Introduce yourself!

Welcome Platform , what a great idea!
I'm Paddy,62,collected my BA Open in April at the Barbican, a great day.Started with the OU in 1982-A101, then off and on through the years, never giving up, though often under pressure, work money etc.
At present a building manager, but have been a RAF technician, book seller, carpenter, baker, and, once or twice, unemployed.
Best OU years/courses? Homer and Athens, classical history, especially Greek history, being the great discovery in my OU career.
The question now is do I go on for that 'extra year'for Honours? 'To think, or not to think'?, that is the question, as whatisname said!
Other interests? Cycling, reading, model aircraft, aviation history.
Nice to be here, I hope we'll all cross swords-ah, indulge in polite discussion!,- as time goes by.

Watcha Paddy, a similar background to me, RAF too. I was in Air Sea Rescue and other Commands. Mind you, when I was in we didn't have numbers, we all knew each other!
Cheers and good luck. whh

Hello all,
Just found this place, yeah.
I live in Northumberland and I graduated in 2004 with a BSc in Geosciences thanks to the OU. I work part time for a local family history website, and I have done a lot of voluntary work over the past few years at Newcastle's natural history museum The Hancock, currently closed for refurbishment. I am interested in all aspects of history and I'm just as happy reading about the Carboniferous period as the Industrial Revolution.
Other than that, I'm a full time mum with one girl and two spoilt cats.

Best wishes
Lynn

Hello to everyone,

I am really looking forward to exploring this site, it looks as if it will be excellent.

I live in Weston-super-Mare and finished my OU degree, mostly in Literature in 2001. I'm now thinking about the Web design courses or creative writing. Any thoughts?

I did visit the old OU Alumni site for a while, anybody else on here from there?

I'm off to explore.

Hi,

My name is Sadie and I've just discovered this place and wanted to see what it was all about. Looks great so far! I'm currently doing an Msc in Forensic Psychology course at the OU and have previously done a Bsc in Psychology also at the OU. I'm enjoying the course so far and hope its the same for the rest of you...

Hello everyone. I first joined OU in the early 1970's. I am a 'c' registered student so I guess that must have been the third year of existence for the OU!! I was a young teacher then and did a foundation course followed by educational studies, finishing with a BA in 1975. I then took a short break of 31 years and did an MA in history, 2006-8.
I wanted to carry on postgraduate study in history, with another masters course but found NOTHING is offered at this level!!!!! This was most disappointing and quite puzzling. Does anyone out there have any views or explanations on this?
Happy days,
Peter

Hello,

I have found the right place to say hello! I have just posted my hello to somewhere else on the site so if you come across it, its just me being dumb!

Anyway my name is Thelma and this is my second year with the OU and it is true what they say once you have the OU bug it stays with you!

FAO pjt322 - An MA in Humanities is available at the OU which includes History modules - see http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/ma/index.html.

Hi, I'm Sue, live in Wiltshire and graduated with a BA (Hons) in Humanities with Literature in 2000. Originally I was only going to do the foundation course but got hooked. Following that I got a place to do a PGCE (English) at Bath Uni but within the first term decided teaching wasn't for me. I thought I should use my degree but have changed my mind - you don't need to use it, it can give you much more than an intro to a new career. In my case it gave me confidence and I have just set up my own walking holiday business, something I doubt I'd have had the courage to do pre the OU.

It would be great to get back in touch with people I met during my OU 'career'. I think many of us start out with good intentions of staying in touch but life gets in the way! I used to use the First Class website which I found useful and fun - Platform should be far better.

Hi everyone, I'm Clare, gained a BA with the OU in the 80's have continued to take an interest in all things 'open'. Have recently completed the OU photography course-fantastic! would recommend to all with an interest in the subject. Also enjoy the content of the open learn site. Considering what course to take next. Once you have the OU bug.....
look forward to meeting like minds here.

Hi I'm Gary,

I started with the OU in about 1991 with the Social Sciences Foundation Course (D103). I had left school at 16 with no qualifications and now have two BAs (one fom the OU) and an MA so I can safely say that the OU changed my life.

It changed it so much in fact that I now work as a Media Project Manager at Walton Hall producing course materials for a whole new generation of students.

I'm currently working on the OU's Foundation degree in Sport and Fitness. The team is very enthusiastic and the first course (E112) looks excellent.

Gary Nelmes

Hi,
I'm Dean.

I began my studies with the OU in 1995 (D103),graduated with a BA (Hons) in 2001, and then a MA in 2007. Now that I've "left" the OU and spent some time at a more, lets say, traditional Uni... I don't half miss it!!
I was booted out of school in 1986 with a couple of qualifications to my name, spent a while travelling, met a wonderful woman, married her, had kids, and then found the OU. Hooked!
I'm now a teacher in a great school in the west of Scotland thanks to the qualifications I earned while studying with the OU.

Hi Leigh here. I recieved the Diploma in Economics from the OU a couple of years ago and have one year of study left ('A World of whose making?') to acheive a Bsc Hons in Social Science with Economics and Politics. I have just completed the level 2 philosophy course 'Philosophy and the Human Situation' (my 'free' option) and get the results in three days (yikes!). I cannot recommend this course highly enough for anyone interested in Philosophy as applied to the BIG questions: the mind's relation to the body, religion, evolution, animal and environmental rights and the extent to which political freedom is possible. It was a real challenge, especially for a level two course but really rewarding.

