Since October most weeks have involved study for the CEIGHE. In March I submitted the first module assignment, and then moved mostly straight onto planning for the second module assignment. As a result I have found myself immersed, mostly throughout, in the balance of study, work and home, so that content for this blog has seemed all around me.
Last week I sat down to write this, and, for the first time, had a complete uncertainty on what to talk about. I left the empty page, thinking something would come to mind over the week, and wondered why I couldn’t get in the frame of mind to write the blog.
Today, I realised why. For the first time since October I have been allowing myself a study break over the last fortnight. One advantage of the CEIGHE is that you enrol per module, and in most cases, this is in the order and schedule you want to be studying.
Having completed my final draft for the second assignment a fortnight ago, I had been giving my brain a break. I knew this was a small window to do so. At the end of May I will be submitting the second assignment, and also attending a two-day residential on Guidance Interviewing. Following this I will be enrolling on the third module and attending a three-day residential in June. This will put me back into the busy focus of study. So for now, I have allowed my brain to wander wherever else it wants to, and not to thinking about topics that have been swimming around my mind, such as career theories, student types and employer stakeholders.
The result has been to focus more on home, the leisure of relaxing days out in the sunshine. When I came to write this blog last week I felt I had to write directly about my studies for it to have relevance. However, as a part-time student it’s important to show how the balance of study and home are juggled, and vary over the year. There have been points since October where study has dominated. I am fortunate to have a job where this is manageable and a husband who understands and supports me when free time has been given to course reading and assignment planning. However, the last fortnight has also reminded me the reward in turn, of enjoying some downtime. Giving myself a break has meant time to enjoy other interests, as well as to gear myself back up for further new CEIGHE learning yet to come.
“What is this life, if, full of care?
We have no time to stand and stare?”
About the author
Rose Leek is a paid blogger for CLL.
I relocated back near my hometown last year in Surrey, after a decade living near the sea in East Kent. I work in a University Employability & Careers Centre, assisting engineering and science students onto a placement year as part of their degree, and providing administrative support to their academic tutors.
I started the Postgraduate Diploma in Careers Education, Information and Guidance in Higher Education (CEIGHE) in October 2017 and am looking forward to developing a wider awareness of the service I work within, and increasing my confidence and understanding.
I have experienced a year with lots of change, and it is both exciting and daunting to be adding studying back into my life. I have never written a blog and my reasoning for doing so is the hope that it will help me to better reflect on, and share, my experience as a CEIGHE student. My course is mainly distance taught, with a few residential workshops per year. I wanted to also try to share the perspective of being a distance student, and how I will (hopefully!) learn to juggle the balance of study, work and home.
I look forward to the journey ahead!
And if all else fails, maybe the cat can do some of my studying for me?
Lifelong Learning at Warwick 