Hello
I started this blog because I was introduced to blogging through the Open University (OU). I’ve been hanging around in Open University Land studying for my BSc(hons) in Health and Social Care and although blogging on the OU site was fine I will confess to feeling that I had to stick to the academic stuff. Although I love study there is more to life – so this is where my blog lives now.
Having returned to the world of learning life is now really busy. Study for me the first time around, many moons ago, wasn’t a positive experience but now I love being a student. Having taken the plunge I have discovered a love of learning and enjoy the challenges and rewards it brings.
Studying is without a doubt a huge juggle for me – the other hats I wear are mother, wife, daughter, employer, employee etc and my husband and I are also carers for my 94 year old mother in law who lives with us. To say that life is full is an understatement.
I don’t always manage to do the juggling stuff successfully and if I’m honest some of the stuff of life that presents itself day to day just has to fall by the wayside. But hey I’m human, not superhuman.
Despite getting through the course work, holding down a job AND getting dinner on the table on time she was not surprised, or disturbed, to notice there were rice crispies under the couch!
So this wee blog of mine reflects all of the above – including the odd rant. Feel free to subscribe / comment etc and have a rant back if you like. All contributions welcome.
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Hi Jacqueline, love the blog, keep up the good work. Janette x
Thanks Janette – writing a blog when I can is my way of keeping my writing brain active so that when I have to start studying again in October I won’t, hopefully, have too much lumbering up to do.
Hello Jacqueline,
you commented on one of my blogs about ‘social care’ and the profiteers etc. which drew my attention to your website. I’ve read it with great interest -you write very well and interestingly. Thanks for sharing my viewpoint about the situation with social care. sorry it has taken a month to get back. I have only just started using a blog with the OU. I’ve been with them since 2000. I shall be making another point about the plight of parents with learning difficulties. I am a retired social worker (you may have guessed) and just getting things off my chest. I am soon to start the advanced creative writing course -just for the fun of it – I’ve finished my degree work. Keep up the good writing.
Bill Gilpin
Bill,
Thank you Bill. It’s lovely that you took the time to have a read around my blogs and to leave a comment. I suspected, having read your post, that you may have a social work background and I can really identify with your thinking and your frustrations. I’ll watch out for your blog on the OU site Bill as it’s always interesting hearing other students’ viewpoints. Good luck with the creative writing course. What a joy to be studying just for the fun of it. I look forward to getting to that stage, eventually.
Jacqueline
Hello Jacqueline
Just found your blog and haven’t read all of it yet but will! I’m also a mature student now studying with the OU but have just completed a BA(Hons) Spanish Studies degree at Manchester Met – a 4 year course and I was 54 when I started! I even had an “Erasmus” year where I lived in Seville and studied at the Universidad de Sevilla for the best part of a year.
So pleased to see other mature students with a love of academia and the ability to juggle their lives accordingly.
Good luck with your studies
Lois Cunningham
Lois, hello there and I’m pleased that you found my blog. It’s always lovely to have another OU student dropping by. Congratulations on your BA (Hons) Spanish Studies and I hope whatever you have chosen to go on and study with the OU will lead you down an enlightening journey.
Hi Jacqueline,
Just wanted to make a quick comment on your blog, as you so kindly comment on mine, to say that you are a very inspirational women with all the things you do! Full time job, carer, taking care of a family, you really do manage to juggle it all about and I think you and your family should be very proud of you! It’s people like you who inspire others to get out there and achieve the best they can!
Really interesting blog and I love how it covers all the bits in between work and uni… they are just as important to look after!
Take care and keep blogging
Hayley
Hayley,
Thank you for your lovely comment it’s always so nice to know that people take the time to read, and especially nice if they enjoy it. You say such kind things in your message Hayley and in all honesty the only reason I cope is that my wee family are a bit of a team – otherwise none of this would be possible and I would be unmasked as the disorganised scatty lady that I am capable of being! My ‘bits’ in-between Uni and Work are the bits that I enjoy writing about and I’m really pleased you enjoy my blog. Coming from another student if you feel it’s on the right track then that’s high praise indeed.
Jacqueline
Wow, indeed, your enthusiasm and ability to juggle so much at the same time IS an inspiration!
I can only cheer you on form the sidelines, it sounds like you’re doing great…
PS. I also love that you sound so English. You remind me of my friends!
Take care
Lady E, hello there. You inspired me today. After reading your blog I had to write something for a creative writing class I just signed up for in a moment of madness. Your blog took me back to memories of being struggling single parent. They say you should write about you know. Well it worked – I wrote my first piece!
As for the juggling I do in my life I have no desire to do myself down, but it probably looks better on paper than in real life. I’m hanging in there as best I can. I always think I’m just about there but never quite make it. But hey I’m happy trying.
Sadly I’m not English but very Scottish, some would say it’s the same thing, but I would probably be hung, drawn and quartered for such talk. I’m in the Highlands of Scotland in the very beautiful Inverness but originate from Glasgow.
I look forward to reading more of your blog. Thanks for stopping by.
Hi there Jacqueline. It’s a pleasure finding you and reading what you have to say. I started out as a serious student at a very young age. And liked it so much, that I’ve stayed a student all through life. Not to say that I haven’t worked. I’ve had many occupations, and raised a family… it’s all part of life. And the juggling too is part of life. We have to be careful not to bite more than we can chew, But an aware human being, always has to do a little juggling, and a little tight rope walking just to stay in the game. I like the way you’re doing it, and wish you luck!
