Textbook delivery

These last few weeks have been super exciting! My OU textbooks have finally arrived. This officially marks the beginning of my journey into the world of Engineering and Maths for my BSc with the Open University. The Stage 1 course doesn’t officially start until the 4th of October, but that won’t stop me from compulsively stroking the textbooks like a supervillain with their beloved cat.

What’s Inside the Textbooks?

So, what’s in them? In the first few months, I’ll be diving into MST124 - Essential Mathematics 1 and T192 - Engineering: Origins, Methods, Context. Just like everything in the universe, we must begin with maths!

Mathematics

I have four (yes, four!) textbooks for the eight months of MST124, plus a student handbook and a computer algebra guide.

Book A looks pretty easy. It’s mostly revising concepts from SQA Higher Maths. We’re talking about algebra, graphs, equations, and functions.

Book B is more revision. I didn’t do Advanced Higher Maths, but it looks like what some of my classmates were tackling back then—trigonometry, coordinate geometry, vectors, and differentiation. Meanwhile, I was busy focusing on Advanced Chemistry, Physics, and English.

But hey, no worries! I had to do maths at the University of St Andrews. That’s where Book C comes in. It covers differentiation methods, integration, and matrices.

Now, Book D? I opened it and felt a bit vertiginous. We didn’t cover that in our 9 AM maths lectures at St Andrews (or maybe I was too hopped up on caffeine to notice). But I’m genuinely excited about sequences, series, Taylor polynomials, and complex numbers. They may seem daunting now, but I see them as a new opportunity to sharpen my problem-solving mindset. Persistence and a willingness to learn are my trusty companions in any task—whether at work or in the (virtual) classroom.

That being said, if you need me, you can find me on Khan Academy.

This course makes me excited to use my analytical thinking and problem-solving skills in context. I’m looking forward to the challenge. Bring it on!

Engineering

Now, let’s talk about T192. It looks a bit less intimidating in terms of materials, at least by the number of textbooks. The textbooks are Part 1: Introduction to Engineering and Part 2: Design Engineering.

Introduction to Engineering is so kind, so lovely, so considerate! It covers a lot of topics I’ve already studied, like balancing systems, understanding electric circuits, energy, and momentum. Plus, it throws in some maths alongside a bunch of applied physics concepts.

Part 2: Design Engineering is my favorite so far. It contains an image of the Forth Rail Bridge, which is objectively the best bridge in the universe. I might have to write a whole post about the Forth Rail Bridge because I have way too much to say about it to fit in a textbook summary.

Excluding my personal reasons, this book is packed with information on limitations, complexities, uncertainties, sketching diagrams, and a summary of triangles—which I’m obsessed with! It covers design decisions, communication, and processes. From what I’ve seen, this is a very methodical and practical manual on the basics of design engineering. I’m already looking forward to diving in.

These textbooks, even at this early stage, tell me that this course is about more than just equations. It feels like we will be exploring a broad range of skills that can be applied in any professional environment: communication, practical design, processes, and developing ideas effectively. We love a well-rounded course!

The Stack of textbooks

The Journey Ahead

Overall, these books seem like a fantastic starting point to get back into the studying mindset. I’m grateful to the OU for beginning their year 1 studies at this level. While I already feel comfortable with many concepts, it will be great to brush up and gain precision on a lot of topics. This first stage is a chance to consolidate foundations and set up for the more advanced challenges of years 2 and 3.

So, as I embark on this academic adventure, I can’t help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. Will I conquer the complexities of calculus? Will I master the mysteries of engineering design? Only time will tell! But one thing is for sure: I’m ready to embrace the challenges ahead.

And hey, if you’re also on a journey of learning or just need a reliable petsitting service in Paris, let’s connect! After all, we’re all in this together, navigating the ups and downs of life, learning, and maybe even a bit of pet care along the way.