EXAM WEEK

Hello and happy Thursday to you,

I have just sat my first big exam for the term and thought that I would come here and reflect and in the process cleanse the mind so that I can get stuck into study for my second exam next Wednesday.

 

I am so glad that I got this exam out of the way first - Professional Practice and if you remember from my last post - I did not really enjoy the course at all. It was very content heavy and required so much time to try and get my head around everything that you had to learn for the exam. Sooooooo very glad it is over!!!!!!!!

Not sure how I went - I felt like I was brain dead, so I will have to wait and see.

 

Anyway I now have to knuckle down and get stuck into study for Social Foundations of Psychology - I really enjoyed that content, so will find study much easier.

 

I have the boys on school holidays, so it has been fun trying to juggle them being home as well as study but we have managed ok. Although Benji is bored silly!!!!!! It is his birthday on Monday, so we are taking him over to Emerald for a couple of days tomorrow as a birthday treat. We will get to go to the movies and eat at Macca's , which is always fun to do when you don't get to do it very often.

 

My plan is to take my study gear with me and study at night, or while the boys are in the pool. So that I don't fall behind. I want to re watch all lectures and undertake practise quizzes before Wednesday, so it might be a tight schedule.

 

Then I have a couple of weeks off before term 3 starts. I am doing two subjects over the Christmas term. So I won't be so bogged down. Looking forward to that. Although I have my lovely sisters wedding at the beginning of November so really should start thinking about organising getting down to Brisbane for that - I haven't even had a chance to think that far in advance yet.

 

Ok well I am going to clear off my desk and start the study role again all afresh. I will need to download the lectures that I want to watch while we are away, so I have them on hand and don't have to use up precious mega bites of my portable wifi .

 

I hope you have a happy day, talk soon

x joy 

Mid term reflection

WOW - it's mid term already!

Well actually its after mid term, cause this is now week 6 and time to get back to the grind stone.

I thought I would start off this second half of term with a mighty big reflection which is always good for the soul and very helpful in getting back on track and heading in the right direction.

This term has been huge again - although I really think all terms will be huge, so I had better get used to it. I really do love the vacation week at the six week mark cause I really start to unravel a bit and things start to build up. It is great to just catch up and reassess everything and kind of clear the slate and start afresh.

 

Professional practice is huge, I am finding that this course is taking way more of the required 12 hours to complete each week. There are videos to watch, tutorials to sit, readings to do, assessments to get done along with the lectures to watch!!!!!

 I can't tell you how much I will be glad when this course is over! It involves a very big group work assessment and I must say that I am not enjoying that at all. I realise that the whole point of it is to learn to work with others but I am a bit of a control freak and really only feel comfortable relying on myself. It is frustrating to say the least when you are wanting to get stuck into the work load but no-one else in your group is as keen as you are - Urgh!!!!! Anyway I just have to learn to compromise and do things a little differently than I am used to - I just want to get it done and then we could spend the last couple of weeks fine tuning but I have the feeling that the others would rather just fly by the seat of their pants and get it done just before it is due. So to solve my uncomfortableness with this situation I am trying really hard to be less stressed and relaxing a bit and just working on my bits and then I can just spend time fine tuning my own stuff, while we work as a group on the group portion. Everyone I am working with seems really nice, it is just that they work differently to me (and I guess that is the whole point to the exercise) .

 

I am loving my other two subjects!! They are the psychology subjects and are much more comfortable for me. I sat my mid term exam week 5 and got 29/30 hence I am a happy girl with that.

Mind you it did take quite a bit of hard work to get that 29 - I studied for that exam for nearly the solid week before the test and let the other two subjects lapse into break week to do so. Anyway it all worked out - I am now all up to date and raring to go again.

