The Mature Student Returning to Study
Balance study and personal relationships
Your family:
- You and the family will probably need to make some changes.
- Talk about your decision to study and your need for space and interruption free time. Do they understand why you want to do this study?
- Consider asking for help from extended family, friends or commercial support agencies. Perhaps they will take the children to the movies or sport on a weekend while you study. If the budget will allow, arranging regular help with cleaning could be a worthwhile investment in achieving your goal(s)
- Be aware that students with children and partners are prone to feel guilty about delegating responsibilities or not spending as much time with them as they did before commencing studies. Talking and planning helps to avoid some problems and cope with others.
- Keep reminding yourself that you’re not the first person, nor will you be the last, to face these issues. Others have managed, and so can you, but it might need family discussion and joint effort.
Your job:
- Recognise that work skills may help you achieve success at university. Even unrelated work may require you to use your mind imaginatively to solve problems and to grapple with new ideas, so your brain won't feel rusty when you tackle formal study.
- Recognise the demands of your job and plan your time carefully to include study.
- Check out study entitlements such as study leave or time off to attend any required DE on-campus residential schools.
- Be aware of assignment deadlines and exam dates so you can apply well in advance for study leave or flex days at strategic times
- Be brave. Contact your lecturer about negotiating a new due date for an assignment extension when peak work (or life) demands are threatening to squeeze out study time.
- Calculate the time you spend at work and travelling when deciding whether to study on campus or by distance education. Be flexible. If demands are too taxing, you may need to reduce your study load for a semester or longer.
You:
- You may be spending long hours studying to achieve your goals and it can be several months before you receive feedback on your first assignments and progress.
- Give yourself credit for each success, large and small. Staying on track with your study schedule for a week; presenting an oral tute paper; or using a mind map to demystify a particularly hard reading can all be cause for celebration.
- Reward yourself. Tell significant others.
- Schedule time with family and friends.
- Schedule time for things you like so you achieve a balance between study and the rest of your life. Go for a run or walk, visit the gym, see a movie, watch a DVD, write a letter, make a phone call.