By Heather Kittle
College can be difficult and challenging for anyone. Navigating a large campus, balancing life and school, understanding the difference between high school and college on so many different levels, trying to make possible new friends, etc. But when it comes to someone getting back into the learning scene at a later age, there’s an exceptional difficulty level.
Again, balancing life and school is difficult at any age. But as an older student, there are a few more steps we typically have to fit into our days. Although nearly every college student has a job, the reason they are working differentiates from an older student by a few. Typically, the average college student still lives with their parents, so many significant finances aren’t concerned. Maybe you have a phone bill or contribute somewhat to your house’s finances. As an older student myself, I know many of us have rent or mortgage, electricity, insurance, phone, internet, property taxes; the list could go on and on. Where I’m getting with this is that balancing your ability to work and paying your bills along with doing well in school has a little bit more critical than someone younger, in most circumstances. Losing your job because your performance at work has gone down since starting school is a realistic fear for many. Better yourself for the future or try and survive the now.
On top of balancing work and school, there are everyday things. Finding time to run errands can be difficult. Especially if you have children. (Running errands with children is a whole different balancing act) Besides the usual errands like grocery shopping, going to the bank, or taking care of children, other activities add to the list depending on age. Soccer games, band concerts, doctors’ appointments, play dates. Then you have to factor in house chores. If you’re lucky, maybe your children are old enough to help. Perhaps you’re even more fortunate than some and can afford a weekly house cleaner. But if not, then you’re pretty much on your own.
Then there’s trying to keep up with having a social life. It isn’t easy to regularly keep up with friends or family as an older adult. Life is already based on having a social life while also in school, but that is nearly unimaginable.
But you can make friends at school, right? I mean, yes, sure. But that can get weird, too. The average age of a college student is 18 to 24. Depending on the degree you’re going for, the period could vary even more. Healthcare or business degrees probably have a wider variety of ages, but art degrees may lean more towards the younger crowd.
Now, imagine being in your mid to late 30s or older and trying to befriend someone who is nearly fresh out of high school. Weird, right? In other situations, it would be creepy and not encouraged. But with some degrees, networking and collabing are essential for your future. This means connecting on socials and creating a business relationship is ideal and necessary if you want to succeed.
Speaking of the age difference, imagine having a professor who’s the same age as you. Or even odder, younger than you! You really have to be humble and step back and realize that they know more than you do and realize that’s okay. Taking instructions and critique from someone younger than you may be off-putting for some, but learning should always take a back seat to your pride.
Then, there’s just the fear of going back to school in general. It could be 10 to 15+ years since they were last in a classroom setting for some. Besides the fact that high school and college are two very different settings, the amount that’s changed with technology alone and how often it’s used in the classroom is blindsiding. Nearly everyone uses laptops or their phones for note-taking. I mean, it’s convenient and so much better than handwriting notes, but even something that small is new and can be confusing at first. And Kahoot? I had no idea what it was the first time I had to use it, but what a great interactive learning tool.
And for some, the fear comes from the experiences and failures they had as a teen or younger. To get personal for a minute, I was in no way a model student. So the idea of coming back and failing once again while paying thousands out of pocket was terrifying. Before college, I failed classes regularly, took summer school to try and catch up with my graduating class, and still ended up being in high school for five years. (Thank you, undiagnosed ADHD) But now, I’ve made it on an academic honors list every semester since I’ve started. I’ve had much of my work shown in different classes of what to do instead of what not to do. And finally, for the first time in my schooling life, I feel good about myself as a student. Now, this isn’t a humble brag (entirely) but more so an encouraging antidote to those still on the fence about returning.
Now, I didn’t write this to scare away any possible soon-to-be elder students, and given that this is published in a college newspaper, it’s more likely a student is reading this. So, this is more so for you, the average college student. We may not have understood how to use a Google doc at first, or we may ask too many questions that seem obvious, but we’re out here and willing to learn, which makes all the difference. And if you ever need some sound advice about life, we more than likely have the experience to offer you some wise thoughts and encouraging words. And with that, I will end this with some of my own: Knowledge is power, and everyone deserves peace. Stay informed and be kind.
