An early start - getting prepared & organised

My module sites are now both open! SDK228 opened on Tuesday but not much of the website is available to us so I was limited in what I could do, but I printed off the study calendar and an essay writing guide for the module. Both modules have their own sections in my cute notepad and a front page with the TMAs, how they're weighted, tutor details and tutorial dates so it's all there at a glance in each section. All deadlines have been put into my student planner and I have dedicated Wednesday as a SDK228 study day and Thursday is D240 day.

D240 opened today and I'm two weeks ahead already! So, normally our books have an introduction chapter but Chapter 1 was the introductory chapter. I have a habit of reading the introduction, then continuing onto the next chapter shortly after. I remember noticing the next chapter was Chapter 2 instead of Chapter 1, but I felt the need to continue reading anyway. The online material is actually not that intensive (yet), consisting mainly of one video per week and a page or two relating to the chapter. This is how I managed to get ahead so quickly and without realising! Also, D240 has review weeks, so there's no work to be done in those weeks so that's super helpful in catching up with SDK228 or trying to understand the things I've been learning and note taking etc.

Another student made a helpful study calendar so I printed that off, found my TMAs and wrote those down on sticky notes and put them on the D240 front page in my notepad so they're immediately there to view. This module often refers to WHO, APA, ICD and DSM so I wrote what those were in my notepad so if I forget, I can refer back to that. As it's a counselling module, they actually recommend we write a reflective journal in response to the activities and reflect on our own lives and mental health issues, which is pretty intense! I don't think I will bother with that, however, I am focusing more on the activitie this year than I did before.

I've been using the office space and I found, despite the desk being tiny and pushed up into the corner, I worked better and had so much energy today! I usually work either on the sofa, in bed or at the dining table but reading or studying in a comfortable chair or bed makes me sleepy and working at the dining table means I can hear my family and the TV which constantly distracts me and makes me want to join them. Although it's cramped, I'm going to try to do as much studying in the office as I can. 

I feel a little more prepared and ready now, especially for D240. The work I've done should take me up until the 20th of October (review week) so I don't have to worry too much about that, even after my holiday as there'll be nothing to do in that week! After exploring everything, I am learning what they're expecting me to learn so my notes are going to be more geared to those learning outcomes and TMAs, whereas the notes I've already done are totally aimless and are mainly random snippets of information. I know now that I need to invest a little more time and preparation for SDK228 though. We have a multimedia map that seems to be integral throughout the module and there is a preparatory section which teaches you the basics of the brain/nervous system before you get started so I guess this module is expecting us to know all of that already? I'm working tomorrow evening though so I'll give myself a break and do more preparation for SDK228 another time.

It's amazing how different I feel compared to my last blog post and I think that's largely due to me seeing the module sites and TMAs, as well as getting myself organised. I am glad to be feeling a little less apprehensive and worried.