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Becca

Graduation 2024

Sunday, 22 Sept 2024, 21:16
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After all of my struggles this year, I passed DE300 with a distinction grade, easily granting me first class honours for my BSc Forensic Psychology! I have achieved a distinction for every weight-bearing module at level 2 and 3!! I was thrilled with this result, and booked to attend my graduation (in my sparkly outfit I'd been working on all year). 

Since then it's been a really mixed bag - my cat Tidus became extremely unwell with FIP, and we are some 40 odd days into a very expensive treatment programme to try to beat it. I got to see Taylor Swift at the Eras Tour - twice! I became a part-time Disney princess off the back of my amdram antics, which has been really fun and magical! And then I got to go to Disneyland Paris as we surprised my friend Ami for her hen do. Finally, I attended my graduation on Friday 20th September, with my parents and my friend David. We celebrated an achievement that has been SO many years in the making, and overcoming every hurdle and obstacle I've encountered in the years since I began!

Life has been a real mixed bag, a bit of a rollercoaster, and sometimes I've wondered whether I was mad for thinking I could do any of this. I'm glad I stuck at it, and I'm considering my options for what to do next. This journey is over, but I've a feeling that this is still only the beginning...

I'll leave you with some photos of the events of the past few months, since my last post!

Disneyland Sept 2024:



Tid's progress through his FIP treatment:

Being a Disney princess! August 2024:


And my graduation photos (a little unconventional, but very me!), Sep 2024:

Tags: graduation, graduate, DE300, BSc, Bachelors Degree, Forensic Psychology, Psychology, OU, Alumni, disney, amdram, acting, singing, cosplay, princess, disneyland, vacation, Taylor Swift, cats, FIP
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Becca

New adventures!

Saturday, 16 Sept 2023, 12:11
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Edited by Rebecca Strachan, Saturday, 16 Sept 2023, 12:12

Today's post is a deviation from my study-related posts, because I have some 🎶musical updates!🎶

While embarking on my independent research project for DE300, I'll also be learning to skate around in heelys while preparing for a production of Disney's The Little Mermaid! My friend Ami was already cast as a mersister and encouraged me to try out for it as well. I opted to audition for this over EVITA (which I feel a little guilty about, having been specifically asked to audition for it), but it feels like the right choice for me. This role also felt more manageable than trying to take on Eva (who sings in almost everything) - particularly when I'm not familiar with the musical at all!
I successfully auditioned for the role of Arista (one of the mersisters) earlier this month. I've met quite a few of the cast members already, and they are all absolutely lovely and very experienced. I'm sure I can learn a lot from them as I prepare to make my acting debut! (I need to go and work on my American accent... 🤣) 

An actress sits within in a blue frame, with a cartoon mermaid image in the corner (Arista)

I'm also working on putting together a set list to start rehearsing for a covers band project I'm hoping to get off the ground in the near future, and continue to go to karaoke whenever I can (I may not be able to go as often due to TLM rehearsals, but at least I'll still be singing!). My long-time friend Sharon visited me from the Netherlands this week, and she came along to karaoke with me! We recorded songs together over the internet since our teens, and it was lovely to sing with her in public for the first time. My musical projects all stopped during the COVID years, and it's nice to be back at it, and creating again 💜

Oh, I also wrote a song last month (for the first time in a while!) and submitted it to the UK Songwriting Contest. I didn't make the semi-finals, but got a commended entry certificate in 2 categories and rated 5 stars (out of 5) by the professional judging panel. Not bad for something I wrote and recorded in less than a day! 😊

Tags: performing, performing arts, acting, singing, disney, the little mermaid, musical, musical theatre, performance, audition, music, karaoke
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Becca

Final Module - DE300

Monday, 31 July 2023, 19:30
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I cried when I finally got my grade for DD310. Really cried. Bawled! My last module before this began in 2018, so it had been a long old time since I had studied with the OU, and I was nervous for level 3. My TMA grades weren't *quite* as high as they usually are, so I really needed to knock it out of the park on my EMA to have any hope of a distinction overall for the year. I'm thrilled to report that I did! 😁😁😁 I've now achieved distinctions in all of level 2 and half of level 3 - I only need a 2:2 for DE300 to achieve a 1st overall!!! I'm obviously going to aim as high as I can anyway, but it's taken SO much pressure off!!

