Pond Photography 
It's been a gorgeous day today, so I decided to take my Nikon out with me and record my day. Enjoy!
Love, Hannah 

Christine = All my OU
materials are online, which makes it feel more intensive. I’m studying S215
which I started then deferred, so my workload consists of 13 topics, 6 TMA’S, 2
iCMA’s and a 3 hour exam. I also have a practical block along with a
residential school which you have to pay for separately, on top of other fees.
However, this wasn’t a viable option for me due to my location, so I attended
the online interactive version which, although is designed specifically for
this purpose, made me feel rather isolated as I wanted to get physical hands on
experience. My work load is intense, but some of the topics are split into
parts, for example, Topic 5 is Chemical Kinetics which is split into 4 parts. I
usually have a week to do each part, so every week, you’re working on something
new which means if I get stuck on something, it’s very easy to get behind. This
work load doesn’t lay off for TMA’s, so the week a TMA is due you still have an
entire section to go through. 
Christine =If I’m honest,
I do struggle as I am naturally scatter brained and unstructured – the master
of procrastination! But I just have to tell myself, tonight I’m going to study
10 pages, and sometimes once studying, I find myself doing one more page and
keep going. However, other nights I will sit down after making myself a cup of
tea and cleaning the house, having avoided studying. I also use a
time-management app which you can set for an alarm to go off every 15 minutes.
So will study for 15 minutes, have a 5 minute break, and continue in this
pattern. In terms of my study space, I am very organised. I use lots of colour
coding and I use yellow coloured paper, with my fiancés dyslexic over-lays to
help read print outs – this helps me study for longer period of times. 
 Christine= I have a
meditation room in my house where I go and listen to music quietly when I need
a break from studying. I also do regular Yoga as I find certain poses help when
I am stressed out or finding something particular troubling. Over the assigned
breaks, I usually find myself catching up on my studies, but I’m getting
married next year so I am already planning my summer holidays! At Christmas I
usually give myself a week off to tidy all my stuff away and make sure I am
prepared to start again. Through Easter and October I just keep studying so I
have a safety net in case something doesn’t go to plan. 
Hannah= I live in the
South of England, in Oxfordshire, putting me in the perfect location to London
and Milton Keynes. This means I have plenty of meet-ups and study sessions near
me, and nowhere is really too far to travel to these. I’ve also found the
Facebook groups invaluable for my social life. I enjoy being able to interact
with the other students on there, posting questions and receiving answers very
quickly. I have met two of my closest friends via the Facebook groups, which I
am very thankful for. I don’t find myself isolated in one bit, but I think the
socialising aspect of The Open University depends on your location, even though
the OU try their best to accommodate everyone. 
Christine= For tutorials,
only my first module had physical ones where I went to Aberdeen University (a 3
hour round trip) for an hour. Since then, everything has been done online
through illuminate/blackboard, where the tutorials are 1-2 hours, usually at
night, and record so you can go back and listen to them as often as you want. There
has never been any day-schools that I have been aware of. Sometimes people will
organise an informal get together but due to distance, I’ve never been able to
go. Revision weekends are also arranged, but again, they are all based around
Milton Keynes.
I am enrolled on 2 modules currently - each module lasts about 6 months (AA100 & A105 will make
up YEAR 1). Combining both these modules, I have a total of 10 books, all with corresponding
Audio CD/DVD’s. This breaks down into 41 chapters of reading, with an
additional 7 set books. All this work, including 14 assignments and 1 exam, in
less than 12 months. ![]()  | 
| Myself and my oldest friend, several years ago. | 
Challenge - Those who know me, know I have suffered with crippling anxiety and panic attacks for 6 years throughout my schooling and social life. This has effected my every-day life, stopping me from just walking to the local supermarket, going on public transport or even sitting in a restaurant with friends. I have suffered with this for so long, that I felt it was time to take a stand and do something I should have tried a long time ago. To stop letting my life revolve around how I am feeling. Of course, having suffered for as long as I can remember with this, being put on medication and attending Psychological therapy at the hospital for several years, this hasn't been an easy process. Nor did I expect it to be, hence why this segment is called "challenge". I thought the best way to start with this, was to begin actually looking after myself, rather than hiding myself away, eating rubbish and sleeping all the time. 
I began getting up even if I didn't feel like it, getting dressed and becoming presentable, rather than sitting in pyjamas all day feeling sorry for myself and my condition. Of course, several times I physically couldn't bring myself to do this, but I think that's okay within reason. I made sure that I began going out every day, even if it was just to walk my puppy or walk to work. Getting out and about actually helped me feel better and more human - a feeling I had been lacking for a very long time. Once I felt confident enough, I did something very rash and applied for a new job, as many of you might know. I forced myself into the interview with the help of my mother and a lovely cousin of mine, who was instrumental in encouraging me through this process. I was vomiting before the interview but I achieved it and managed to get the job!! This gave me a massive confidence boost - enough for me to sit in a 4 hour training session, something that is my worse nightmare, as I was taken out of the classroom environment in school to be by myself in a separate room. But I managed it and pulled through. Now I cannot wait to start my new job! But the moral is, unless you push yourself and challenge yourself, you will never know the strength you have inside yourself to achieve. Of course, I still suffer with anxiety and panic attacks, but they are reducing purely because I am pushing myself out of my comfort zone and also looking after myself for once.