- I haven’t studied in years. I’m out of practice.
What if I am too "stupid" to learn this new stuff and have wasted my money?- How will I juggle my home life and school life?
- What if I can't catch on to what the professor is teaching and never "get it"?
- I haven’t written a test in a long time. I’m worried, anxious and nervous, scared to death.
- I haven't written a paper in over 20 years.
- I don’t know how to use a computer well. Everything at the college seems to involve computers or the internet.
- What is up with all this math? I don't even know the metric system. When I was in school we were only taught the imperial system.
- What if I don't find anyone to talk to and can't make any friends? What if I feel so self-conscious I give up ? Am I too old to even try to learn something new?
- I feel like such an outsider.
- I'll feel old and stupid next to everyone else. What if i don't relate to anyone? All my friends are my age so I'll feel awkward around them and I will feel so OLD around all the young kids.
- I doubt my own abilities. I won't be able to keep up with my younger classmates in a formal learning environment.
I now realize a lot of the above fears are not necessarily an age thing....everyone fears new things at first. It boils down to the following questions:
Would you rather look stupid for a couple of years then have a successful, good paying job? Or would you rather look stupid your whole life working at some low paying, menial, dead end job? My best advice is this: Just be proud of what you are doing for your own self and your own future no matter what age you are. Be proud that you are doing a good thing for yourself.
Meanwhile, onward and upward. You are NEVER to old to learn