Thank you for your lovely comment and for stopping by and reading my blog. Oh what joy to have been a student all your life. Yes the juggling too is part of life and I fully appreciate that it is important to be mindful and not bite off more than one can chew. I don’t always get it right, but I endeavour to keep trying. Thank you for your good wishes.
Jacqueline
Hi just found your blog – not sure by what route – but I got here.
Well done you for juggling your life so well.
And good luck with the course
Caroline, – I’m so glad you found me although I have to confess to not juggling life so well, maybe I can just write about it in a funny way that makes everyone think I am. I’m pleased that you stumbled across my blog as this means that I have also found you….. You sound like my kind of lady and I look forward to spending time reading what you write, and also what you have already written. From what I’ve read I like your kind of thinking. Thanks for taking the time to read my wee blog and to comment.
Jacqueline
I know what it’s like juggling a busy life. Due to all the ‘circumstances’ of my life now I now only have to juggle mine – but I too was a carer for about 13 yrs for my Dad – not that he needed a huge amount of caring – he just needed someone to be there for him and make sure he was OK, cook him meals….!!!!
I hope you get breaks, because never mind how much you love them – you still need to get away!!
13 years is a long time, so you clearly have a real insight into things that impact on carers. Thank you for your advice – you are right, it’s not always easy, but we try to manage to get away together it because yes it is important (also my husband and I have only been married for 3 years). Having read your blog it sounds as though I could learn much from both your juggling and take on life. Intrigued I look forward to reading more! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. I’m new to this blogging malarky and it’s always such a thrill when a comment pops up.
Jacqueline
just found you and am so happy…reading all about your stuff now!!!
T.
Jacqueline,
What a pleasure to discover your blog and your inspiration! I look forward to reading more. I have always loved being a student and keep threatening to go back and become a “Professional Scholar” (from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales). Thank you for sharing your story!
Jocelyn
Thank you for stoping by!
Jacqueline
Hi,
I returned to full-time education at the age of 30 (in 2007). Having become disabled and had the career wiped out overnight, I decided I had nothing to lose. In 2010 I graduated with a First Class Honours B.A in Creative Writing and now I’m studying for an M.A. So I completely understand what you mean when you talk about the passion for study.
I blog a bit, too: http://midlifemary.wordpress.com/
Keep at it!
Jayney
Hi Jayney, thanks for stopping by. A First Class Honours – wow, well done you and good luck with your MA. I’ll certainly check out your blog, thanks for the link.
Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline – thanks for stopping by my blog earlier. I am delighted to have found yours and shall be subscribing. It’s great to find another mature student. My dad was a tutor with the OU from the year after it started and only retired when he had to, aged 75, so I especially love hearing about people’s experiences of being a student there (if you can say ‘there’ when talking about the OU!).
Joanna I’m pleased that you stopped by my blog and I was interested to hear that your dad was a tutor – he must have seen such big changes in the OU. I love the OU and it has certainly given me a new lease of life. I look forward to following your blogs and I’m pleased that you will be stopping by mine.
Hi Jacqueline,
I just found your blog – really interesting! I’ve just finished my time with the OU and I’m biting my fingernails to see how I’ve got on with the final two modules for my psychology degree. Roll on December 16th!
All the best to you in your studies.
Tim.
Hi Tim, thanks for stopping by. It’s so difficult that bit in-between studying. Mind you December isn’t too long to wait.
Hi Jacqueline – I stumbled across your blog this evening. Like you’re doing, I retrained for a new career, age 48 and know too well the juggling act (minus the family}. Well Done on the leap. ~Jayne
Hello there, thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
Thanks for the award. It’s really appreciated. Well done on jugleing everything you already have to do with the studying. I can hardly imagine how hard that must be, although I’m sure it is also very rewarding
You are most welcome. I will be interested to see who you nominate. Happy thinking.
I too went back to school later in life and it was a juggling act but well worth it. I appreciated it and worked harder than I did with my undergraduate degree. Good luck.
Maybe we are just more equipped to appreciate the experience when we return to learning as mature students. I know that this is certainly true for me. Thanks for stopping by.
[...] Maturestudenthanginginthere doesn’t juggle balls. She juggles being a mom, a wife, a daughter, a student, a caretaker and more. I imagine she does more in a day than I do in a week. Her blog has a bit of everything. It’s fun to see what she comes up with to share. My favorite recent post is hope, expectations and a bit of impromptu dancing thrown in. [...]
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Hi Jacqueline,
Really enjoyed reading your blog…found it via your comment on mine! I am still in the beginning stages…you have inspired me with some ideas for future blogs! Oh, and things have progressed with son from being pongy, I am now, nightmare of nightmares, a sith lord. The joys…;)
SK
Thank you, it’s lovely that you stopped by and took some time out from being a sith lord
Thanks for the lovely comment.
Hello! I have nominated you for a Kreativ Blogger Award and One Lovely Blog Award. Just noticed that you have been nominated before, which just goes to prove that you are pretty awesome indeed. Many congratulations and keep up the wonderful work on your blog
http://freejournowriter.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/kreativ-blogger-and-one-lovely-blog-awards/
Just to let you know I have added you to my Blogrollto remind myself to check out your writings regularly. Really enjoy your musings
Thank you so much. I’m very touched to be added to your lovely blog.