The moment of terror - aka - The Open University is commenting under one of my posts.....lol

 You can imagine how was I surprises after seeing a comment from a person from The OU, under my last post... Asking me to e-mail them.... I was starring at the computer screen thinking :
- What have you done this time you Muppet!!!

 I've opened my e-mail, out of this whole stress instead of writing :
Question about the blog.
I've put : Question about the big....

I've send an e-mail saying, that I will be more than happy to answer any questions. I've clicked send...
The waiting game began.... I will not tell you how many times I've run to Matt saying :

- I am so silly! I bet that I've done something! Do you think they are going to kick me out of the course? Can they kick me out? Maybe they will just give me a warning? OMG what I am going to do!!! Maaaatttt!!!

It was the longest half an hour in my life.... MY laptop made a noise, informing me about incoming e-mail. I've opened it with shaking hands....Praying :
- Please don't kick me.... Please....

I've began to read it and started to laugh so loud that my dog walked away from me giving me the 'you are crazy woman' look....

The Open University didn't want to kick me. I was asked to write about their new international website for students outside of the UK and Ireland.

I can be so silly sometimes!!!! But for my defence so many people were telling me about not breaking any OU rules, that I wasn't sure if I did something or not! :D 

 I went to see the new website, planning to compare it with the original OU page. 

I was very positively surprise, website has nice layout, almost everything is clearly displayed.  You have all the numbers on the top of the page, there is an option to ask a question, order a brochure or a call back. 

You can select a country , and when you go to online courses it is showing you automatically the courses available there. 

The website is much easier to navigate around than the uk version. Which is very important for people who have English as a second, third or forth language ! 

So if you are international student you can go to http://www.openuniversity.edu/ 

Share it with your friends, maybe they want to study and they are not aware of the amount of opportunities The Open University is giving us? C'mmon, you know you want to share it on your facebook, twitter, google+ and any other social page you have :) 

I am posting a link to it on the top of my blog, and if your friends are not sure, send them to read my blog. I am more than happy to answer any questions about Open University and my experience with it. 

How to help yourself to keep focus, whilst you are studying.

 It's 04:50 am, I am trying to fall asleep since 9pm last night... I've finally gave up with the idea of sleep today. I shouldn't really spent 3h making pancakes and other goodies yesterday, I knew that I will pay for standing  next to the cooker for so long....
Oh well, at least you all can benefit from my conditions. ;)

 I've decided to write a post about focusing whilst you studying.
As you probably see by now, practically all of my post are aimed to help you guys. I am a part of lots of forums and groups. Usually I am only observing people, noticing questions and try to help. Some of you might call it : 'not having a life' :D

 Recently I've received quiet a few, really nice private messages on facebook. It was very overwhelming! Some people   said that I've inspired them, others mentioned that I've encourage them to start their own blogs and other that they feel like thanks to some of the tips I am posting they are achieving more from theirs studies and the whole experience is much more pleasant for them. I feel amazing! I am doing something which my conditions can't take away from me.
 Between me and you ,all those messages has inspired and encouraged me :
Not to give up.
 I had a really difficult week last week, and I am not one of those people who moan often, I am always trying to stay positive.  Unfortunately, I've observed that my conditions and pain are beginning to make me bitter and jealous! I am jealous that others are healthy and I am not. That they can carry on with their life and I am stuck.... I am bitter, every subject I am talking about is somehow ending on talking about my conditions. It is like they rule my life.
So today I am saying : ENOUGH.
 I am myself, I am the old , positive and happy Barb. The only difference is I have to cope a little bit more than others, but I can do that! I will not be bitter! I am refusing to change, just because that's how this usually works. You are ending up ill - you feel sorry for yourself and you're blaming everyone.

 I just wanted to say :  THANK YOU for your messages! I am great full because every single inbox has helped me in a ways that none of my medications, in the past 4 years did.  

 Not to talk ( again!) about my illnesses :) I've read few questions on how to study, keep focus, especially when the particular topic of your studies is simply boring.
Now those rules are working for me, but I am not a scientist, doctor nor any other expert so please do not expect a golden rule or a solution :) It might work for you but it might not.

RULES : 

1. Find a comfortable place to study 
   I don't mean bed! lol Seriously it is important for you to feel relax and comfy. Some of you will study for hours and there is nothing worse than fighting a muscle pain, because you are sitting in a very bad position.
So: comfy chair, table with the right hight, good lighting.

2. Snack
 And I don;t mean coffee or crisps and chocolate bars!!! Empty calories with no benefits to your body! I am not a health freak, but I do grab an apple or banana when I am studying and drink water. I will not even try to write about it for more informations go here.

3. Materials
 Have everything clearly displayed, there is nothing worse than starting on your first assignment and had to look for an important note or book! So keep everything organised, and next to you whilst studying.

4. Breaks
 When I was 16 I use to be bale to study for 8 hours straight, without any complications and materials would go straight to my head... I am not 16 any more, and I am ill. So for every 45-50 have a 10 minutes break. Do something else. Just make sure that the breaks are not longer than 20 minutes, your brain will go to off mode and it will be very difficult to concentrate.

5. Switch off everything which might take your attention!
 Yes, I mean your phone, telly, computer, even radio because they might start talking about something interesting!

6. Music 
 Listen to some calm music. My favourites you can find on youtube. When I am studying I am listening to the instrumental, relaxing music. One of them you can find here. It might not work for you, you might work better listening to Madonna or K.Perry. The key is : whatever works for you best.

7. Create your study goals. Motivate yourself.
 For example : Today I will read 25 pages. And If I do, I will watch a 'True Blood' marathon tonight. That would be a short goal. Now to the long : I want to have a second Pass in this module. If I do I will go for away for a weekend.

8. Time to study. 
 Find what time a day you preform the best. It is up to your persona and you don't have a set examples. Some people study best on the mornings, some afternoons. The bottom line is : find it and do it.

9. Positive attitude 
 Please! Don't sit to your books with : I hate the world, I hate that module and I hate that school- attitude.You will only get more and more upset and none of the informations will get in.

10. Start from the least pleasant subject. 
  You will not get dishearten when you can manage to do the hardest bit and all you have left is easy and fun task.


I hope those few rules will be helpful for some of you. If you want me to write more informations or talk about particular subject, you can all message me and I will try my best to do it. And I am really sorry if I am not answering your messages straight away, sometimes is hard in my house to get five minutes to yourself and be able to use computer :)