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Choosing a University course - in person or distance learning?

Tink

Hi everyone, I'd be very grateful for some advice.

I need to choose between two courses to study at Uni. One is in person and more local. The other would be distance learning.

I know I don't always find distance learning easy to follow (from a processing perspective) so I'd like to do the in person course but I honestly think in order to manage it (and even turn up for day 1) I'd need medication to help me cope. My anxiety is through the roof just thinking about it. The in person course would be highly social and it would mean managing the busy sensory environment of a university. It would potentially have more benefits in terms of networking and making friends though.

Is it better to stay off medication and choose the distance learning option to help me stay well; even though its potentially more challenging in processing terms?

  • in reply to Zac Mod

    Thank you both for your kind thoughts. I am a mature student. I already completed a degree many years ago when I was younger. I am wanting to do an MA now. I love research so much, it's a special interest. But I found in getting older my challenges around the sensory environment have worsened. I have disability funding and support but it didn't help me because it just didn't address the anxiety.

  • Have you tried contacting your local authority and getting support for disability, this includes help for autism, you could ask the university you wish to go to what support is available for you. Most universities are really good at providing support.

    You said that the in person course is local, does that mean you'd be living where you are now? When I asked about university halls of residence I was offered a room in a "quiet hall", these rooms were in a building, where people wouldn't be playing loud music all the time and stuff like that, many of us who lived there were mature students.

    I was terrified when I went to uni and wasn't sure if I'd cope, it was all new and loud and busy and I went to Lampeter which was the smallest uni in the country. But I did fit in and make friends, I could dip in and out of socialising and retreat to my room when it all got to busy. There are loads of clubs and societies you can join or not and once you've have joined you don't have to keep going if you don't like it, but they can be places to meet like minded people or just try new activities.

    As to the course I can't really give any advice, you have to weigh up the merits of the courses on what you believe they'd offer you.

    I would say that I loved uni and would love to go back, if I could afford it, I'd be a perpetual student. Nearly everybody was nervous, and many had learning difficulties, ND, different genders and everybody seemed to be exploring who they were.

    You mind find it such a wonderful experience that you won't need medication at all

  • Hello Tink.

    I hear you, having been that student trying to figure out which option is right for myself.

    It is as you say,  weighing up the pros and cons. It can be lovely to find yourself in an environment that allows exploration, new connections, and opportunities, although there can be quite a lot of stressors associated with the aforementioned, often requiring mechanisms to help us cope.

    While I know that our community will have some fantastic feedback, I would like to share with you our NAS resource relating  to navigating university options.

    starting college or university

    I wish you all the best, going forwards -  you certainly deserve the best.

    Thanks - Zac Mod.