if it hasn't been paid off after a certain amount of years.

I find it quite stressful at times, so I dont know about completing the course while you are nearing your wedding. Why not register for May '13 start? You then have no extra stress when it comes to your wedding day being perfect

I am working full time while studying my 60point course and I find it Ok-I do get stressed at times, but I try to study as much as possible without ruining my social life and I have passed all of my assignments on my 2 previous courses while working full time also (just waiting on my overall module results). I think it all depends on the amount of time you can dedicate really, but you dont know if you dont try! The OU are very helpful if you start struggling.

I hope this helped

Emma x

thelittlestranger

Hi Emma

Thanks SO much for your reply, you've really encouraged me to go ahead and study. I so want to do it but feel I now need to get my partner 'on board' with the idea...

How much do you study? And do you find that it has helped with you job at all?

Thanks again!

dizzyrascal

Problems are:

- How would I fund this? I know you can get a student loan, has anyone done this? I'm worried about the debt.
- I'm getting married April 2013. Will this be too much of a burden?
- What about when/if I go back to work full time? How will I cope?
- I also have another expense next year for a make up course which I really want to do as I am quite artistic and want to have a chance to build my confidence in talking to people.

I have to be honest with you. I think that you need to sort out some other issues first because if you do intend to work full time again, doing the OU will be another huge pressure on you.
Why don't you deal with other things first. You have a wedding to sort out (a full time job in itself) so that will take you almost till next summer.
You could then maybe do your make up course.
You could work on getting well enough to go back to work.
Once you have committed to the OU you will have to complete your degree within 6 years or you lose the funding. I don't know how much funding you have already had but it won't help you to keep stopping and starting and your confidence may suffer if you don't complete your modules or sit the exams.

thelittlestranger

dizzyrascal wrote: »

I have to be honest with you. I think that you need to sort out some other issues first because if you do intend to work full time again, doing the OU will be another huge pressure on you.
Why don't you deal with other things first. You have a wedding to sort out (a full time job in itself) so that will take you almost till next summer.
You could then maybe do your make up course.
You could work on getting well enough to go back to work.
Once you have committed to the OU you will have to complete your degree within 6 years or you lose the funding. I don't know how much funding you have already had but it won't help you to keep stopping and starting and your confidence may suffer if you don't complete your modules or sit the exams.

Thank you I really do appreciate your honesty. I think that was what I plan to do anyway, one thing at a time. There's nothing stopping me registering for the OU now so I'm guaranteed a place I suppose!

I definetely agree about the stopping/starting knocking my confidence. It already has from the first time round but I feel like once I am a bit better, I'll be able to study again and this time do the subject I want to do. Fingers crossed!

x0emz0x

thelittlestranger wrote: »

Hi Emma

Thanks SO much for your reply, you've really encouraged me to go ahead and study. I so want to do it but feel I now need to get my partner 'on board' with the idea...

How much do you study? And do you find that it has helped with you job at all?

Thanks again!

To be honest, I do find it hard to get motivated to study - I'm actually meant ot be studying at the moment, but instead I'm on here! Lol. The course I am currently on expects you to study for atleast 20 hours a week. I hardly studied the course materials on my last 2 courses and I passed all assignments, just waiting for my module grade. But as I am now onto Level 2, I am trying to study a bit more. It all depends on how much time you have really.

My job is office based, so I am on the computer for probably atleast 6-7 hours a day, so coming home and studying is a bit hard or me as all I want to do is rest my eyes!

I definately find it has helped with my job - in fact, I have now got a job in the HR department at work, which is what I want to do as a career I start on 26th November, so quite excited. Once I'm all settled into my new job, I think the course will help much more as I am only an Admin Assistant currently, so I don't have much involvement in the different sections of business which the course involve