38 and going to Uni!

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

Wasn't sure which board this belonged on so apologies if this is incorrect! 

My work are funding a degree for me. This will include doing a lot of course work from home. I'm 38, the last time I did anything academic was 22 years ago! 

Work have provided me with a laptop, monitor, keyboard, mouse and headset - but what else am I going to need?! I know this might sound really silly - but there is bound to be something I haven't thought of. 

I've got notepads, pens, I have a printer at home and I was thinking of getting a planner/diary to mark important dates (I work better with paper format!) - I will probably need folders ... What else am I missing?

I will get a list of the basics from the Uni soon, but I am trying to make sure I am ready  

Thanks in advance! 

M

NBLondon

Coffee?

BrassicWoman

and wine

maman

NBLondon said:

Coffee?

BrassicWoman said:

and wine

🤣

Seriously though, it does depend on your circumstances. I did my Masters part time and although my employer paid the fees and gave me half a day per week off to attend the taught sessions, I had to do all the work from home at weekends and evenings.

I needed a great deal of support from my family and when I wrote the acknowledgements for the dissertation, I felt I should thank M&S for the ready meals we'd eaten to save me time.🤔 We made a rule that DH and I would go out to eat at a local restaurant on a Sunday evening to draw a line before work started on the Monday.  Our DDs (teenagers at the time) fended for themselves.

I'd do it all again though. I think it was good for the girls to see that learning doesn't stop when you leave school. 

JGB1955

I completed my Open University degree over 10 years, whilst producing two children.  My biggest problem was the 2 weeks of 'Summer School' I had to attend - finding childcare for that was near impossible.  It looks like that won't be your problem so, the answer might be to
1) clear a particular 'space' for study
2) set aside particular hours when you are 'at Uni, so not available for household chores/crises'
3)  don't stress about folders/printer paper/ marker pens - it will all fall into place
4)  enjoy the experience, take pride in your achievements and don't stress when it all goes wrong - that's part of the learning journey!

Savvy_Sue

NBLondon said:

Coffee?

BrassicWoman said:

and wine

Chocolate, and a wet towel to wrap round your head.

If you ever have to go to uni in person, you'll want a nice bag to carry all the gubbins. Even if you're doing it all remotely, a pencil case and bag to keep all the bits together, or magazine holders on a shelf. Obviously these need to be your favourite colour, it will make a huge difference to your results.

Keep_pedalling

Something to back-up your work files on.

Enjoy the course.

Savvy_Sue

Keep_pedalling said:

Something to back-up your work files on.

Enjoy the course.

At least TWO ways of backing up, and use them frequently.

So that's a memory stick in your favourite colour, plus your choice of Google drive, Dropbox, onedrive etc...

london21

Just try to relax enjoy the process.

Once you start, you will figure out anything which is important that you will need.

Planner will help with writing important dates, deadlines etc.

As you haven't been in education for some time, research on referencing, the type your university allows so to avoid getting flagged or capped for your coursework assignments.   

All the best!

kirtondm

It is way easier from Home. I am just completing an independent prescribing course and glaucoma cert ( about 1/2 a masters ) and have managed to do it whilst working 6days with 4kids. I am 41.

Need to be very disciplined with specific time set aside to do it ( I choose 6-10 Sunday morning ). Research for papers is way easier Google Scholar makes life so much easier than going to the library to look up journals.

Try to stay on top of the coursework is my advice , mine was easy in that sense as our written stuff was all case records I could get from our practice. 

I think being older you will find it easier , when I was undergraduate I spent most of the 1st year overindulging in free cheese and wine from the reps and did little in the way of work! 

kirtondm

Referencing will be the bane of your life - still don't undestand the diffrence between havard style and Cardiff-Havard style!