 

On the home front I have two of my three boys off sick at the moment. My biggest boy has had a very hard time at work during the last week and a bit. Being on call 24 hours a day takes it toll after awhile especially when he doesn't get a proper nights sleep for many of those nights and then has to cancel days off when others call in sick. Some times it is very hard and I don't know how he does it - I cannot cope without sleep or food and sometimes he goes hours and hours without both. Then adding chest pain into the picture - it is not good and I finally convinced him to go to the doctor. Who took one look at him and sent him off on sick leave - sometimes you just have to stop and look after yourself first no matter who you have to let down. Its better to stop and take a break instead of fall over in a heap and not be able to get back up. He has been told to relax and not do anything stressful for at least two weeks. Then I also have my littlest boy down with one of these rotten fluey coldy things that everyone is getting - I know he is sick when he doesn't move all day. He has had raging temperatures and bright rosy cheeks. We are just trying to keep temps down and fluids up - he does seem a little brighter today, so fingers crossed. He and the big fella are currently watching an old western on tv - nothing soothes the soul like an old western hehehe. Luckily boy number three is healthy - although he is very much a teenager again but that is a whole other story!!!!!!

 

Ok well I am off to go read chapter 13 Social Development for this weeks readings for social foundations of Psychology. Then I have my 50 000 pages to read for Professional practice (hehe maybe not 50 000 but the readings are huge for the week - I will go add up how many pages I have to read for you - 100 plus pages- urgh - makes it so hard to try and retain it all!!!! (in the time it took me to count them I could of just read a few pages -  couldn't I))

  

This will be me this week!!!!

In between taking temperatures and fluffing pillows for the sick ones in the house hehe

Hopefully I will be back in the next couple of weeks with the luxury of time to reflect on the next half of the term - it is so good for re-evaluating and refocusing. 

Talk soon

x joy

 

WOW - where has the time gone

Hello and a super happy Thursday to you!
You may have noticed that I have not been around for awhile.
Well I have been super duper busy, with my head down and my bum up, working very hard.
It is now week 1 of term two.
I have been very slack with keeping you up to date on my progress, but I will start now with a quick run down on what I have been doing.

I sat all three of my exams in the first week of June. It was a huge week because of having three exams to study for. I tried very hard to stay relaxed and calm but I will admit that I ended up getting a little stressed a few times.
I was actually surprised at just how much information that I had retained when it came to the exams and I was confident that I had done kinda ok in all three.

Anyway I sat the last of the three on Thursday 6th June and that afternoon we headed off on our family vacation. However what was meant to be a relaxing time for the family ended up being 'a running around like chickens with their heads cut off' two and a half weeks. Hehehehe.

We arrived in Brisbane at my lovely Nieces place on the Friday and then I left for a weekend get away with my Niece and my lovely Sister on the Saturday. We treated ourselves to a day at the Brisbane Paper crafting Show, followed by our version of a night on the town in Brisbane, staying at a lovely hotel in town. It was funny cause we ended up back at the hotel and in our pj's by 9.30 at night. Gone are the days when I can party all night hehehe. We did have dinner at the Pancake Manor, where I used to frequent when I was much younger (27 years ago - to be exact - oh boy I am getting old). It was a lovely trip down memory lane. We had lots of giggles during the evening and I really enjoyed every aspect of the getaway.

We stayed at my nieces place for just over a week, which involved a whole lot of shopping for stuff that we needed and couldn't get a home. We also took the boys ice skating, bowling and to an indoor skate park - lots of fun! And then of the Sunday we headed off to the Gold Coast for 4 days. I thought that we would be able to have a relax while we where down on the coast - but that didn't happen. We took the boys to Dream world and SeaWorld while we where there - and had a fabulous time. We treated the boys and let Ashley sign up for  being a trainer for the day and Benji got to do a deep water swim with the dolphins at Sea world. They loved every minute of it!!!!!!! I will try and add some photos for you to see soon.

Anyway after a lovely, very busy holiday we returned to Blackall and started getting stuck into our renovating again while I awaited my end of term results. Finally on Friday the 28th June I got my results and am very pleased to say that I  not only passed all three courses but achieved:

1. High Distinction
2. High Distinction
3. High Distinction

Yay Yay Yay
how happy am I!!!!!!!!
I am over the moon - all the hard work and stress paid off.
I had done really well in my exams as well as my mid term assessments - what a relief!!!!!!

