If you had one tip for a new student what would it be?

I'm gonna start this one off, as a new (ish) student myself. My tip would be not to panic. It can be intimidating, daunting and stressful stepping into the unknown that is an OU course, so breathe easy and take it in your stride.

Before signing up for a course find out as much about it as you can. Go to a regional course choice event, have a good look at the materials, get the views of other students, speak to tutors and find out whether the course is nearing the end of its presentation (some courses in my experience have been very dated). I would not recommend choosing a course on the basis of the brief descriptions given in a prospectus or even via the website. It really is in your best interest to arm yourself with as much prior information as possible.

Be careful to take on something at a reasonable level for you. If you've never studied above GCSE or O-level, don't aim too high for you first course, even if it means starting with an Openings course, or a short course. You don't want start with abysmal failu=re - it could put you off for life!

Go to as many of the tutorials as you can. Your tutor works like an adhesive to hold your study material together. Dont be worried about asking them questions, even if you think you sound lame. And dont always take notes - just relax, sit back and listen to them once in a while because what they're giving you will probably sink in better than scribbling stuff down in a hurry - you can always note it afterwards. I'd also recommend a mind-map system with coloured pencils as variety helps your memory. And when you get home, look over your notes once more to refresh your memory.

My biggest tip would be to help each other wherever possible!!
on this note could you please help me by completing this survey for my course
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=bjl9jO17LLDKYQ_2fOsgJC4g_3d_3d

Thanks
Ryan

I would say not to worry too much if you feel a bit (or a lot) apprehensive or anxious about embarking on a new learning experience i.e. with the OU for the first time, it's normal. You'd be surprised how 'common' these feelings/worries are and the OU has probably answered similar questions to what you may have many times over, and will continue to do so (in my experience in a very helpful and professional way).

So don't be afraid simply ask someone, your tutor will be able to help with most academic queries, regional centre staff are excellent with admin as are the IT helpdesk with computer stuff, and finally but not least, fellow students who are in the same boat as you, are normally experiencing similar things, which all helps you to realise you're not alone.

We all get what is commonly known as the 'wobbles' from time to time, and once you've asked for help, sorted the query and moved on, you can look back and say with a smile on your face, 'Oh it wasn't as bad as it looked after all'.
Just set yourself small targets to begin with and before long you'll be in the swing of things, all the small building blocks will add up to something good in the long run.

Good luck and welcome to all newcomers, you're in safe hands with the OU, which in my opinion is the best Uni in the UK.

PS no they didn't pay me to say that last bit, it's true!

If you have never undertaken distance learning before, work out before you start where you think you will find the time. You'll be surprised where you can find the odd 1/2 hour, to the point that between Oct and Feb when you are not studying (usually) you'll be bored stiff and waiting with enthusiasm for the new course books to arrive. Read the course outline, this will give an idea of how much time you need to find each week.

you have to (consciously or unconsciously) pride yourself on being someone who doesn't give up. you are a fighter. you persevere. you get over your emotional fits of feeling stupid/incompetent. you get over the shock of not understanding something the first time. or the second. or the third. you get over yourself.

you raise the bar: an option is to do your best and not get very good marks. just giving up is NOT an option. giving up never builds character; it weakens character.

(i started and gave up an OU course 15 years ago, and took 10 years to start one again. now i'm doing a 3rd-year course. you live and you learn.)

swisspenelope

Many courses, especially in maths, have OU written and produced paperback textbooks. These are usually of such high quality you may feel that you shouldn't write or use highlighters in them. But if you use different coloured highlighters to highlight specific points, as well as annotate with notes of your own, it is much easier to both learn and revise.

Sometimes you can download the textbook as a PDF file, and then print out selected pages that you can highlight or annotate, and then put into a binder, along with your TMA and the exercises from the text. That will let you keep your textbook pristine, but at the cost of using up your printer paper.

I have found that using several colours to highlight makes it easier to organise the annotations, which can also be highlighted and linked to a specific question which you may have initially had a problem in answering. It also makes the textbook more "interesting" to read, and lets you skip over those sections that you only needed to read once.

No. 1 Tip
Keep in touch with your Tutor.
Use any method you can to stay in contact with your Tutor.
In my mind The Open University is No.1
Enjoy your courses and best wishes to you all

Give yourself at least a week between finishing relevant course materials and having a TMA due!

Before you register, do a reality check on how much time you will be able to devote to studies. If you have a full time job, a family and an active social life, will you really have enough hours to spare. Its worth keeping a diary for a month and note down exactly on what days you had time that could be devoted to study and how much that was. That will give you a good idea of what's realistic.

Almost everyone will get behind sometimes, try and see if you can schedule some extra time to get the work done, if not look at which sections you will need to complete the next tma and skim the other sections, talk to your tutor who can provide helpful guidance on this and don't give up, most people do catch themselves up again and pass the course. Red

Firstly I would always check the comments of previous students before starting any course, although these will differ and if you've made up your mind that you want to study a particular course, you will probably do it whatever happens. Once you've enrolled (in my case it was all literature courses) try to get a head start and read as many set texts as possible before the course starts. I always found it advisable to start my courses a couple of weeks ahead of the calendar start date; you never know what might be around the corner as far as your own life is concerned and at least you will have a space in which to allow for setbacks, or other priorities that might interfere with your timetable. Lastly, the majority of lecturers/tutors are human, just like their students. If problems occur, make sure you contact your tutor as soon as possible so that he/she is in the picture and can grant the necessary TMA extensions if you are unable to submit work on time.

Don't book any holidays during the course :) As you need all the time to study.

Living where I do in Thailand, there is NO way that I am going to stay in town during the Songkran festivities as I find the idea of having ice cold water mixed with God know what thrown over you for a whole week totally unappealing.

