Study Group!!

Wow , how are you going @MissG, way to go

@Former-MemberI'd have more problems with the 15 page stats analysis... not sure if it sounds daunting or impressive or both. When I'm not well find it really hard to organise my thoughts. It's all in there and makes sense to me kind of... just doesn't come out that way on paper. I understand the presentation being hard though I hear that alot. I'm sure you'll do well given all the work you have done.

@Shaz51I love it... well the study part... the people part is probably my biggest challenge which is a bit ironic given what I study... hearing information which I consider to be ignorant or ill-informed is a good test of my ability to keep my mouth shut 😉 can be sad though at the same time

Hi @Former-Member, I just found your thread now, I usually spend my time on the carers side of the forums.

I am studying marketing at the moment (part time 50% load, reluctantly considering 25% load next semester) and not keeping up with study goals very well at all at the moment. I am managing (if you could even call it that) only due to the amazing support I have received from teaching staff.

This semester I have a 2000 word report (due over a week ago- worth 40%) that I am currently working on and 2 exams worth 40% each to go (~4 weeks away). Have not been to any classes for 2 weeks as I have a lot going on outside of study.

My motivation to study was initially as a positive distraction, after I was forced to take time out of work, not having a job to go to each day took me to a new low that scared me. My lack of coping also affected my wife in a very negative way. In my mind it also gives me a justification for a 'blank patch' on my resume.

Health and Infectious Diseases wow- that sounds involved. Way over my head.
I can pick up on much of what I am learning mostly because I can apply it to my previous work.
I used to hate statistics but got 2 awesome lecturers who actually made it interesting and even a little exciting (who knew that was even possible with statistics lol)

@Determinedthe best lecturers seem to be able to make almost anything interesting lol. My study load has varied over the last few years. At first I actually felt guilty and like a failure when I chose to defer a Trimester but since then have learned to manage my time and health and increasing or decreasing my study load has been a part of that. Since I decided to embrace it as a strategy I'm actually getting through alot more anyway 🙂

@MissG

My main concern with takng too long to complete my study is that I will be too old to get a job and too long out of work, and that I will foget most of it before I even fininsh. The unfortunate relality though is that I am not likley to get a real job any time soon anyway.

My other problem is that without a little preassure of deadlines my brain shuts down and I dont get anything done so I need some preassure to keep me motivated. catch 22... I need the preassure to function but cant manage the preassre when the unexpected comes up. Thats whre the support services at the uni kick in.

pdoc only wanted me to do 1 unit this semester so I will be getting a giant I TOLD YOU SO next time I see him lol

Many positives though,
It has done me good to meet new people, see different perspectivesperspectives to study, work and life in general. I completed my last degree (engineering related) almost 20 years ago, went from uni and worked in the same job for almost 15 years before I had to give it up. So have fairly narrow field of experience work wise. I have managed to get a couple of small jobs within the uni paid and volunteer which has been great for my confidence 🙂

@Determinedit sounds like you're telling my story lol... trust me I aint no 'spring chicken' so I get where you're coming from and sometimes that stresses me out a bit. I have to focus on what I'm studying and the journey otherwise it will do my head in so to speak. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. I also have the same 'catch 22'. The deadlines help me to stay on track in some ways and cause extra stress in others. Yep catch 22 indeed.

I've long decided I will always study though and will go on to further study postgrad even a Unit at a time if I have to. I may get part time work along the way but this way I get a sense of achievment when I complete work and gives me a goal even though it's taken longer than I oriniginally anticipated. It is what it is. I do feel that it enriches my life so that's a win 🙂

Hi @MissG and @Determined,

Lovely to meet you!

My apologies for the late reply, I've just not been feeling very well recently.

So excited to have more study bunnies on the forum. I find study also helps me a bit with mental health - gives me a sense of purpose and drive. But when I'm feeling really unwell - like now - I find it really hard. But I love learning new stuff, if I could be a student forever I think I would. I too found that being out of work was scary with how low I got. I didn't have anything I 'needed' to do, so I didn't do anything. Study gives me that need to do something. I just have trouble coping and concentrating when I'm not feeling well.

I'm doing a 75% load and I somehow still feel like a failure for not doing more. I think I will do a 50% load next semester. But I'm struggling just getting out of bed at the moment. And my brain doesn't want to cooperate with the whole thinking thing.

Gosh, I just want to go back to bed today and not get out for a week or two. But alas I'm in the library, so I shall attempt to study.