Studying with The Open University can be a real juggling act, particularly at Christmas time when you want to relax and enjoy time with your family or friends but still have that looming assignment on your mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Karen Foley<\/a> is an OU Lecturer and presenter on the OU’s Student Hub Live<\/a>. Damon Miller<\/a> is an associate lecturer at the OU and a tutor on Level 2\u00a0International development: making sense of a changing world<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They both know that OU students are spinning plates all year round, often combining study, work and life. They have put together this advice on dealing with study over Christmas, while still taking that much-needed time off to re-charge:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Save yourself worry time over Christmas by checking when the next deadline looms. Often we know (even fear) there is a deadline looming but don’t look at the task. Until you know how complex (or simple) it is, you won’t know how much time to set aside. Often it is less than you think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take time off, and give yourself a present of valuable time off study and thinking about studying. You need to recharge and plan things that matter to you. Make a pact to only feel guilty for not studying if you are not studying when you have told yourself you should be!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sort out your study space and organise your things if you find yourself with spare time over the holidays.\u00a0 It can be very therapeutic and give you clarity.\u00a0 You can literally clear away the clutter. Same goes for your module housekeeping. If you\u2019re mid-way through a module take a moment to ensure you\u2019ve noted your assignment dates and booked in any tutorials if you have them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Identify what you\u00a0must<\/em>\u00a0do, rather than all the things you could do. Try to break big tasks down. Instead of saying \u201cwrite essay\u201d you could say: \u201cdo plan, find resources or note chapters to read\u201d for your essay. Above all be realistic and remember point 2) above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s so important to relax and re-charge by taking a complete break, but the return to study can come sooner than you think. Set yourself up by having a clear re-start date in mind, and make sure you stick to it. The New Year is traditionally a period of renewal, so if you\u2019re one for making Resolutions, add this one to the list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The break from deadlines can be a great opportunity to either catch-up if you\u2019ve got behind or even to get ahead \u2013 returning to work or going back to the school run is hard enough after the holidays, so make sure you\u2019re in good stead with your \u201cstudy head\u201d.\u00a0 You\u2019ll be amazed how quickly the end of module will come around \u2013 after Christmas it\u2019s a downhill rush towards the final assessment, so it\u2019s good to be prepared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you find yourself feeling tired of study, try a new way in. Reignite your passion for your subject by watching something (DVDs or TV) that’s related to the topic. The OU also has a lot of free content on OpenLearn and you could also use online searches and YouTube to look up specific questions or areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Above all don\u2019t panic! There’s some great study tips available on the OU’s OpenLearn<\/a> pages and StudentHubLive<\/a> will be holding specific study skills workshops in the early months of 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n1) Check the task in hand<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
2) Relax and enjoy the season<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
3) Straighten up your study space<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
4) Prioritise and be realistic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
5) Resolve to restart your studies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
6) Get in touch with your “study head”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
7)\u00a0 Broaden your study horizons<\/h2>\n\n\n\n