Uni as a mature (40) student. What to expect?

[RoryGillmoresEvilTwin]

I'm starting uni next month as a 40 year old LP and I'm nervous!
I've had the UCAS 'congratulations!' Email for a while but as of today I've started getting emails from the uni and it's now feeling a lot more real!
Stupid things are preoccupying my thoughts such as what should I wear 😂 and what if I don't make any friends because I'm so old 😭.

I'm doing Environmental science and I can't wait but I'm now equally scared and excited.

Are there any mature students out there that can give me some perspective and/or stories of oldies done good?!

I'm an academic not a student but just popping in to say academics LOVE mature students!

There's so many of us ☺
Working definitely go to the social things if you can. I will be if at all possible.

Notall and Yetea thanks for posting your experiences. I'm now veering towards excited...I'm sure I'll go back to terrified shortly 😂 the friends thing isn't worrying me too much but it'd be nice to have someone to chat to.

Queribus I don't have any of that yet. I called my uni a couple of days ago because I was starting to worry that I'd missed something important. Apparently they start sending out all the info from this Monday. I can't wait to get my ID card!

That's really great advise Yetea Thanks! I'm definitely planning on doing lots of reading.

LaDaronne that's interesting and good news for us newbies!
Do you think it's because we're there because we want to be, and making sacrifices to be there, rather than it being the natural trajectory after school/6th form?

I just reread what I posted and I promise I can spell and have some command of grammar, just lack of checking and autocorrect!

The mature students society looked fantastic at my uni so sign up to those if they have them. I spoke to whoever I was sitting next to in the first few ‘welcome to the module’ lectures so I had people to speak to and partner with when needed. You have an easy opener with being able to ask where people are from, did they do a levels, which ones, where are they living etc.
I wish I could go back to first year and do my degree all over again, I loved it!

absolutely rory, you tend to really value the opportunity and work hard and make valuable contributions, having that much more life experience to draw on. Makes our job much more interesting!

I’ve just moved house and have updated my address on UCAS and SF but I’m worried something might slip through and go to my old address

Uploaded my photo for my student ID this morning.

Aside from Uni stuff, I’ve moved areas to go to Uni, so I’m nervously waiting on School places for my elder DDs so I can sort wrap around care and visiting Nurseries for my toddler. I’m still undecided whether to use a Nursery local to my home or one of the three at Uni (as it’s still a half hour tram ride from where I am now, prices for private around Uni are bloody extortionate!) I can’t see travelling in rush hour with a toddler being much fun though.

Hi I started last year but did a years foundation so I'm a first year too.
I'm doing environmental health. I wasn't the oldest and the young ones were brilliant company. The mature students did really well with most of us getting 2.1 or 1st for the year. I know it doesn't really count until year 2.
Its been a fantastic experience and I'm so glad I went. If anyone reading this thinks its too late to apply for this year its probably not. If there are spaces on the course you fancy you may well get on. Just ring your local uni. I didn't apply until this time last year.

I'm fortunate that the UEA is my local uni so I haven't had to move to go there. That must be so stressful Pipe!

As for childcare...I still don't know quite how that's going to work. As I don't have my timetable yet I haven't been able to book breakfast/after school clubs, and won't until school starts back up again 😣 I'm being positive that it'll all work out...😂

It's so interesting hearing about peoples experiences of being a mature student, so thanks!
Exciting times ahead!

PipeTheFuckDown while I didn't, one of my friends used a University nursery for childcare, and she did find it a really useful way of integrating into the wider university community and meeting other students and academics with young children. I realise that doesn't help you with the logistics of wrangling a toddler on rush hour public transport, but in terms of potential childcare swaps, and just meeting people who genuinely 'got' what she was going through, she said it was invaluable.

Rory I'm at UEA! 3rd Year undergrad and not a mature student but my best friend is, and lots of other students at UEA are. It's a really really diverse place and I'm sure you'll meet loads of people to get on with. Definitely second advice about comfy clothes/shoes - that's what most people here tend to wear, and although the campus isn't massive, you do end up having to leg it from one end to another a fair few times! Returning student timetables are out now, so hopefully yours shouldn't be too long, but I can't really remember when I got mine for first year. Most of the support and academic staff are really understanding about childcare needs though, so try not to panic about it - if they put you in a seminar group that doesn't work for you time wise, they'll do their best to move you to a more convenient one.

Please do ask me any questions you want or PM me!

Nice to 'meet you Argumentative! It's so great to hear good things about the academic staff and UEA in general ☺
I'm keeping an eye out for my welcome pack email so hopefully I'll know more soon. It's so weird being in limbo right now!

Pipe can I ask what career you eventually want to do? I'm currently doing an access course (science) and I'm undecided!

