University: What I Wish I’d Known (Part Three)

Me again! I’m back with part three of my University series, ‘What I Wish I’d Known’. This time round we are hearing from four Open University students, students who didn’t go down the conventional University routes which so many do each year.

Hopefully this post will provide those of you unsure about whether a brick University is for you, with some help and guidance. There is never just one option for University which is what these four students show.

Are you ready to meet the Open University students?

 

CordeliaMeet Cordelia:

My name is Cordelia Moor, and I’m a 22 year old blogger from London! My day job involves running the social media and writing content for a tech company, and I spend most of my free time either blogging, studying, or prancing around at drag shows.

Currently I am in my first year of study with The Open University. Previously (back in 2015) I spent six months at Canterbury Christ Church University studying Special Educational Needs and Inclusion Studies, but quickly realised it wasn’t the right time or place. It’s taken over two years for me to get to a place where I feel able to study again and as a result in February of this year I started with the OU. I’m studying what’s known as an ‘Open Degree’ because I’m incapable of making decisions and this way I can choose any module I want to do, and I’m trying to do it full time. At the moment my modules are ‘The Arts Past and Present’ and ‘Environment: Journey Through a Changing World’.

What Cordelia wishes she’d know:

I wish I’d known that it’s okay to not know what you want to do, and that there are so many options out there other than university. You don’t have to start a uni degree immediately after leaving college because there really is all the time in the world to discover who you really are and what you really want out of life before you start making any big decisions.

I was so indoctrinated into the ‘school, college, uni’ path because I’m quite clever I never really stopped to consider the alternatives. I wish I’d been told more about The Open University more when I was trying to make big life choices in year 13 also I never knew that you can get a tuition loan from Student Finance, and I had no idea what the teaching and materials would be like. I’ve learnt so much and enjoyed the material that I don’t feel like I’m missing out on the ‘brick uni’ experience – I also know now that being able to study at my own pace and in my own time suits me and my mental health needs so much better.

What she’d do differently:

I’d have probably taken a year out in between college and uni, to really think about what it was I wanted to study and what my options were. I wish I’d taken the chance to explore more before I started full time work and having actual adult responsibilities and I really wish I’d made the most of being a  student and living alone in those 6 months I was at uni. Ultimately I don’t regret any of the decisions I made because they’ve all led me to where I am right now.

I wish I’d known that it’s okay to not know what you want to do, and that there are so many options out there other than university.

Find out more about Cordelia on her Blog, Twitter and Instagram.

 

39568576_514965375621170_129383523265019904_nMeet Sophie:

Hi, I’m Sophie and currently, I am in the middle of doing my third degree [now that makes me sound really fancy pants]. The truth of the matter is that the first two were a bit of a fail. OH how I wish I knew. The first degree I started was an Open University course. I started with all the best intentions. Three others where I worked were all doing one and it just seemed like a really fun thing to do. IT WAS AWFUL. I found no support and all of the materials were outdated. I wish I had done more research into it before I started because before the end of the 14 days grace period I handed it all in.

My second experience of university was at an actual university. The University of Chichester to be precise – I was studying Social Work. It was something that I really really wanted to do. I worked so hard to get into uni [I did all of my A Levels in one year]. I loved the experience and the concept of ‘actual’ university. However, I thought it was a royal waste of time. I was paying the same amount as everyone else there but just felt like I was getting nothing out of it. SO, before the end of my first year I left.

Fast forward to today. I am currently one module away from finishing my first year at the University of Arden. It is a distance university [similar to the Open University – just SO much better]. I am loving it, I am studying Psychology, Law and Human Resources Management. It’s amazing most noteworthy is that it is so much cheaper too.

What Sophie wishes she’d known:

Part of me would love to say GO TO UNIVERSITY WHEN I WAS 18 so that I could have ‘properly’ enjoyed the student lifestyle as many others do. I don’t think that is me. I have been lucky enough to have experienced SO many other things which I might not have been able to do if I had gone to university.

