As Family Friendly Week reaches it’s third day, we thought it would be interesting and insightful to hear the first-hand experiences of a mature student and parent currently studying at SHU.  We are therefore delighted and very grateful to welcome Louise Kelly as a guest editor today.

Over to you, Louise…

My name is Louise and I’m 39 years old, I joined Sheffield Hallam in September 2014. I had always dreamed of going to University but getting married and taking care of my three children took precedence. Now that my youngest was 7 and in full time education, it seemed a good time to follow my dream of becoming a fully qualified teacher.  I was nervous at first about all the changes and starting education again, but the transition was smooth and I’m so glad I took the opportunity to change my life.  

The best tip I can give parents is to be organised! Organised with study and organised at home; by finding a happy balance you can manage both and not become overwhelmed.

Setting schedules for study is very important as it is easy to become swamped with work and distracted by the children. I try to do most of my university work when the children are at school, but it’s not always possible, so I often study when they are sleeping or settled down with a good film. I take advantage of the library services at university as much as possible as it’s a place I can sit and concentrate and get my work done.

Giving the children the time they need at home, feeding, playing, loving, homework and support fills my time so when they sleep I get busy with my work and myself. Sometimes I’m tired myself and I think it’s best to get a good rest and study in the morning. Getting enough rest and eating well is important for yourself and everyone’s wellbeing.

Try not to overwhelm yourself, if you do a little bit every day when you have time then you will be able to manage, don’t stress or worry. Plan your work and work your plan!

Organisation is key! Especially at exam or assignment time, I try not to leave everything until the last minute.

A typical university weekday could be a three hour class at university and then home. The great thing about university study for parents is that it really fits around your schedule. Most days I only have to go to university for three hours and that’s generally for three days a week only. The rest of the time is self-study and working at home. This makes it manageable with regards to the many other responsibilities a parent has!

The highlight of studying at university level has been succeeding and achieving life goals – we often don’t believe in ourselves enough and fail to reach out and grab our dreams. Although I may be older in my life years, it’s never too late to follow your dreams and that brings light and happiness into your life. All of my fellow students have been wonderful as have the lecturers and I have felt welcomed and supported throughout.

I chose to study at Sheffield Hallam because it was near my home – I needed the flexibility of being close to my children should they need me, and also no travel times. Starting university can be an anxious time for new students, especially mature students or those with children. Being a Sheffield resident certainly was a deciding factor when choosing where to study.

It’s not always easy studying at university and there will be times when extra support is needed. The university has a great support system which caters for all and I have received financial advice and extra support at assignment times. There are also extra support lessons available to help with academic writing and studies.

My final word would be that the anxiety of starting a new venture does pass, the worries about the children fade and fitting in as a mature student isn’t as hard as I imagined. It’s been a positive and bright experience which I’m glad I took the brave step to make.

Thank you very much Louise, we are very happy to hear that your experience at SHU has been a positive one.  

If you, too, are a student who also has a family, check out this week’s other Family Friendly blog posts to find out about the support available to you as well as more useful advice, tips and family-oriented activities.  

There’s more to come tomorrow and we’ll be tweeting with #FamilyFriendly all week.

See you then!