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Clive Harding

Graduation Day Torquay 2018

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Edited by Clive Harding, Wednesday, 3 Oct 2018, 18:56

I graduated yesterday having lost my mum and father in law during my final ema. I felt so lost and so broken that the books and the hard work were meaningless and I just couldn’t do anything about it. 


I still feel empty and I even thought about giving up on the 8 years of work when sadness turned to anger, I was inconsolably lost. 


But my long suffering wife and daughter pushed me (as they have done throughout!) and I raced against the clock and wrote up what I had in a couple of days.


I kept saying I had failed and felt so sick when my ema results arrived.


A measly 43% a sizeable drop but enough to hold my head high yesterday and collect my BSc Honours.


Whilst sat alone in the auditorium I told my mum and my father in law that I loved them and then everyone around me came into focus and I enjoyed the ceremony with hundreds of others who must have their own story of their OU journey with ups and downs along the way too.


Good luck and I am sure you too will realise you potential with those around you supporting and encouraging you on your own OU journey.


I’m sad they weren’t there to see me graduate but they were there while I studied 

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Clive Harding

thats it its done

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After 8 years of study and persistence, through illness and hardship, I have completed my BSc Honours Open Degree.

It wasn't easy and at times I wondered "why am I doing this?" by I have been encouraged and persuaded to continue to get to the end and to stand proud of what I have managed to achieve.


I have accepted a 2.2 and booked 3 seats for Torquay in September so I guess I am done except to say


I could not have done it without a raft of people


Sue my ever loving wife

Kirsty my ever encouraging daughter

Mum who could not be there at the end

Dad who better be there at the end

Gladys and Harold who supported me more than they will ever know

Max who I miss the most and think of everyday


If you are reading this and are thinking of giving in then I will say "good on you for getting started and for trying" for what ever reason you have for not continuing that doesn't matter, you tried. If you are reading this and are wondering "why should I, what's in it for me?" then actually that's the answer.


An Open University Degree if for you


Go do it push yourself, if it was suppose to be easy then anyone would do it and it would be worth nothing. The hardest part is sticking at it through all that life throws at us and getting through it with the help of family, friends, fellow students you meet along the way and tutors. I have one tutor that has been there through many years of my toil even though she was only officially there for 1 year. (JK you are a star, keep doing what you have been doing)


Cheers CLive


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