Anyway now term 2 started on Monday and I am now well and truly into the first week of study.
My Three subjects this term are:

Social Foundations of Psychology
Current Trends in Psychology
and
Professional Practice
So far, so good - I have got my head around the course profiles and assessments, so now I just have to get cracking and do the hard yards.
Ok well speaking of hard work I had better go and get into it.
I will pop those photos up as soon as I get a moment.
Have a great and happy day,
talk soon
x joy






Week 11

Hello there, and a happy Wednesday to you,

Can you believe that it is week 11 already.

Oh my - I don't know where the time is going.

It feels like I wake up each day only to feel like the next minute I am going to bed again.

This week is the final week containing assessable content for two of my courses, the other has a non compulsory subject which is Intro into behaviour modification (which I am looking forward to).

Then next week has some more non compulsory subjects and review for all three courses.

Then the first week of June I sit my three exams - so much study to do before that gets here - URGH.

I have sat some moch exams and they made me realise that I need a lot more work in the revision department.

Anyway I am taking one step at a time and plodding along, I am trying to do my best and have a variety of strategies for study.

There is sooooo much information to take in, I am worried that I will not get it all. Each week my head is swirling with new information still and sometimes when I reread something I cannot recall anything at all.

Ok well it is just a quick post today as I still have a bit to get through before I can call it a day.

So I had better go and get into it.

Have a great day

talk soon

x joy

Week 7, with week 8 popping its head round the corner

Good Morning,

a hearty, healthy, happy hello to you all.

It's Thursday in Smithville today - where is the time going?

It seems I start one week and before I have had a blink of an eye, it is the next week already.

The time is flying by

and if it continues the way that it is I will be finished this degree before I know it.

 

Not that I want it to hurry up and end or anything, cause I  am enjoying it sooooo much.

The human brain would have to be the most amazing thing on earth.

It is fascinating and the more you think about it the more fascinating it becomes.

 

I am finding all the study so far rather easy in that I am loving it so much, it is not a chore to sit down and do it.

However the stressful part comes into play when it comes to remembering all that I have to remember - my brain is swimming!

There is a whole new language to learn - the language of psychology and it is not simple.

 

Yesterday I was having a conversation with someone and they asked me about my OP or rank and I was trying to tell them that I have received a Grade Point Average (GPA) but do you think I could recall what it was called - hahahaha I musta looked a bit dumb hehehehe.

Here I am studying a university undergraduate program but I can't remember the term GPA .

 

Anyway I gotta laugh and I am sure my brain will settle the more I do.

 

That reminds me of something that I have found during this past year.

When I first started studying I had trouble concentrating, reading and focusing.

But I have discovered that the more I do, the better I get.

hahaha go figure!!!! Isn't that what I was told at school all those years ago.

 

I can now sit for hours reading, note taking and concentrating.

I still have trouble focusing in that I sense way too many distractions within my environment. It drives me nutters, I can be studying away and then something will drive me to distraction. Yesterday Hubby was home and  he knew that I had to spend the day studying and he tried really hard to not be annoying but he drove me crazy hehehehe, firstly sneaking into my study area to find his wallet, then something else, then something else ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!

He is very supportive and I am very lucky but as much as he wants me to study he also wants me to be there to do all the fun things we did. So I have to major focus on study while still paying my main man some attention. It has to be a balancing act.

 

So here we are nearly week 8 - only four weeks of teaching left before exam period is upon us.

Each week I submit answers to 3 lots of focus questions and on Sunday (or was it Monday - I can't remember what day of the week it is anymore) I submitted my first larger assessment piece and now I am starting to get heavier into my next one. That is going to be my major focus for the next few days.

 

Although before I get into anything today I need a coffee!

And for those of you that know me well - will go COFFEE what the ????????

Joy never drinks coffee!

Well times are a changin' here in Smithville hehehe

After suffering with a horrendous headache for three days that laid me up in bed for two, I have decided I need to take a much more active approach in my health and well being.

The headache all began Friday when I consumed 7 (yes I said 7) coke zero's along with hardly any water. I could feel the head ache coming on but I just ignored it and carried on chatting and going about life as normal. But by Saturday morning my head felt like a freight train was chugging straight through my frontal lobes. URGH - I carried on but ended up out for the count - it dropped me on my bum.