But the main thing is TAKE YOUR TIME because there is no rush and you do not have to go straight to University. I know for me, apart from the university that I am at now, I rush chose where I was going and what I was doing.

What she’d do differently:

Actually NO, I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. I have learnt so much as a result of the things that I have chosen to do. Leaving my second degree was such a huge decision and massive risk but as a result of it I have the most amazing job. I have been able to save enough money to put a deposit on a house.

You do not have to go straight to University. Take time and decide what you would like to do and where you would like to go.

Find out more about Sophie on her Blog, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.

 

 

rosieMeet Rosie:

Hi! Let me introduce myself, I’m Rosie, 22, blogger at www.rosiesx.com and part time student at The Open University. If you’re not familiar with the Open University then it’s a long distant university where we study whilst working full time.

I’m currently a student in my first year studying a BA in Business Management at The Open University.

What Rosie wishes she’d known:

READ THE GUIDANCE NOTES!! Open University offer guidance notes for a reason. I’ve been stuck on some super easy questions had I read the guidance notes.

What she’d do differently:

I wouldn’t have transferred to a brick university and transferred back. Open University is for life and a brick university wasn’t all it lived up to be as a 22-year-old LOL.

 

Study hard and keep on top of things, it stops stress massively.

Find out more about Rosie on her Blog.

 

melanieMeet Melanie:

My name is Melanie! I am currently at the very end of my Open University degree studying Business Studies, finishing in September. The degree has taken me four years to complete, whilst working four days a week in Logistics management.

 

What Melanie wishes she’d known:

I wish before I started my degree with the Open University, I truly understood the implications and struggles that come with distance learning because distance learning can at times be very isolating. When you may have only one or two lectures a month it can be very hard to self-motivate yourself. Having said that, the determination and resilience I have now built has been a lifelong lesson. I now feel through self-motivation I can achieve anything that I put my mind to.

What she’d do differently:

First of all, I regretted not going to university when I was eighteen because it may have helped me progress through my career faster also studying through the Open University has enabled me to build valuable work experience and gain a qualification.

I wish I truly understood the implications and struggles that come with distance learning.

Find out more about Melanie on her Blog, Twitter and Instagram.


I hope you have enjoyed this third installment in my ‘What I Wish I’d Known’ University series.

Make sure you check out the other posts in the series and in relation to university:

University: What I Wish I’d Known (Part One)
University: What I Wish I’d Known (Part Two)
University: What I Wish I’d Known (Part Four)
Fresher’s Week, Friend or Foe?
University, 9 Years Ago; An Interview
University, 13 Years Ago; An Interview
University Alternative, MOOC; An Interview
University Saving Tips and Tricks, Part One
University Saving Tips and Tricks, Part Two
University Bookshelf Tour
My University Experience So Far

Thanks for reading!

19 Comments

  1. Love this series. As didn’t go to uni it’s intersting to see others perspective of it.

    1. Thank you! That means so much, glad you’re enjoying it regardless!

  2. Solid advice in here! I especially love that a lot of it discussed the idea that the timing of higher education is a fallacy. Here in the States we are also pushed to go right back to school after we graduate high school, but there can be so much value in taking a gap year, or even going back to school later in life.

    1. Thank you! Hope it will help just one person! I think people forget that there are other options, I’ve just written a post with Victoria on MOOC which is another opportunity people don’t know exists which is a shame!

  3. Hey Imogen! Really enjoyed reading all your university posts! It was great to read all the different perspectives and how they are all so different! I’ve Just graduated with a 2:1 in primary education, but if I could go back, I’d do a completely different course at a different uni! I don’t regret going to uni, i’m one of those weirdos that actually enjoyed school and learning so it wasn’t too bad academically, and i’m a social drinker so enjoyed going out, I just didn’t pick the right subject for me! But I guess who knows that it’s the right subject for you when you’re almost forced into the university life at 18?🤷🏻‍♀️
    You’ve got some amazing posts at the moment Imogen, really enjoying reading your blog!💕🌈🌻

    Lucy | lucyelizabeth96.wordpress.com

    1. Hey Lucy! First up, thank you so much for your amazing comment, it means so much to me to hear you are enjoying this series – makes it all worth while!

