Identity

The iceberg effect: the stories we find when we look a little deeper

Meeting new people, particularly the older I get, can turn very quickly into a formulaic discussion where many words are spoken but very little is said.

Calling all disabled students

I'm running trial sessions to see if the 'Introduction to Self-Management' course can help our students with long-term health conditions.

From hiding to the Board of Trustees: nine years of rebuilding

An honest reflection on my nearly nine-year journey from getting a disability to joining my first meeting with the Open SU Board of Trustees.

Six years, four options, and a broken system while waiting to live: the human cost of the gender surgery waiting list

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THIS ARTICLE DISCUSSES SENSITIVE TOPICS. TRIGGER WARNING: TRANS HEALTHCARE, MEDICAL TRAUMA, INVASIVE EXAMINATIONS, AND SUICIDAL IDEATION.

Writing competition second place: Turning over a new leaf

I grew up loving law. The clean lines of reason, the weight of words, the promise of justice.   I earned my place at university but not my place in...

Boundless vision

A submission from Frederique Lanoix for the Hoot writing competition (on the theme of 'turning over a new leaf').

Turning Over A New Leaf

I was stuck in a loop of grief, depression and anxiety but then I found the Open Uni, got a diagnosis of ADHD and things are looking up

Head in the clouds

Breathing heavily, I sat upright and kept my eyes lowered against the sun. I was thankful that at least there were no sirens...

May is Fibromyalgia, M.E. and Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes Awareness Month

As May is Fibromyalgia, M.E. and Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes Awareness Month, I thought I would share a poem about living with these chronic health conditions.

Food for thought

According to the UN, adopting a vegan lifestyle can save up to 2.1 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. Read this article by Simon Aust.

Hope of finding light in the darkness

My name is Kelly. I am a Physics student at the OU and volunteer with the Open SU.

OU launches ‘Supporting neurodivergent children’ hub

Discover more about this new hub, full of tips, stories and resources.