Lynne Watson is Student Support academic lead for health, wellbeing and social care at the OU.  She lives in Surrey with her husband and dog, Lilly!

Here we are in March 2021, but, well, who can tell the difference between now and March 2020! Except a lot has changed and as the buds start appearing on trees, and daffodils lift their flowers to the sun, there is now the glimmer of hope for better months ahead. In fact more than a glimmer and, like coming out of hibernation, there is so much to tempt and excite us. From programmes such as Life In Colour, currently airing on BBC, to lots of exciting things happening at The Open University including, of course, Student Hub Live.

The OU has been a part of my life since way back in 1987 when I first started my undergraduate degree. Although I was already a registered nurse, in those days registered nursing was not a degree profession. I sat my last OU exam in 1993 and have not stopped my learning journey since then. Joining the OU as associate lecturer in 2001, I now have the pleasure of being the Student Support Academic Lead in the School of Health, Wellbeing and Social Care. Whilst I have absolutely loved my career as a registered nurse, I now have the deepest satisfaction of working with a team who focus on students and that includes their wellbeing and success. I well remember those days of burning the midnight (and the daytime) oil in order to finish a piece of work, to polish and refine the referencing and to get a TMA submitted. Now of course there are the added issues arising out of a Global Pandemic, (although little did I know when, as a student nurse researching the 1918 Spanish ‘Flu pandemic that I would be living through a 2020 Covid one!)

Study, work and a personal life all give us challenges to overcome and sometimes it can feel as if we are the only one awake at midnight struggling to submit through the eTMA system at the end of the ‘grace period’. The one thing with the OU is that you are never alone. Have you ever wondered why the OU have an online librarian 24/7? Well the answer is because we are a global University!

So at any one time an OU student somewhere is studying, writing an essay, compiling a report or trying to submit their assignment. However, knowing that you are not alone may not be enough to help you submit that TMA or to continue with your studies and for some it may not be a help or an answer at all. Over the past year we have all seen so much written about mental health and mental wellbeing and you may have devised your own strategies to help, or be involved with professional help with mental health. From mindfulness to yoga, walks in nature to craft activities, these are pleasures that can help us to achieve a work/life balance that gives enough time to study but with recreational time off.

For many of us though, that balance can get out of kilter and study, work and home life can becoming overwhelming and all consuming. So where do you go when things become too much? Of course there is your module tutor and they can provide support around time management and extensions. Your student support team can also provide advice and that may be around broader issues rather than module specific, for example by looking at your overall study plans and intensity. Finally there are extra resources such as Togetherall and maybe services closer to you at home. The most important thing to remember is to speak about the challenges you are experiencing as without admitting the issues you are facing, very little can be done. As a student with The Open University, you have a whole network supporting you, from forums to friendships, support to signposting – we are all on this journey together. I am very much looking forward to once again taking part in Student Hub Live and enjoying the pleasure of your company for a much enjoyed session in my working day.