The crucial guide to surviving an OU Residential School

Getting the venue of choice

For most courses you will be able to look at where the RS’s were last year and be able to select your favourite campus. Having done that, choose a second fall back campus. You can select one according to how close it is or how far, if you have friends close to it, other members of your tutorial group are going there, it sounds nice or you have heard it is very nice in that area (although you may find you do not have time to ‘go out’. All the campuses have positive points although you may not originally think so.
There is no guarantee that you will get the university that you want but there are some things that you can do to optimise your choice.

Use the web booking service. Complete your details as soon as you can on the very first day that they are being accepted. This seems the best route.
Send the form in by return post with a first class stamp.
Although the OU do not like this, you can alter or try to alter your allocation at a later date due to circumstances beyond your control.

What to take

Clothes help. Usually casual but, in my time, I have seen one person take a different suit and tie for each day – overkill I think. Some RS’s have events organised by the OU or OUSA that require certain items to be taken (musical instruments or clothes for a themed event). Course material is always a good idea but you are sent details, by the OU, of what they would like you to take. If you have to travel light then you can get away with minimal course material on many courses. You can always share or borrow such things anyway. Money can also help. Although all the ‘essentials’ are covered in the school costs, there are some things that you may need to buy. The OUSA events are sometimes free but certain ones do need cash (i.e. The Farewell Disco on the last night).

Alcohol. This is the correct way to travel to RS with your own supply of your fave tipple. You may be very popular with other students when they can pop back for a quiet drink after the bar shuts at 12:00 or 02:00.
If your sleep is easily disturbed you should take earplugs. If you take a radio, etc. remember the other students who do not party all night.
Don’t forget your dressing gown or a large towel. Yes, take some spare towels.
All campuses have cash point machines, so money need not be a problem if you have plastic.

Arrival

Get there first. Set out in plenty of time and do not get yourself stressed out trying to rush. Best get there safe and tired rather than not arrive or arrive late – you can always catch up with sleep in your room.
If travelling by car, park it when you arrive and leave your luggage in the car , just take the Residential School Booklet, that the OU sent you, with the forms in that you have to hand in at registration. Fill these in the day before you leave home. Stroll about the campus and find the bars and where registration takes place. Registration can start as early as 12:30 and finish at 17:00 but these are rough times so check your booklet. Get there as soon as you can to the earliest time. Register and find your room. Check out where you can park your car close to your room. Stroll back to your car and drive over, unload and drive your car back to the official car park. Unpack or rest or both and then think about food and/or drink this depends on how early your food is and your Introductory session.
You are given a badge at registration – put the name you want to be called (This is not necessarily your name just the one you want to be called) in big letters on the badge. At the top of the badge is a coloured rectangle, the colour is the code for your course. Note also the coloured dot on there – this denotes your tutor group and now you can start looking for fellow students.
Talk to other students, especially if your badge matches theirs. Get to know people. Can’t remember names? Read the badge.
All the students on your course will gather en-mass at the Introductory Session. There is a short chat telling you about safety on campus, how hard you will study, be introduced to other staff and the OUSA reps. Pay particular attention to the OUSA Reps. They can answer all sorts of questions and they provide the de-stressing after work enjoyment.
You are normally split into small tutor groups of up to 12 for the week. Chat to everyone in there. You are stuck with those funny looking people for the week so make the most of a bad job and try to stay on good terms.
Now you are off on your voyage of discovery.
You are now a teenager at uni – make the most of it.

Most campus’s have ‘apartments’ (6 study bedrooms with shared kitchen, toilets and bathrooms).Most rooms do have a sink though. Your first morning will be interesting. Most people like a shower first thing, so until things sort themselves out during the week be prepared to fight over or wait for the facilities. This is where you need your dressing gown – the apartments may not be unisex.
If you skip breakfast, due to an early morning/late night, this can be beneficial. The bathrooms will be empty when everyone is eating – something to consider and you still may have time to eat.

OUSA events

The Student Association has representatives attending to organise social events for you and may well include a late bar (as late as 2:00am if you are lucky). The events are usually well worth attending and you may be able to get a reduced cost if you pay for all the events at the start of the week. They are usually very well received but most students arrive late or not at all but when they do get there they do not want to stop. Get there early and get your moneys worth.
Attendance is not compulsory despite what I say. You can slope off to bed and have a quiet coffee in your kitchen before bed but we tend to talk about those who are not around at the events. Be warned.
Much of the money that OUSA raises is for charity so please feel free to give. That raffle that seemed such a bore and with such bad prizes is for a worthwhile cause. Besides, you may win that bottle of wine.
OUSA Reps are unpaid volunteers (unlike the tutors) so please speak to them and offer drinks – it may be me.
The events vary between unis. Examples are:

Quiz night
Karaoke
Salsa dancing class
A disco (used to be called the ‘Last chance disco’ for unknown reasons)
And others

Tutors

The large majority of tutors are warm, friendly and helpful whilst the others are better. They are humans and will look after you.
One person is allocated the role of trying to suggest options for your studies and will sit in a resource room with course materials from many other courses. Go in and ask questions about your route to your BA or BSc.

Late nights

Others may need 5 hours or more sleep so please be quiet near accommodation blocks. Sound travels as well so generally be quiet after 11:00. If sound didn’t travel, I guess we wouldn’t speak at all!
Kitchen parties suddenly start with alcohol appearing and these can go on through the night. However, many campuses have areas were you can safely gather at night/morning so as not to annoy the sleepers – ask the OUSA Reps or tutors where these are.
You have to be up for tutorials so be warned. Have a buddy call round to check on you or be a buddy and check. If someone is not as able bodied as yourself ask if there is anything you can do to help. Helpers are provided if you tell the OU about any disability. This ranges from taking notes to more involved issues.

Travelling home

Friday travelling can be dangerous. If you are driving and have had a few late nights it all hits you on the way home – usually after 10 or 15 minutes. You are OK until then and could drive forever and suddenly ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzz.... Take care, pull over and sleep. If you can stay until Saturday that helps a lot.
Get home safely and tell your family and friends that you had a good time and that you missed them all.

Surviving RS: In brief
• Plan ahead and organise your family before you go. Then you needn’t worry about them.
• Go with an open mind – preferably yours.
• Plan on enjoying yourself first & foremost. Enjoy yourself and the learning takes care of itself.
• Arm yourself for learning. Take writing equipment, some course materials and your open mind.
• Talk to others. People make the week.
• Tutors are people too, so talk to them as well
• Be a teenage student for your week
• Money is only needed for getting there & back and the bar bill.
• There is nothing to fear but fear itself.
• Take extra care if driving home after.
• Say how nice it is to be home again

Trev White

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