Mature student and feeling out of place

[tearsonmypillowpaininmyheart]

So I managed to bag myself a place at uni to study environmental health. Go me, at the grand age of 41 and 3 quarters lol. I'm excited but so nervous. The 4 other people I've managed to find doing the same course are 18 for context my son is 15. Is anyone in the same boat? Have any advice. The group chats are full of freshers chats and parties and I'm starting to feel overwhelmed before I've even set foot in the place.

Go for it!
You dint need to go to freshers do you?
You will get on well with tutors
And in work placement

I wont be going to freshers not a mission unless they have a mature cheesy music night. I know im being silly just nervous.

Is there a group for mature students you can join?

Oo go you! You’ve inspired me. I’m
40 and 3/4, maybe I could go
Back to uni next year? And environmental health sounds very interesting.

How many on the course altogether?
There may be other mature students
I ve done part time masters it was fine and fun doing group projects with younger

Not silly at all! You’ll definitely be the odd one out, no shame in that making you feel weird.

My step mum studied again in her forties and all the youngsters LOVED her… kept asking her for life advice. She also did loads better than them at the studies because of her ability to focus, work ethic, etc. It’ll be great.

I've just completed an apprenticeship at the grand old age of 46!
The youngest student was only 3 years older than my 13 year old DS and I had 20 years on the oldest.
It was all fine though, I gave the nights out a miss, although they were limited due to covid but joined in any day stuff I fancied.
I found I was their go to regarding things like tax or HR or pension queries and they expected me to do most of the talking in classroom situations which did get a bit tiresome.
I did wonder what I was doing there sometimes but I'm glad I did it, it certainly gave me some insight to young adults these days and I made a dear friend.
Good luck with it and congratulations, it's never easy starting these things with 20 year old qualifications.

I never bothered making friends or even trying to. It was obvious from application that I was always going to have a very different uni experience to my cohort. I have had a fantastic time though OP and enjoyed my course in a way I don't think I could have as an 18 year old. I have also got on very well with all my tutors and managed to work in group projects well enough (though everyone expected me to organise the group. I didn't find a solution to this).

I have found the workload vastly easier to manage than most of the rest of my classes seemed to and have had great enjoyment from the various online uni subscriptions and libraries. While I may not have done freshers, made friends or joined societies I am glad I undertook uni as a mature student rather than an 18 year old. I'd have pissed about then, but have found it easy yet interesting as an adult.

I promise you that there will be older students on your course. Its renowned for career changers. I was the oldest by two years. We ranged from 18 -45. My best friend from the course is now 23 and I'm 49. This years EH graduates from your university were also a wide range of ages (LinkedIn is a good place to make contact). Don't panic. You will have a blast.

Go for it OP! There was a wonderful mature student in one of my tutorials. She said to her husband one night 'there's a young lad in one of my history tutorials and I think he'd get on with Halfhope who's in one of my other tutorials.' Husband said 'for God's sake leave the kids alone - stop matchmaking, you've only just gone back to college!'. But she ignored him and saw her chance one day to introduce me to my now DH!

Thanks everyone. Just pre start jitters!

There will be a 'Mature students' group, even if not on your course, ask the Student Union for details then you can meet a range of students across the Uni.

Years ago I did a course at college and there were just a few of us 'mature' students but we bonded really well and also made good friends with some of the younger students. Never forget going to a fried chicken shop late at night with an 18 year old lad .... never done that before or since but we had a fun evening.

I’m off to Uni next month too. I’m 38 and I’m a mix of nervous and excited! Okie r will smash it!

There was a woman on my uni course who was your age. She loved the course and did make friends with some of the younger students.
As pp said there will probably be a mature students society of some description.

Once they calm down and get into the work (hopefully!), you'll find that you're all in the same boat, and they will be friendly. I've seen some lovely friendships develop between the "youngsters" and mature students.

I'm sure it will feel a bit weird at first, but you will get used to the other students and they will get used to you.

My mother was a grandmother in her late 60s when she started her degree!

I've done 2 years of my current course as a mature student - there are a few of us on the course, and it's not been the easiest ride as I don't really socially click with anyone but I have probable Autism so I don't click with many people.

Not going to lie - I was bricking it the first day I walked onto campus but once you get into the workload it's just game face on and focus. I had one horrible batch of time doing a paired placement with someone who essentially bullied me - thought at the time it was because I was a mature student, but over the course of the last year she's shown herself to not be a very nice person to almost everyone on the course.

Don’t know if you’d find this thread of any use or comfort, OP?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/site_stuff/4327788-Is-there-a-specific-Mature-Study-Retraining-board?msgid=110096218

I went to university for the first time in mid thirties. I remember feeling sick and nervous on my first day, wondering why I was doing this. It was a healthcare based degree.

There was a variety of young and mature students....it was great to have so many mixed ages. One of the students turned 50 during the course. I didn't feel out of place at all.

I really enjoyed learning again. Good luck OP.

Thanks everybody. I'm in the mindset now of I'm there to progress for myself and hopefully make friends.

You’ll be amazed at how much you’re going to learn from the 18 year olds, OP! I was a fair bit older than you when I started a postgrad degree. My half-my-age peers were all wondrously sweet and welcoming and never once made me feel out of place.

(Do come over to the thread I’ve linked above - your evolving experience is exactly why we’re asking for a dedicated Mature Study board.)

@Edmontine

You’ll be amazed at how much you’re going to learn from the 18 year olds, OP! I was a fair bit older than you when I started a postgrad degree. My half-my-age peers were all wondrously sweet and welcoming and never once made me feel out of place.

(Do come over to the thread I’ve linked above - your evolving experience is exactly why we’re asking for a dedicated Mature Study board.)

Already commented, changed my username to something less depressing lol

I went to university to retrain and was even older than you. I wasn't able to connect with any mature students before starting but there was a little group of us in the end, and we formed into two or three friendship groups for the duration. I am still in touch with mine now and we meet up several times each year. I also made some friendships with younger students, as we worked on group projects and so on, but they haven't endured beyond sm really. I think you will be absolutely fine and love every minute - what an adventure!