What sort of reactions do get to studying as an adult?

[webwiz]

I've just had my PIL staying and they are very about the fact that I am using my free time to study. In fact I would go as far as to say they do actually think I am bonkers.

DH is supportive and my DCs just think its normal but I have a couple of friends that really don't get it either and wonder why I'm bothering.

Has anyone else had the face or is it just me?

I don't think my Mum understands (I'm a very mature student attending university) why (or what) I'm studying or what I want to do next. Mind, I'm not sure many of my lecturers quite 'get it' as to why I'm there either!

Children and DH supportive as long as it doesn't interfere with their plans/needs/wants...

The commonest reaction from people I meet is that I must be doing it for fun..... which gets them a 'look'!

I am very jealous that you get to go to an actual university Itwillendinsmiles I love studying with the OU but would just love to go to a real lecture once in a while

I've only ever had positive reactions to it. Apart from my ex who asks every few months if I've graduated yet, accompanied with an eye roll. Er, nope, a degree takes three years at least bellend

My parents are proud of me, and help me out with childcare now and then. So I'm very lucky.

It's very normal for my children to see me studying and hunched over the laptop. They don't bat an eyelid as I demand coffee and biscuits!

I've only had positive comments. Most people say they couldn't do it though, as I have just finished my degree while still working full time. It has taken 4 years, mind.
I handed in my dissertation this morning [proud]
In September I am starting another course but have to pass a maths exam first. I am also doing a certificate in team leading via work as a distance learning course.
I like to be busy

Oooo, well done on dissertation! I bet that's a weight off your mind.

an enormous weight I really didn't think I would get here

missmogwi, what are you studying?

oh sorry webwiz didn't mean to leave you out of your own thread what are you studying?

insancerre I'm doing a masters in social science research which I am really enjoying (most of the time). I have a degree in psychology which I did at the "normal" time 25 years ago so I think a lot of people who I know think I should have got all this studying malarky out of my system years ago

I've just finished second year of an English degree. Hoping to do PGCE 2013, if I get on a course...

What about everyone else?

I'm just finishing a PGCE with ESOL, I have to hand everything in a week on Thursday. Now all I need is a job!

I did an evening course which I completed while I was pg with DD. I followed this (not deliberately, it just happened - gap of a full academic year between them) with a Master's started when DD was 9 months old. Everyone was very supportive of me.

DH has always been into professional development too (we just attended his professional graduation ceremony on Friday last for his Fellow).

My sis did a degree by night while working (she'd done a 3 year Diploma after leaving school, this was a completely different subject), while another sis did a Masters while working, and then also changed track and did a teaching HDip a couple of years ago.

BIL (DH's Bro) has almost completed his degree by night, having also done a Diploma after school.

All have been undertaken while working - it's just the way it is in our families.

Most impressive is DH's uncle, who has not given up yet. He started a degree when we got married (12 years ago). He is now 71, and is finishing his final module (perhaps 2?) this month. It has nearly killed him to do it, but he keeps plugging away and getting the next thing done. (He did make a mistake and invite us all to the graduation last December, but then realised he had - I think it was 2 - modules to finish before eligible to graudate).

This maybe a silly question. How long is a Masters? Could I still get funding for it, such as student loan etc?

I know I could find out for myself but I'd rather ask on here.

Oh student parents for people like me I always thought this was for youngsters (18-21 sort of straight out of school students) who had had children early. I am a fool!

You sound like me!

I mostly get positive comments as well as the "OMG where do you find the time" type comments.

My mum doesn't get why I'm doing another degree because "You already have one, what a waste of time that was". I have just about refrained from telling her it was such a waste of time it enabled us to buy a house and I will still be using it in a new career.

ILs (particularly MIL)are a pita about it though. For a number of reasons:

1. They want to know exactly what I'm going to do when I've finished it, despite being told numerous times
2. MIL keeps implying I can't possibly be looking after the kids properly to study as well
3. MIL is most annoyed that I'm planning on going back to work, which is interesting because she's spent the last 6 years complaining that I was staying at home with the kids
4. MIL has took it upon herself to assume I'm going back part-time, despite being told many times I'll be going back full-time, and keeps asking if there's lots of part-time jobs
5. They seem to think it's costing dh all his money. Dh has told them it's our money and also that most of the cost has come from my small business earnings.

The only odd reactions when I did my Masters were from my fellow students. The cycle went like this:

1. Look at me oddly (I was one of few women in the class - Computing)
2. Treat me as a mum
3. Realise I'm also a teacher and ask for help constantly
4. Realise I consistently was top of the class so book appointments with me during the exam run-up
5. At graduation, when it has become evident that I have walked away with all the academic prizes, mutter darkly about how these were all 'political' and they had to give them to the wimmin

A full time masters is one year MissMogwi mine is a part time one which will take three years in total. I don't know about funding because I'm just paying the fees (wasting DH's money like craftynclothy!)

MIL's favourite comment is that because BIL went to Cambridge he got his masters a year after leaving for doing nothing - yes I know its a quirk of Cambridge degrees that you get awarded a masters for no extra studying but what point is she trying to make

I'm a full time student (BA/LLB). I tried OU courses but I just don't have the discipline - it was easier to move to NZ and start again! I don't know how people keep themselves motivated doing distance learning, so I might look a bit at you, but only because I'm a bit jealous that you can manage it and I can't!

My family and friends have kept their negative comments to themselves, thankfully. I think they all understand why I want to do it - because I'm not qualified for any job I could bear to do for the rest of my life, and because I love the actual studying part of it.

I did have one aunt (by marriage, not a real relation!) tell me to hurry up and get a job because I'm 30 and I'm single, and if I'm not careful I'm going to be unemployable. She also thinks getting a job is the best way to find a husband, and assumes that's what I want.

Lecturers are friendly and supportive, lots of them have kids at ds's school, which is nice. Other students are a different matter, there seem to be quite a few comments in student magazines and on facebook that adult students are disruptive, they ask questions in class and they try to suck up to the lecturers. Totally unfair imo. Some adult students ask questions, because they care about what they're learning, they're not just doing it because that's what you're expected to do when you leave school. And some adult students chat to the lecturers like they're real people. Because they ARE real people, surprisingly. It's a stupid attitude and it makes me cross.

eep. That was a long post. Sorry!