Is there a specific Mature Study & Retraining board?

[Edmontine]

I know there have been mature student threads. But I feel I’ve read countless, tentative Am I too old to - threads, with each OP believing they’re the first person ever to consider a degree or postgrad at 30 / 40 / 50 onwards - and almost talking themselves out of the idea before they’ve even posted.

It would be helpful to have a dedicated space - with a note at the top assuring people that they’re not freaks and would be welcomed by places of learning.

(If such a board already exists and I’ve failed to find it, consider me suitably embarrassed.)

Ooooh, Velvetbee - d’you have an institution in mind, yet?

And are you currently involved in some similar occultation - or are you a vet / diplomat / aeronautical engineer?

I swear I didn’t write ‘occultation’.

I'm totally on board for this. I started with the OU in February, nearing the end of my first module and I'm 34. I can see soooo many benefits please @soniamumsnet help support us to support each other!

I would also be interested in a board for mature students. I am 45 and looking to retrain. I already have a degree and an MA though so it's tricky trying to figure out how to do this and still earn money. DC are 10 and 7.

In an ideal world, I'd go and do a Counselling MA/Diploma (I've studied up to postgraduate Certificate level), but sadly I don't think it's going to be financially viable, so looking at other careers that look interesting and rewarding.

Currently looking at Speech and Language Therapy or Occupational Therapy. I've also looked at Social Work or Mental Health Nursing as options, but worry about the workload and its effect on family life with those two.

I would definitely be interested in a dedicated board to chat with others in similar predicaments.

Thanks, AristotlesTrousers. I considered all sorts of things before finding my perfect course. And as I wasn’t going to talk about it with my family or friends a supportive anonymous forum would have been an enormous help in refining my ideas.

I'd also be interested in a mature students board on here. I'm getting ready to start my second year of a diagnostic radiography degree (doing lots of positioning revision for placement).

Fascinating to see the variety of subjects people are pursuing.

It occurs to me there’s probably a fair bit of crossover with the Creative Writing board

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/creative_writing

It would be good to be able to find ‘Mature Study’ close to Creative Writing on the boards.

@AristotlesTrousers my current career is Mental health social work if you have any questions. Workload is high but terms and conditions are good and it can be very rewarding on a number of levels.

My special circumstances have been accepted so i now only need to worry about the quality of the actual dissertation. Very relieved

Just to slightly change the subject, I've just done some shopping for lovely stationery ready for my OU course, folders, pens, paper, highlighters, etc.

I'm so happy

Hi - just dropping in to say thanks so much for all these suggestions - we are still keeping an eye on this thread and noting the interest in the topic.

Possibly that should be interpreted as “MNHQ would like to see more posts by people who are not the OP.”

@PyjamaFan

Just to slightly change the subject, I've just done some shopping for lovely stationery ready for my OU course, folders, pens, paper, highlighters, etc.

I'm so happy

I love stationary so much but I'm seriously considering getting myself a smart pen as a very early Christmas present before I start my course next week. I know handwriting notes is so much better for my retention and I'll have the bonus of text recognition for searching and filing.

Oooh I hadn't thought of a smart pen

Off to do more research

I’m afraid I’m laughing, PyjamaFan, at the delightfully retro picture of your paper and highlighters, compared to my certainty that you’ll spend the next few years sweating over a hot 4.am keyboard, and pleading with your laptop servicer to work urgent miracles.

Do you have Kindle on your phone? I swear I did half my academic reading early in the morning under a duvet, via free sample chapters ...

I have a kindle as well as the kindle app on my phone.

I just figure that pens and paper and folders worked for me back in the 1990s and if it's not broke don't fix it!

I still used handwritten notes for my MSc, Pyjamafan, helped me concentrate in lectures and I find I remember things better if I’ve written them down. I did consider a smart pen but in the end I didn’t bother. And actually given I had to do everything on Zoom I’m quite glad as I spent most of my time with my laptop plugged in to a big screen and I think if I’d been note taking on a screen too I might have lost it!

My big tip is to have a big screen to plug your laptop in to if you use a laptop. I have an extra wide one so I can have my writing screen open and whatever PDF/website/ etc I’m looking at together. Less flicking between tabs is very useful. Also meant for online tutorials I could have a zoom screen open and whatever we were working on,

I would love a board for mature students… I found the odd thread when I started my MSc three years ago at 40. This would have been ace then!!

I have just started a thread asking about mature students doing a levels independently which is nestled in further education, though chat there seems to be more about uni prep for kids, rather than mature students. Putting it in secondary education seemed bizarre.

Come in MNHQ let us have a mature students board pleeeeeeease

And an edit button!

*Come ON MNHQ!

What is a smart pen?! Off to Google

I write a lot of notes, otherwise I just don't learn what I'm reading. And I highlight the main parts with pastel highlighters, like I'm 13 years old or something

Thanks @Edmontine - I do think I'd find Mental Health Social Work very interesting. I've looked at the fast track scheme before, but decided I needed more experience before applying. Maybe I'll leave social work on my list of possible careers while I do a bit more thinking.

TammyTwoSwanson, I indulged and bought a Neo pen m1+. It's going to get me a first . It's the one that comes in a Moleskine version (although more expensive I think) but I bought from a European reseller. You have to have special paper for it but you can print it from free templates on their website. (I'm not a shill, just very excited )

Apologies, the above reply was for @Aurignacian.

I'd be interested in this. I am 56, haven't worked since my first child was born 17 years ago. I am currently trying to make a living as an artist and thinking about getting more qualifications/ working once my kids leave home ( I have a 14 year old autistic child as well though so that could be a while.)

Being an artist is work, cannotfindanickname ... (As is bringing up your children.)

What are you thinking of studying - would it be related to what you do now, or something else?

I would also be very interested in a topic for mature students. No plans to become one myself at present, but I always really enjoy the threads about retraining and mature study, and it would be lovely to have them all together.