Just Nicky

Once More With Feeling August 11, 2007

One of the big reasons I decided not to go back to work after I left Telstra was that I wanted to complete a tertiary course. I’ve made a number of previous attempts but I was always trying to work fulltime as well and it just never worked for me. I figured that this would be my time, while looking after Leila and Finn, to finally do it.

Because I don’t want to put Leila into childcare for more than one or two days a week yet and Finn will be going to kinder next year my best option is to begin my studies by distance education. There are 2 options in this area (there are actually probably more, but these are the 2 most accessible to me). Open Universities or the institution where Mark studied. Open Universities has some advantages over the other. Open Unis doesn’t require year 12 results to begin studying. You just choose your subjects and and enrol. Given that my year 12 results are now 24 years old and not particularly spectacular this suits me fine. Open Unis doesn’t follow the standard 2 semester structure that the conventional institutions use. Instead they have 4 study periods a year and go all year round. Studying 2 subjects per study period constitutes a fulltime load for Centrestink purposes so makes it possible for me to apply for Austudy (not that I’d get much) and has a positive effect on our Child Care Benefit. And Open Unis is not the institution where Mark studied. This is probably its greatest advantage.

Yesterday was the closing date for enrolments for OU’s 3rd study period so I got my butt into gear and enrolled in 2 subjects. Now that both kids are in childcare on Tuesdays I can use some of that time to study and, with evenings and Thursdays (when Finn’s at childcare), I should be able to give it something approaching the amount of time it needs.

Going back to study is something I’ve planned to do since I first dropped out of Swinburne in 1984 and this attempt is something of a make or break moment for me. I’m never going to have a better opportunity to do this and I really feel that if I can’t do it now, it just isn’t going to happen. I’m also looking for this to lead me into a new career that, hopefully, will carry me through to retirement and beyond. Ultimately, I’d like to work in a way that I can tailor to suit my lifestyle and my physical and mental energies and keep doing into my seventies. It’s one of life’s realities that few of my generation will be able to stop work at 65 and put their feet up (and I’m not sure I’d want to either). If I’m going to keep working, I want it to be at something that I enjoy and I don’t want to be killing myself into the bargain.

So, once more into the fray I go…