Distance learning can be challenging. Many of us return to our studies after half a lifetime away when other things were more important, such as family or careers. Formal learning after so long away can be tough. The challenges we face include getting used to the culture and dynamic of the OCA, interacting with new people, the feeling of being isolated from our fellow students, coping with new ways of learning and working with different tutors with different strengths and weaknesses, the relentless and sometimes daunting pace of our studies, adjusting to the things we are in control of, such as our research, essays and creative works, and the things we have to wait on others for, such as peer or tutor feedback or collaborative works. We juggle all of this with home life, our jobs and social life, without the benefit of meeting other students or lecturers in the canteen, over lunch or at the library or the pub and casually sharing problems. I often think that thoughts for our own well-being come somewhere near the bottom of the pile.
Yet, if we understand the limitations of distance learning, we can start to plan for a better outcome and put in place mechanisms to help us. OCASA has a very helpful article on wellbeing that looks at how to maintain a healthy balance in our studies.
For me, the most important of the things OCASA list to help us is group activities. Use WhatsApp chats, OCA forums, and regular Zoom calls, take part in workshops, give and ask for regular feedback, and get used to talking about your work and listening to others talk about their work. If you can help it, don’t be what I call a ‘ghost student’ who is invisible for most of the year and never joins in group activities yet pops out of the woodwork when assessment is near to ask for help. The student and alumni community is a vibrant one for those willing to take part.
The one thing which the OCASA list does not cover is that towards the end of our degree studies, many of us choose to probe very emotional episodes in our lives. While these experiences provide us with a large amount of material for our major projects, they also give us extra stress, challenging us with emotional and physical impacts.
The value of working in challenging emotional areas emerges in terms of our growing knowledge of our chosen subject areas and expanding emotional maturity. My own major project is based on my experiences of coping with the death of my daughter Rebecca and struggling to understand loss. I know many students who work in similar challenging fields of loss, memory, hauntology, death studies, cancer, dementia and more. In my own example, I used my art, whether through making photographs, viewing, editing, sharing, talking about my work, or remembering, all as a form of therapeutic photography. This is a branch of art therapy. (Weiser, 2022) When working in such an arena, having a close circle of friends and contacts who support you is vital.
As well as this support, another key feature is a supportive and approachable tutor who is interested in your major project. One piece of advice my tutor and the Programme Leader for Photography agreed on, having read the outline of my project aims, was that if things were too tough, I should pause and take a break. Sometimes, peace and quiet are needed for our health. A little thinking time in the middle of a difficult project can help. Put down your notes and camera and switch off the computer. The OCASA list mentions mindfulness, which does help. Consider asking for a formal break or extension if you feel that is needed. Whatever your approach might be when constructing an intense project, don’t feel that you have to suffer in silence. Speak to your peers, your tutor or the OCA Office - learnersupport@oca.ac.uk
I have finished my degree and am waiting for the results. I am currently deciding where to go next, whether creating new art, writing some essays or undertaking postgraduate study. For anyone interested, I have an exhibition called “Scatter” on show in Edinburgh from 9-20th April, Wed to Sun, 11 am to 5 pm, at Leith Makers Gallery.
References
Weiser, J. (2022) PhotoTherapy & Therapeutic Photography Techniques – Photo-based Helping Techniques for Mental Health Professionals and others, Phototherapy Centre. Available at: https://phototherapy-centre.com/ (Accessed: 31 January 2025).
Including OCA's Wellbeing App. This is available to all OCA students. Accessible through the Google Play and iTunes App Stores, to register and use the app all you need is your oca.ac.uk email address. When you sign in, you will be asked to confirm your email address and click on the link in the subsequent email to get up and running.
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