Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To hate the expression "University of Life"

104 replies

cantonwanton · 27/03/2019 20:26

Every time I hear or see this on facebook or in real life, I want scream or head butt someone.

NO. You are not special of having lived, we all have, graduates included.
It's some sort of snooty DailyFailesque phrase, of elevating one's self-importance.

It's demeaning to those who actually studied for a degree and got one. I have no issue at all with people not having degrees, so stop trying to pretend you have one, and somehow by having lived you are more experienced/knowledgeable than the rest.

OP posts:
BigFatGiant · 28/03/2019 08:29

It’s ysually either self deprecating or an indication of insecurity. I don’t think it’s meant to demean educated people.

Prequelle · 28/03/2019 08:31

Yeah it makes me laugh really. As though us who went to uni haven't experienced life Hmm

Often follows 'school of hard knocks'

StealthPolarBear · 28/03/2019 08:39

I disagree that we've all been to the school of hard knocks. I have had a privileged life so far, and even more so when I read posts like Loreleilee1's. I'm not going to pretend my life has been tough when it really hasn't. I'm just hoping to do the same for my children.

Prequelle · 28/03/2019 08:43

Yeah I agree with that. A lot of people haven't.

And like you stealth I hope my kids don't have to, because I did and whilst I ended up streetwise, I think I held myself back a lot because of a misplaced attitude to life. Was very defensive as a person.

woollyheart · 28/03/2019 09:00

The only person that I know that uses this expression actually did go to University, but mucked about and didn't do any work, so got thrown out.

TheSultanofPingu · 28/03/2019 09:15

I just don't get the need for all this defensiveness. If someone wants to say that they went to the University of life, that's up to them. Why make it all about you?

Loreleilee1 · 28/03/2019 09:40

I'm sorry for my swear word in last nights post. Apologies.

I guess i was just frustrated. I am proud of what i have achieved but part of me wonders what more i could have done had i had the opportunities. On the plus side i have been able to give my children the opportunities i never had, so all good.

goingonabearhunt1 · 28/03/2019 09:54

Unless they follow the phrase by sneering at graduates, I don't really see the issue. Some of these replies are coming off a little snooty.

TheSultanofPingu · 28/03/2019 09:55

I was frustrated on your behalf Loreleiee1. Your post was very moving. I would have sworn too.

outpinked · 28/03/2019 09:56

The University of Life is where you go when you're not brainy enough to get in anywhere else

^ this Grin.

TheSultanofPingu · 28/03/2019 09:57

I've spelt you username wrong, sorry Smile

Loreleilee1 · 28/03/2019 10:02

TheSultan. Thank you.

moosesormeece · 28/03/2019 10:12

I hate it too, and the reason is that I used to hear it all the time in my first office job, as a shy 22 year old, by shitty people who wanted to knock me down a peg whenever I had an opinion that wasn't the same as their own or even, god forbid, knew something they didn't. I never once suggested or implied that I was better than them but they were absolutely convinced that they were better than me and that I was a silly, naive little girl. I spent far too long pretending to be stupid and unambitious to try and make those people not pick on me. Fuck them.

So what I hear when someone says that to me is "I'm a narrow minded arsehole who is proud of having never left my shit town or having had a thought that I didn't read first in the Daily Mail." I'm sorry if you use it about yourself and are not an arsehole, but that is the sort of person you're associating yourself with.

Adversecamber22 · 28/03/2019 10:42

It is not demeaning to anyone who has gone to University at all, that is just ridiculous. I worked in higher education for 21 years and never heard any of my colleagues sneering about people who had not gone to University. Some of the comments on here are incredibly small minded and nasty.

Petitprince · 28/03/2019 11:38

See also: "school of hard knocks". Wankers the lot of them.

DontMakeMeShushYou · 28/03/2019 11:58

YANBU.

To me it reads as being sneery. It's a way of suggesting that university students are molly-coddled, spoilt, and naive. That whilst they have been out surviving in the 'real world' and being all mature, university students have been avoiding growing up by extending their school years.

