Mature vs Average Aged College Student

While the average 20-25 year old is in college, life revolves around parties, getting together with friends, going on holidays, college events and hanging with family.  The cares of running a household, caring for children at home, having to do secular work, housework and homework simultaneously is not even on the radar for most of them.

The average college student does not face the pressure of being over 40 years of age, and going into debt with $30-50,000 in student loans that have to be paid back within 10 or 15 years. 

Younger students are less concerned about finding that “perfect” job.  If this career doesn't work out, there is still time to switch things up and go back to retrain. Olderstudents like me, had better find what they want to do quickly and stick to it because the older they get, the harder it is to find work.

I am focused on the reality that I need to take advantage of any and all opportunities that come my way. Having a stellar workhistory, of going above and beyond the call of duty, having excellent references and people skills; means very little in today's job market.     College students in their 20’s do not face the challenge of having to compete for a job with someone half their age; and when they DO enter the workforce, they are not being interviewed by people who are their own children’s age.  They do not have the fear of being unable to find work and being viewed as redundant because of their age.

I have to trust in myself that there are still a lot of good years left in this old gal and I mean to live them to the fullest extent.  You are never too old to learn.  Onward and Upward
 

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Onward and Upward is my motto

Going to college at any age can be a real challenge.  Try starting college when you are twice the age of the average student and it's been 25 years or more since you last sat in a classroom! 

This is exactly the daunting situation I find myself currently in.  Never having had the opportunity to go beyond high school for education until after the age of 45, I find myself a real anomaly.

Not only do I have the issue of my age and trying to retrain an old brain, but I also have the disadvantage of having a household to oversee and keep running.

Unlike my student peers most of whom live at home and still have family to rely on financially, I do not have this advantage.  I  have a husband and a son in college at the same time and all of us are trying to exist on OSAP to be able to pay the mortgage, utilities, gas for the vehicle and food.  This is like walking a tightrope without any safety lines in a hurricane! 

Although I face many challenges by attending college so late in life, there are many upsides to this experience as well. 

In the coming weeks, I will honestly discuss the ups and downs I face on a daily basis as a full time student twice the age of the other students in my classes.