Since my last post, I've:
🥳 Passed my 3rd exam (of 4 total) for my BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis!
🥳 Rehabilitated my poor torn hip flexor!
🥳 Competed in the UK Aerial Performance Championship in April, despite the above injury (I won my regional round!)
🥳 Performed at a showcase in Newbury in April
🥳 Been on a HUGE weekend-long train-a-thon at the Manchester Aerial and Acrobatics Convention (also in April - so much for easing back in lol) and tried several new disciplines!
🥳 Performed in the Aerial Authentics Competition in Wigan in May, where I came 2nd (and brought home some chains to play on!)
🥳 Performed on aerial hoop at my own work party (nerve-wracking in front of all of my colleagues!) in June
🥳 Participated in a few more aerial photoshoots, including a paid photography workshop in a hideous heatwave!
🥳 Performed on the Moon Lyra for the first time in July, and thoroughly enjoyed it!
🥳 Finally found my way back to singing in front of people again - just at karaoke for now, but I'm putting a band together, and have the local amateur operatic society asking me to join and audition for a production of Evita!
🥳 Been formally diagnosed autistic/ADHD, after a long journey involving 2 psychiatrists and a neurocognitive psychologist.

Life has been absolutely crazy and it has been pretty overwhelming at times. But I'm really proud of everything that I've achieved, and hope I can have a really good year and finally, FINALLY graduate 👩🏻‍🎓

My first attempt at university began in September 2008. It has been such a long road to get just to this point, and I can't believe that the end is finally in sight. That I'm finally achieving things I dreamed of decades ago. Academically. Personally. Artistically. Things are coming together✨

Images of singing, dancing, and performing aerial acrobatics

Tags: degree, bsc, psychology, diploma, business analysis, circus, aerial, aerial acrobatics, modelling, photoshoot, singing, performing, karaoke, dance, competition, award, progress, OU, studying, exams, EMA, assignment, level 3, DD310, DE300, mental health, autism, ADHD
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Becca

Updates! Starting DD210 and taking up ballet, because who needs sleep anyway!? :D

Thursday, 14 Sept 2017, 11:38
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Edited by Rebecca Strachan, Thursday, 14 Sept 2017, 11:41

Long time no post! :O

Okay so the 2nd half of the year was absolutely MANIC, I landed a new job at work and had to go off to a residential training course for 6 weeks (during which period I had 4 TMAs and 2 iCMAs due in!!!) so all hell broke loose, but I MADE IT!!



I passed both DD102 and DE100 (with a distinction for DD102, which I was pretty darn chuffed with!) and I'm happy to report that I'm moving onwards and upwards to level 2!!

My first level 2 module DD210 starts on Oct 7th, and I have had a nose around and gone through the introductory week section because the module website opened today and I like getting ahead because (as illustrated above!) the unexpected happens and it's good to be prepared. It looks well organised and structured (which my slight OCD tendencies like a lot, I know exactly what to expect!) and there are several topics of personal relevance and interest to me so I think it should be really good :D

Outside of my OU studies, after my EMAs were done and dusted I finally got back into dance, which I'm really excited about. Due to just being pretty wiped out by work I stopped dancing several years ago and have felt kind of sluggish and lethargic ever since. I used to pole dance and figure skate to quite a high level back in the day, and I decided to take up ballet in May of this year. I've taken a few ballet classes before, but never really studied it formally.
However! I'm now working on the RAD Intermediate Foundation syllabus and my teacher actually wants to put me in for the exam with the rest of the class in March 2018 (they are all about 15 because this is a vocational grade, I don't think adults normally do them but I'm gonna do it anyway in spite of the fact I'm 30 next year!). I also got back into modelling more recently (something else I used to do a lot), and actually combined the two recently by doing a dance themed shoot which was a tonne of fun smile (I'm in the white tutu!)


I'm also still slowly working away at my debut album (I'll get there one day!) so it's all going on this year, but I'm happy and enthusiastic and excited about all of it - I'm sure I'll find the time somehow! I'm a woman on a mission haha. Bring on 2017-18!!!

Tags: photoshoot, modelling, work, busy, progress, album, songwriting, singing, ballet, dancing, dance, level 2, level 1, dd210, dd102, de100, assignment, study
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