It was a favoured phrase of my BIL, along with students being a waste of taxpayers' money. Apparently said without a hint of irony despite the several years he spent at Her Majesty's pleasure.

Obviously that might have coloured my judgement where that phrase is concerned.

JamieVardysHavingAParty · 28/03/2019 12:06

Non-graduate here.

In my experience in English as she is spoke, it's not a phrase that demeans graduates, but it's a phrase used with the intention of demeaning graduates. It usually demans the speaker, whether they realise it or not.

It is absolutely a Wanker Alarm. For the love of gods, small furry animals and a good night out, swipe left when you see it on a Tinder profile.

Life's too short to cope with other people aggressively overcompensating for their insecurities.

needmorespace · 28/03/2019 12:17

Older, working class, not really had much experience beyond their own little town, chip on shoulder.... shall I add likely to be brexiteers?

Wankers the lot of them

Most university of life students could have gone to actually university if they hadn't spent their teen years hiding behind the bike shed with a fag, thinking they already know everything there is to know

The University of Life is where you go when you're not brainy enough to get in anywhere else

So what I hear when someone says that to me is "I'm a narrow minded arsehole who is proud of having never left my shit town or having had a thought that I didn't read first in the Daily Mail." I'm sorry if you use it about yourself and are not an arsehole, but that is the sort of person you're associating yourself with
Crikey, this thread is nasty.
fwiw, i think it is a phrase used when someone feels insecure or when they have had a tough start and done well. it is difficult to see how such sneering can be attributed to just a few words.
Newsflash, going to university does not mean you are more clever than many people who don't go. Just different life experiences and outcomes. Nowadays most young people are aware of access to university but in my day only 5% or so went - generally those from middle class professional families with some exceptions. Others did apprenticeships or worked in banks/offices etc.

You haven't studied at university, you have found your way through life very well, but still, you have not gone to university

OP, if you seriously think that people who use this phrase are trying to trick you into thinking, or believe themselves, that they have been to university, I actually despair.

PandaBlue · 28/03/2019 12:29

needmorespace completely agree with everything you said

Cobblersandhogwash · 28/03/2019 12:34

Instant knobber status.

Who cares if you've been to university or not? Why do you have to broadcast it?

JamieVardysHavingAParty · 28/03/2019 12:49

needmorespace Actually, I'm not sure that post is that nasty. "University of life" summons up such an image to me and I am definitely working class, with limited experience beyond my own town, and so on. I just don't have such a chip on my shoulder about it. It's nice to be nice and all that, and understanding of privilege, etc, but. When someone shows you that they're a berk, listen. There's no need to sneer at people for not going to university, but equally there's no need for people to be horribly defensive, and say stuff like "university of life" to get their dig in first.

moosesormeece · 28/03/2019 13:21

needmorespace You've quoted me out of context. I was describing the workplace bullies who used to use that phrase to belittle me. Obviously that is not the same as thinking all people who haven't been to university are thick or that I am more intelligent than someone who hasn't been Hmm

PicsInRed · 28/03/2019 13:26

It's the sister school of BOVINE UNIVERSITY.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=BlGC8YnfhN8

CoffeeRunner · 28/03/2019 13:34

I’ve always taken it to mean that somebody has had quite a hard/eventful life. Made a lot of mistakes maybe, or had a lot of misfortune, but who has pulled their way through it & done pretty well in spite of all that.

It doesn’t offend me in the slightest. And wanky phrases generally do 😳.

My two worst being “full time mummy” and “full time mommy to my angles”. I actually have people on my FB with both 🤦‍♀️.

RockinHippy · 28/03/2019 13:42

ODFO Confused

How ridiculous to put so much store on a harmless phrase. Anyone who takes this as minimising their own eduction seriously needs to get a grip.

I know plenty who use this or "university of hard knocks" & many actually do have degrees, one a perpetual lazy ass student has multiple degrees. It really isn't a big deal

Swipe left for the next trending thread