Tuesday 25 May 2010

Last Open University assignment nearly done... phew!!

Who would have thought a year ago that tonight I would be putting the finishing touches to my last essay of my Open University course? I ummed and aahed a lot about enrolling, but finally took the plunge. I remember when my course books and so on arrived I looked at the first essay title and nearly fainted. I didn't dare look further as the seven assignments just looked too daunting. And now its nearly over...

Of course I still have an exam to complete, but at the moment I am ok about that. Its a long time since I did an exam ( probably 25 years ) but I think I will be ok - really no point getting too nervous... It will be so lovely to be able to relax for the summer and look forward to my next course. I plan on studying 'The Nineteenth Century Novel' next year and have already started reading the course books.

I have learnt so much over this year - not least of which is that I cannot be brilliant at everything and that I just have to do my best and get on with it!! Essays get done and often work which I have considered frustrating and not good enough has turned out to give me high scores!! Somehow my grades have been consistently good which is a little worrying sometimes as I am not sure how that happens!! The best way to describe writing an assignment is that its like threading a piece of cotton through a long narrow tube. It seems impossible, but eventually one idea leads to another and the whole thing emerges the other side of the tunnel in a bright flash of light.

I am tired tonight and not sure about this last essay - but it is the last one and I cannot do much more. I will re-read it tomorrow afternoon, make any alterations and send it off with my fingers crossed for a good result!

What I will say is that if you are considering an Open University course - I highly recommend taking the plunge!

5 comments:

Urban Cynic said...

I think that's brilliant. I remember the whole story of you debating whether to do it, your books arriving, your worries & frustrations... & now here you are at the end. Amazing.

Well done you.

PS - a year already? really?

Gail said...

I am so proud, knew you could do it!

Anonymous said...

It's always a good feeling when essay is finished. I admire anyone who does OU study, I couldn't cope with the lack of face to face contact, although my MA appears to feature less and less actual contact with professors lately!

What 19th C novels are you looking at?

Unknown said...

Thank you ladies! There are 12 books for the 19C novel course:

Dombey and Son
Middlemarch
Jane Eyre
Madame Bovary
The Awakening
The Woman in White
Far from the Madding Crowd
Northanger Abbey
Germinal
The Portrait of a Lady

and 2 more...
I have only read 3 of these previously!
s

Anonymous said...

There's some heavey, but enjoyable reading there! I love the Collins and of course Jane Eyre. If you haven't read 'The Awakening' yet, you will enjoy that one.