\u201cI\u2019ve dreamed for years of studying for a degree, but I always thought that my job in the yachting industry would make it impossible. I\u2019ve worked on many essays in the middle of oceans and have studied and submitted work from 31 different countries.\u201d <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Studying\nanywhere and everywhere <\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Tracy\u2019s unconventional work life\nposed many unusual challenges along the way. She had to contend with multiple\ntime zones, erratic WiFi connections and storms so rough that writing her TMAs\n(Tutor Marked Assignment) became impossible. Tracy says she occasionally had to\ncontact her tutors from the middle of the ocean on the satellite phone to\nrequest a TMA extension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tracy said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I studied as much as I could when I was off watch and when in port I often had to \u2018beg, borrow and steal\u2019 other people\u2019s internet connection to ensure I had WiFi for key activities. <\/p>
I did my level 3 French oral exam in the back office of a shipyard in Nova Scotia, having begged the manager to let me use their WiFi as our boat was docked in the area. The signal kept dropping out during my exam but I persevered and ended up with a distinction! <\/p>
I flew back to the UK to sit my written exams and then flew straight back to go to sea.\u201d <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\u2018You\ncan do it\u2019<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Tracy admits that at first, she\nworried distance learning would be isolating, especially since she was often in\ndifferent time zones from most of her fellow students. Now she says: \u201cHow wrong\ncould I be!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe camaraderie between OU students in the online groups is amazing. Whatever time of day or night I posted a question there was always someone there with an answer, with encouragement, or sometimes with just a shoulder to cry on! Studying with the OU is far from isolated, even in the middle of an ocean.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Despite the challenges Tracy faced,\nshe describes achieving her degree as \u2018a dream come true\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy advice to anyone considering doing an OU course is it may be tough but it\u2019s worth it. Don\u2019t think if something unexpected happens that you can\u2019t carry on \u2013 the flexibility and portability of the OU means that you can do it, regardless of what life throws your way. There are times when it was really hard, but learning is such an incredible thing. If I can do it whilst sailing around the world then anyone can.\u201d <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Celebrating 50 years of changing\nlives <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Tracy features as part of a new photography collection taken by renowned British photographer Chris Floyd<\/a>, to mark the OU\u2019s 50th Anniversary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Photograph](\"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Carly-Sumner-150x150.png\")
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