Heading into further education as an adult? Here are 4 things you’re going to need to make it as a student…
University, or college wasn’t always a viable option for those of us who left school many moons ago.
Whether it was because we wanted to head straight into the world of work and start earning money,
or maybe we’d just had enough of studying and constrictive world of academics. However, more and
more adults are heading back into the world of education and are proud to call themselves mature
students! From distance learning to heading back to college to learn something practical, whether
you want a degree under your belt or a skill that you can turn into a business, further education as
an adult is incredibly rewarding.
So, what are you going to need to succeed as a mature student? Is it possible to perfectly balance
your home life and your studies? Read on for 4 things you’re going to need to make it as a student.
The right tools
Of course a decent laptop or Chromebook with a decent internet connection is a must. A printer
with plenty of ink and paper will also come in handy (not to mention for when the kids have
homework assignments). But there are other tools that can help you too. As a student you need to
be wary of plagiarism and you can get the best plagiarism checker by clicking the link, you also need
to consider things like your spelling and grammar. But if you’re a little rusty after all those years
relying on predicative text, don’t panic you can also invest in online proofreading services too!
The ability to ask for help
Lets be honest. You’re going to be juggling homelife, the children and your parental responsibilities,
not forgetting your 9-5 job if you have one. So, there are times when you’re going to believe that
you can’t do this. When you’re going to be completely overwhelmed by your deadlines and wonder
if you’re doing the right thing. This is when you need to reach out and ask for help. Believe it or not
your family and friends will want you to succeed. So ask them to have the kids for the afternoon or
do the food shop so you can read your study materials. If you’re struggling with something in your
course then speak to your tutor asap!
Organisational skills
If you’re a parent, you probably have these in abundance already! But to keep on track of everything
you’re going to need to focus and stick to a weekly schedule. Write lists of what needs doing every
day and give yourself a certain amount of time to work through certain tasks.
Somewhere to study
Working as the kids argue and fight over the TV remote simply won’t work. So find somewhere you
can study and get stuff done! This could be a desk on the landing. Or a small corner of your
bedroom. It’s also a good idea to keep your study materials away from sticky hands!
Post written by a guest author
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