      That’s amazing, congratulations! Sorry to hear you didn’t feel it were the right subject for you – will you still be using it for your future career? You’re definitely right though, as soon as the second year of college starts, well even before that, you are made to decide what to do and I know that I definitely didn’t do the right college courses for me! Do you think you’ll do an alternative course now, despite graduating already?

      That means the world Lucy, I’m so glad you’re enjoying it – makes me enjoy writing them even more! <3

      1. yeah I actually will be using my degree for my job, as I’m working in a SEN school at the moment! I don’t think I’d go back and do another course, I’m looking at the free online courses through the Open University, to develop my knowledge further, have done one on Autism that I’ve just finished! 💕

        1. Oh that’s amazing, my sister actually works at one at home! That’s so good to hear, hopefully you can do a few more – they seem like such good courses but still give you the flexibility to carry on working etc. Thank you again for your comment lovely! <3

  4. Another great post! So many great perspectives & advice! So glad u did this topic!😀💛🤗

    1. Thank you, glad you enjoyed it! x

  5. […] What I Wish I’d Known (Part One) University: What I Wish I’d Known (Part Two) University: What I Wish I’d Known (Part Three) Fresher’s Week, Friend or Foe? University, 9 Years Ago; An Interview University Alternative, […]

  6. […] What I Wish I’d Known (Part One) University: What I Wish I’d Known (Part Two) University: What I Wish I’d Known (Part Three) University: What I Wish I’d Known (Part Four) Fresher’s Week, Friend or Foe? University, 9 […]

  7. […] What I Wish I’d Known (Part One) University: What I Wish I’d Known (Part Two) University: What I Wish I’d Known (Part Three) University: What I Wish I’d Known (Part Four) Fresher’s Week, Friend or Foe? University, 9 […]

  8. […] What I Wish I’d Known (Part One) University: What I Wish I’d Known (Part Two) University: What I Wish I’d Known (Part Three) University: What I Wish I’d Known (Part Four) Fresher’s Week, Friend or Foe? University, 9 […]

  9. […] What I Wish I’d Known (Part Two) University: What I Wish I’d Known (Part Three) University: What I Wish I’d Known (Part Four) Fresher’s Week, Friend or Foe? University, 9 […]

  10. I love this series Imogen, I’ve been meaning to read this OU post for a while now – it was so interesting to read everyone’s stories. I definitely agree that taking your time is important, I started studying with the Open Uni when I was 23 as I had no clue what I wanted to do at 18. I’m glad it gives people a second chance who want to study later on. Also agree with Rosie, reading the guidance notes is such a good tip and saves a lot of time in the long term. Thank you for sharing, it awesome that so many people are studying with the Open Uni! <3 xx

    Bexa | http://www.hellobexa.com

    1. Imogen Chloe says:

      That’s so kind of you to say, thank you Bexa! I worked hard on it so to get such lovely feedback means the world to me! Planning some more content for my final year so very excited! Truth be told I didn’t know a lot about it before I did this post, I certainly didn’t know about the vast range of topics they offer! What did you do when you were 18, if you don’t mind me asking? I’d love to know what you studied too! Thank you again for your comment, hope you’re okay! 🙂 X

      1. You are welcome, it is a fab post and a nice way to make more people aware of the Open Uni, so great job! When I was 18 I worked as a receptionist after I quit college, then decided 5 years later to give uni a try. My degree is in Health Science and I’m currently studying a post grad in Medicinal Chemistry with the OU as well. Hope your studies are going well too! <3 xx

        1. Imogen Chloe says:

          Oh wow, that’s amazing Bexa! Hope your post grad is going well, mine are going well thank you – but the year is already going scarily quick! <3 xx

Leave a Reply