I am a 35 year old father of three (17,13 & 2) and would just like to reiterate what others have said regarding the positive impact that the ability to study, as provided by the OU, has had on my life. This sight looks really promising for interacting with others with a similar outlook.

Leigh

Hi my mame's Steve. I'm learning how to be a geek. I've completed M150 T175 M255 and I'm waiting for my exam results for MT262 and I will start T209 in January so I'm having a break until after the New Year.

I am seriously considering doing a teaching qualification and would love to hear from anyone who has gone down that route.

Have a couple of degrees and a PGDCCI with have been around OU since 1992. Haven't sone a course since 2006 DU301. Miss it terribly...

John

Hi, everybody,

I'm Jean, I'm in Scotland, and so far I like the Platform and the layout of the forums. I suspect I might spend far too much time in here! I've been with the OU since 1997, mainly studying Social Sciences. I have a BSc (Hons) Social Science with Social Policy, a couple of Diplomas and I should receive a Postgrad Certificate in the next couple of months. I'm currently two-thirds of the way through my MA, though there have been enough interesting short courses along the way for me to pick up some credit towards a BA (Open) as well.

Hey people! My name is Brian, and am an OU BSc graduate (1990-something, it's way too long ago now to want to be specific anymore HA-HA!), and after a messy divorce, I am now living and working in the USA.

As part of my degree I did the old "America in the 20th Century" course, so actually living here is a bit like living in a movie of an OU course!

All very exciting.

I work on the staff of a university here http://www.unt.edu is the web site for my employer, but I'm not teaching. Perhaps our greatest claims to fame is that Dr. Phil (Oprah's famous 'TV shrink') got his Doctorate form us and that one of the Eagles rock band is also an alumni. A very eclectic mix.

Who knows how 'Platform' will turn out?

Hi I'm Vicky, I'm 27 from Cambridge. I have only just started my OU experience, at the moment I am studying DD100 Intro to Social Sciences, hoping to achieve the BA/BSC in Criminology and Psychological studies at some point in the next 6 years. I currently work full time as well as studying so it will be one course per year until the degree but it's going ok so far and I'm enjoying doing something completely different :)

Hi there :) I'm Mary, I'm 18 and i live in Newark. I know i'm young but going to an actual university just was not an option for me so the Open University has answered all my prayers!

I'm starting my first course in February, and am hoping to work towards a Law Degree, and am really looking forward to the challenge.

As well as a qualification i would love to talk to and get to know new people, and make some friends, so heres to keeping in touch :)

Hi Everyone :) I'm Celia, fully active member of the Open University Student Association (OUSA), and Student in Psychololgy, following just completing my first degree with the OU.

I live in Wales, so understand the need for the internet rurality can be lonely.

I look forward to making lots of new friends through Platform,

Celia

My name is Albert (Abb) this is my first venture into higher education . Am 69 years old. Taking a short course i writing before I jump into a heavier subject.

Hi I'm Michelle, I'm 40, married with 2 daughters. I have just completed my first 10 point level 1 science course and signed up for a 60 point one starting in January; aiming for a Life Science degree. I live in Dorset and work with my husband running our own business. Studying is purely for personal development.

Michelle :o)

I am 69 years old,now retired, engaged in agriculture/horticulture all my life.

In recent years I have come to question religion/evolution. To further my knowledge I have enrolled for the Darwin/Evolution short course.

Hello everyone,
I'm Sherie, I'm 21 years old and i'm from the East Midlands. This is my first time studying with the OU, my first course will be AA100, I start in February. I'm really looking forward to this but also feeling a little nervous as not studied for a while.
Looking forward to chatting with you all and 'Good Luck' to everyone with all your chosen courses :)

Hello everyone, my name is Sarah

I live on the Beds, Bucks border. I started with the OU in October on the AA100 course and am starting the A200 course in Feb. I left school with a couple of A-Level's and after working in admin and IT for five years have been a housewife and mum for 10 years, with 2 boys of 9 and 6, a step son of 14 and not forgetting our 2 year old dog. Really enjoying my course and finding the OU fantastic with so much support on the forums. I hope to be a student for a long time to come, as I am now completely hooked.

Hi
My name is Marie and I am starting W100 in Feb. Having left school over 20 years ago with my O Levels, I have done a variety of jobs in a variety of professions! I am currently a self employed driving instructor and also a volunteer with CAB. My ultimate goal is to achieve LLB (hons) but lets just see where the next few years takes me!

I live in "the biggest cul-de-sac in the world" otherwise known as Barrow in Furness, with my husband, my teenage daughter and our dog.

Hi ^^

Im Mariyam, 18 years old from London. I started with the Open University this year as an actual university wasn't really an option.
Studying S104 - Exploring Science at the moment, working towards a degree in the science sector, still a little career confused though.
Been a good experience so far, hoping to meet new people during my stay!
:D

Ian, 38, married with 3 young kids. I've already got a few degrees so why I'm doing more studying is a good question. Maths was my best subject at school, but I went into medicine, where there is lots of stuff to learn, but not many numbers. I'm now a surgeon, but I always thought I'd do a maths degree one day, so over the next 6 years that's what I plan to do. I started MST121 a couple of months ago, and will start MS221 in february. I had intended to do a bit of economics as well, but with all that's happened in the world recently I've realised it's not a proper science so perhaps I'll just stick with sums.

Hi all, I'm Dave from a small town just to the east of Edinburgh. I'm 27, play rugby and have just started studying social sciences. Not much else to say just now.