Glad I could help a little Rory! As we say: "Oh UEA, is wonderful"! If you need any support ever, the adviceSU team are wonderful too!

@RoseGardenDreams I’m going for a Masters and PhD too, with the aim for a research position when I’m finished.

I'm 63 and doing a BA in an arts related subject. I made friends quite quickly over all the year groups and age ranges. I did struggle with some of the technology though. Don't worry about essay writing the staff will talk you through it. A lot of our study has been self-directed which has surprised some of the students.

I have had a great time - also did some travel. I have surprised myself at what I am capable of and I have grown in confidence. I am not the oldest in the class either.

What to wear? Whatever you are comfortable in, because no one will bat an eyelid. You will see some bizarre outfits though.

My advice would be to plan methodically and take notes all the time. Don't leave essays or research to the last minute. Shout if you are not coping.

Enjoy yourself.

Good luck to you all, very jealous! I’m applying for a Masters for next year and of all goes to plan will start a month before my 50th.Hoping to find something for this year to ease me back into studying as haven’t for years.

I went to UEA! Congrats! Look on the SU website for the contact of the mature students officer and they usually have freshers events specifically for mature students. There is a 'graduate centre' upstairs in the SU building that I think is only for postgrads and mature students so if you're hanging out in there you will find people closer to your age. There was a mature student in a lot of my modules and she was lovely and chatty, very committed to study. I found everyone at UEA very friendly so if you have any specific interests definitely join a sports club or society and I don't think you will have any problems :)

I'm a mature student, just finished my first year of my degree! I'm younger than you at 28, but I have lots of friends who are in their 40's, 50's and 60's at uni. We all came from the same access course.

At my university there is a mature students group which often has coffee mornings and get togethers, so I'm sure your university will have something similar.

I have never felt so old though! I'm only 9/10 years older than the others on my course but often they have no idea what I'm talking about with regards to certain things. And it's excruciating listening to them all talk about boys etc (I'm on a very female heavy course) because I just want to shake some sense in to them I've found everyone really nice and I haven't really felt that out of place despite the age difference.

You’ll love it once you’re there! Talk to as many people as possible, and enjoy it! I started an undergraduate degree in my late 30s and I’m now a university lecturer... I have to keep pinching myself!

I went at 32.

Warning it is addictive, I did a degree, followed by a teaching diploma, followed by a PGCE and I have just signed up to the OU.

Wear what you want but most people favour jeans.

Go to any 'how to study' sessions being run and any 'how to use the library'

The OU has a great book called something like, 'how to write an essay' which is worth a look.

I'd love to know how you all manage this as I really want to go! I currently work and can't afford not to, do you have a bursary? Do you not need to work as have support?
Hoping for an answer to this as been wanting to go for years but always thought not an option for me as I need to work

@politicalcorrectnessisgreat I don't think bursaries really exist any more. I get a full maintenance loan which is about 8k a year, which pays for dd's nursery fees. Luckily we can just about survive on DP's wage but it's difficult. I'm not sure how any single parents would manage it.

36 and starting 2nd year Zoology in September.
My only worry for 2nd year is which language module I'm doing as won't know until next month when they have numbers for the classes.
I think we have a group for mature students, but I haven't joined.
Check induction timetables and, if your uni does a "freebie fair" get thee along to it! Also the society and (if you're interested) sports fairs.
It really is wear what you're comfortable in. Just never, ever, ever lose your lab coat or lab glasses if you have to pay for replacements. If your library rents out lockers, get one and keep lab stuff in there and renew as often as you can. stresses and goes to find her lab coat and lab glasses
Also, invest in a dictaphone and ask lecturers if they will allow you to use it in lectures. Use to record lectures as there will be things you miss. If lecture slideshows are uploaded 24 hours in advance, print them off to aid with notes and write down anything that gets put on the board.
And most important of all: Good luck and congratulations!

I did uni in my mid -late 30s.

I found there was a huge difference in attitude between the 18 yr olds and the mature students - all of whom apart from me, on my course, were only in their early or mid 20s but seemed so much more grown up. Lots of the 18yr olds were lovely! But often had no real idea why they were there or how to apply themselves to work.

The mature students had had some life experience and it really showed. And they all knew why they were at uni - they'd made a positive decision to go rather than nust drifted into it.

I made friends through my course mostly through group work and just being friendly to my course members when in the cafe or whatever.

I made some lasting friendships with a few of the other students who would say nice things occasionally like - I always forget how much older you are!

I met up with one of them for a catch up just this week as it happens!

Glad it all sounds so positive. I'm trying not to let doubt get the better of me or talk myself out of it! I'm just hoping the first year is easier than the access course - 9 months of stress and angst