Attending university as an adult learner is undoubtedly rewarding, but it can be a daunting prospect. Mature student Elizabeth started her higher educational journey in her thirties. This blog explores what she did to prepare, what she has learned about herself so far, and why it was the perfect time for her to go back to school.
I am Elizabeth, a mature student who ditched education aged 16 and did not return for another seventeen years, after a few career changes and a lot of personal upheaval. One foundation course and three years of an undergraduate degree later, I’m now studying for a Mental Health MSc at the University of Birmingham.
Life lessons
Many mature learners return to education after experiencing significant upheaval. For me, the adversity I faced made me want to work within mental health promotion, but I was unsure if I had the resilience and skillset to succeed. I found a foundation course that was suitable for my learning needs, then spoke to an Occupational Health worker and the university’s wellbeing services. Together, they listened to my worries about being too old or too late… reassuring me that I could thrive in the classroom, and that there were tools in place to help me do so.
Expert by experience
My eclectic career background, including roles in publishing, retail, banking, and project management, meant I actually had many skills to bring to university; more than I realised! I was used to juggling various roles and responsibilities and I knew how to schedule and prioritise tasks to meet deadlines. Equally, having led them myself, I already understood the importance of engaging in face-to-face workshops and the theory of learning through interaction. Having these conversations gave me the confidence to step into that classroom and believe I had the right to be there.
Creating my community
Many people worry about experiencing loneliness at university; I was scared that other students wouldn’t talk to me if I was older than them! During Welcome Week, I started to make connections – through the power of free pizza – and soon found that people were interested in my career journey and what had brought me to university. I now have a close group of friends and our varying ages make no difference at all; except when they seemed unimpressed that S Club 7 were reuniting. Sigh.
Age ≠ Wisdom
Studying alongside younger people means that I get to appreciate contemporary nuances and hear new perspectives on mental health. I am constantly amazed and impressed by the younger generations’ uncompromising expectation for equality, equity and mental wellbeing for all. There are quite a few other mature students on my course, and sharing our experiences of historic stigma and discrimination, for example, helps everyone to understand the significance of this positive change.
Ultimately, while there are a lot of differences between mature and younger students, we are all at university with the same aim – to learn. I have connected with people of all ages because we are passionate about the same topics. We want to know more, and we will support each other to do well; regardless of our date of birth.