I don't know yet where I shall be next year but internet access is likely to be limited or at best very, very, slow. Possibilites include Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia and perhaps India.

Alan

As a single parent I was anxious about whether I would have the time to study but have found that by setting aside time for my teenage son and me to do our "homework" together it's been easier than I imagined.

As a bonus because Dad is doing his "homework" it is no longer a battle to get my son to get stuck into his and his grades have improved this term.

I thoroughly recommend the 'Openings' courses they are very good. Even if you have studied previously at any level, it is a great idea to start with an Openings course.
Studying is addictive - and thus a great motivator to get organised or the rest of your life disappears into the background. So make sure you have support from friends, family, or particularly anyone you live with. They may have to put up with a lot - especially when you are very busy with assignments.
Remember you are really, never alone. However crazy a question might sound, ask it anyway, someone else is thinking it. Don't be afraid to share your feelings, thoughts and experiences with other students by any means possible. Distance learning can be about making new friends.
Try and look at your whole learning experience rather than focus on specific grades. Read around the subject and take the opportunity to pick the brains of tutors and other students about interesting matters. The course will fly by quickly.
Plan ahead, all the time, even if you make a new plan every week. Some areas of study or work need particular qualifications or experience, don't leave it too late to find out what is required. It's ok to put off decisions, but not planning will only lead to frustration.
You are always capable of more than you think.

You will never have enough time: Learn how to prioritise.

Find out which techniques work for you, not everything will.

Don't feel isolated, there is always someone who will help you.

I was only going to do one course. A BA(open) later, I can say I enjoyed the experience and now, I miss the challenge.

Hi there

My tip would be to start reading as soon as possible. I try to obtain course materials, past papers, disks etc months before the course starts.

Hope this helps

 1) Take it one course at a time.  Give it a course or two before tackling two courses at the same time...

2) Don't leave assignments/revision to the last minute! Give yourself at least two weeks before a cut-off or exam date...

3) Do a bit each day. Even if it's just 15 minutes, its better than nothing!

4) When revising for an exam, do at least one practice run. So if you have a 3hr exam, see if you can complete a specimen paper within 3hrs. Then do it again after a bit more revision. This trick alone can mean the difference between a pass and a fail, and will make the exam less intimidating and feel more like its "all in a days work"...

 1) Keep calm. 

2) Try and stick to the study planner. Although at times this can be impossible, I found that my best results came from when I stuck to the plan. 

3) Ask your tutor for help, whenever you need it. 

4) Don't feel like a failure. If you achieve a mark that isn't what you had hoped, don't beat yourself up. Your next assignment is just around the corner, so put all your energy in doing the best you can for that, not in feeling like a failure. 

I'd say all the comments above are excellent. I studied MU120 as my first ever module and at the time I lived rurally and with dial-up so little internet access and I felt really isolated but after that I went onto MST121 and MS221 and attended all available tutorials and kept in touch with fellow students and it made all the difference.

I would say the best advice I could give is don't feel stupid for asking. I think it's all too easy to think that everyone else knows the answer and everyone is understanding the content better than you, but once you get into study through the OU you realise that everyone's in the same boat. You'll understand some things better than others and others some things better than you and your tutor and fellow students will be what gets you through. I think the only downside to the OU is feeling isolated as a student but if you get involved in the forums and make some friends, you'll find that there's plenty of help and support available if you just ask.

Kelly

Don't panic! Get your study space/time continuum sorted and go with the flow, things happen, but you can get support, if and when you ask for it, so don't be shy about asking.

Hello. I'm 22 and I'm starting Arts: Past and Present in October. Just got my PI number so now I'm rather excited. I've started on the open learning unit they offer and I've enjoyed the fact I'm learning again. I seriously fear my brain will turn to mush if I dont keep it active. Also I want to thank for the advise given, its put my mind at ease. I reall hope I become an active member of the Open Uni scene, and meet loads of like minded individuals like myself. So if anyone is starting the same course as me in October please don't hesitate in contacting me, especially if its in the Manchester area.

Cheers guys.

• Don't be put off if you work full time. You can combine both.
• Little and often is best. 
• Snatch time where ever you can; such as during train journeys or lunch breaks. It all adds up. 
• Submit something. 
• Don't be put off modules with exams. Many people suit exams and actually do better here then in assignments. 
• If you're precious about writing in textbooks write on post-its and stick them in. 
• And lastly... just go for it!

 This is my first post on this side of the OU so treat me gently please.

When I first started with the OU at a level 1, it use to be that a new student then had to do a refresher course if they had been away from education for a while, my course tutor on this course said that all OU courses require a yard of book places on the shelf so make space for them. Next grab a good English dictionary and then every word you had to look up-highlite it-so if you ever had to come back to it again-kick your self.

Peter

Immerse yourself in your subject; when you are not reading course materials, be reading something about that subject.  Talk about what you are learning to people who are not learning the subject.....that way you have to explain things simply and if you can do that you understand your topic.  Doodle while you are reading and talk out loud when you are trying to work things out.  And learn to recognise your cognitive limitations.....the mind can only absorb what the bottom can endure   so get up and move around every 45 minutes or so.

And most of all......repetition is the mother of retention-the more you go over it, the more you remember.  When I am working through a course book I always set aside 20 minutes to pick out a random section from previous chapters and read it again.

And enjoy!

 There are some really good tips on here.  One thing I learned (the hard way) was the importance of having a dedicated study space in the house.  This way it's easier to get settled into study, instead of having to locate books, unpack etc.  At first I didn't have my own desk so I kept all my course stuff in a box.  Now, with a wee desk space I find it much easier.  Just thought I would pass it on.