So I started thinking about what I had done on Friday that could of caused such a beauty of a headache. I started thinking about some MSG that I had consumed via some very tasty morsels, then was it being in the sun with no hat but in the end I admitted that perhaps the 7 coke zeros had something to do with it hehehehe

So to cut a rather long winded story short I am now adding giving up caffeine to my healthy eating and walking lifestyle. Hence the coffee drinking - I am switching to coffee for my caffeine hit and then (because I don't find having a hot drink as much fun as a nice cold, icy drink) I will cut it down to nil caffeine intake.

Wish me luck!!!!!

 

Ok well you have a great day 

I sure intend to - my day is all about consciousness today

Not my consciousness directly (I will be awake hehehe) but consciousness in general and it's altered states - fascinating!

talk soon

x joy

End of week 4, start of week 5

A big hearty

HELLO

to you all.

I hope you are happy and healthy in whatever you are doing and where ever you may be at the moment.

I am this morning feeling a little brain dead and fragile hehehe

perhaps I will need three cans of diet coke to get me through the day instead of my usual two cans.

I worked very late into the night last night to finish off one of week 4 focus questions

I didn't have to - it was my choice, but I was on a roll so just kept going. And for those of you that know me, you know that I am usually an early to bed kinda girl - I luv my zzzzzzzzzzz's

So I may need a Nana nap this after noon as well as 3 cans of diet coke

 

Well there is no point moaning, I came here to say hello and tell you where I am at.

I am just loving my studies at the moment, my brain is buzzing with so much amazingly interesting stuff . WOW, how our brain and body functions is just a miracle!!!!!!! And to say every function begins at the level of a neuron (well lower if you want to go that low, but I am just amazed at the neuron level) is just mind boggling.

 

This week has been very sad though as one of my lovely lecturers had a devastating, family tragedy. My heart just goes out to her, I cannot even begin to imagine how she is coping. It certainly has added a heavy heart to this weeks study. I do hope she is ok. My other lecturer is this ladies good friend so she is also having a hard time. Just all so sad.

 

But amazingly everything that was supposed to happen for study purposes still went ahead this week.

Everything has been handled so professionally, despite the sadness that must be being felt in the uni. I take my hats off to them.

 

And in comparison my tiredness today is nothing to what these people are going through, so I should not complain at all. So I need to shake myself and just get on with the day.

I have the last of my focus questions to complete today, well actually it is a stop and reflect question, not an overly hard one, just one that needs attention to detail.

 

I think my one major concern with everything that I am studying is "Am I going to remember it all"

Oh by crikey, there is information overload - big time. My head is just swimming most of the time.

Yesterday I went and looked at one focus question and the main term in it seemed as if I had never seen it before. But once I reviewed the week, I found it and of course I knew what it was but my brain must have filed it away. Anyway I will take it one step at a time and see how I go. The week between week 5 and 6 is vacation week and although I have my darling little rug rats home on school holidays, I intend to spend the week refreshing and re watching all of my lectures again. Hopefully that will help reinforce the main concepts. 

 

Ok well I think I may go and have some sugar and a diet coke to help kick start my day.

I hope you have a super happy day.

talk soon

x joy

 

 



Week 2

Hello and happy Tuesday to you,

It is a rainy old day here in Blackall, perfect indoor weather,

 perfect for sitting here at my fishbowl (what I call my windows above my desk). I can work away while watching the rain come down - it is very peaceful.

 

Well I got through week 1 and now am successfully getting through week 2 schedules even when I played hooky yesterday to have a well deserved break and had moring tea with my lovely friends.

 

 It was full on getting back into 3 courses after doing only one course last term but I like being busy and it is filling each day lovely. I definately need to do all six hours each day that the boys are at school and then some more after they have settled into homework. I have been jotting down how many hours I spend each day and to complete all duties that where expected of me last week - I spent a total of 37.5 hours which is exactly 12.5 hours for each course. I realise I will probably need to spend more with assessments but if I do them as I go along - I will be fine.

 

Ok well I am off to go cook some dinner for my boys - I probably need to think about exactly what we will be having first hehehehe I hope there is something in the cupboard (or will I be like old mother Hubbard).

Have a great day.

talk soon

x joy