37 years old and today was my first day of college.

[Mojambo]

Oldest person in my classes, but it wasn't as awkward as I'd feared it would be.

School full-time. Work full-time. IV drip of coffee full-time.

Got a long way to go, but it's a start.

Back to homework. Thanks for listening.

[mdmc]

1. Good to hear

My girlfriend went (back) to school this year at 32 years old..

[Capn Sunshine]

2. Fuckin' A Mojambo!

hang in there. It's worth it. You can get an MBA before you're 45 if you keep going

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Good for you, my dear Mojambo!

It CAN be done. I hear you about the coffee. There are people your age in my English 1A class that are doing nearly what you're doing. I can't imagine it, but I'm old and have a lot less energy.

What are you studying, if I may ask?

Good luck!

:hi:

[Mojambo]

4. Thank you.

I'm studying history, with an ultimate eye on perhaps teaching. Still kind of up in the air on that.

[chillspike]

5. I once had a 70 year old grandmother

in one of my college classes. You're fine.

[Curmudgeoness]

6. I was that same age when I started college. You are right,

it is not as awkward as you think it will be. I found it to be a great experience, however, I decided to cut to part-time work. My boss was fine with it as long as I got everything done. That was a godsend for me.

You will do fine. I really loved it. And most of the kids were great. I was surprised. I was also surprised at how many other older students were there.

I was motivated to go back by a neighbor who went back to school at 65 when he retired from the mill and he got a degree. If he could do it, so could I!

[City of Mills]

7. My friend's 85 and he's been taking courses for the past few years

It gives him a social outlet and inspires the youngins...I take care of his home computer so he can do his online coursework. He's earned two associates degrees so far.

[Odin2005]

43. Good for him!

[Aristus]

8. I just got my Bachelor's at the age of 41.

Hang in there. You can do it. And you're right, coffee is your friend. :hangover:

[Mojambo]

10. I'm shooting for my BA by 41/42

Congrats to you!

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. Congrats! :^D

[mix]

11. great news and good luck! nt

[joneschick]

12. been there...

started @37 part-time with 3 small kids & my husband traveling a great deal--worked numerous pt jobs, sometime 2 or 3 along with class work. It took me 8 yrs to complete a degree I'll never use. Who could have predicted that a fashion design degree in Milwaukee @the age of 45 might not be a truly hot ticket...

hang in there, I'm not really Debbie Downer :hi:

[femmocrat]

13. Congratulations!

And good luck to you, Mojambo. :hi:

[triguy46]

14. Are you going to pledge? Live in the dorms? TOGA!!!

[Lindsey]

16. That's so awesome! I went to college at 36 and got my

degree when I was 41. It's the proudest accomplishment of my life. It changed my life and upped my self esteem in ways I could have never imagined. While I was in school, I loved every minute of it. Give it everything you have and don't give up - you'll do it!

[NuttyFluffers]

15. that's wonderful! i find older students to be the most diligent and appreciative ones.

they know what life is like out there and what a real opportunity it is to be in college. everyone's a little loopy and ditzy from around 18-24, it takes a while to have real gratitude for the opportunity to go to college. older classmates really enriched my college experience because they often had kids and felt no qualms telling chittering 18 yr olds to quiet down or leave the classroom if they were disrupting class. older adults know how to get things done in the real world and have felt the challenges of life, leading to a real driving ambition and appreciation at school.

i bet you'll find a few more "old timers" along the way. it'd be a good idea to mingle with such peers. they make the best study partners. there's a greater wisdom in time management and realistic measurement of their own capacity -- no week long benders and trying to finish projects the night before.

[cemaphonic]

40. Yeah, I always really liked the occasions when I had older students in my classes.

I took a class that was about the history of the Jews in Spain during the Reconquista and Early Modern era that had about equal numbers of typical college students and older, retired Jews that were auditioning the class just because they were interested in it. Great class.

As it happens, I am technically a college student again at 36, but I've never set foot in a classroom - I'm in a co-op preschool with my boy that is part of a community college network, and counts as a class.

[rrneck]

17. Well done! nt

[nolabear]

18. Not too much older than I was. HOORAYYYYY!!! Okay, here's the rules:

1. Never, ever buy a textbook new.
2. Stay away from the Rathskellar
3. TPing the dean's house isn't nearly as much fun as it sounds
4. TOGA! TOGA! TOGA!
5. Enjoy. It's great being an adult student.

[laylah]

19. Way to go! n/t

[Rhythm]

20. I started a week before my 40th

I'm still hanging in, though real life makes it tough to do a full-time courseload.

Good for you going back to school!

[applegrove]

21. Way to go!

[The Midway Rebel]

22. It is a long and winding road with a bunch of "go here, do this" and then

you graduate.

Congrats on getting started. You will find yourself light years ahead of your younger classmates in some areas and behind in others. Be willing to teach them and to learn from them. Have fun.

[hibbing]

23. Good for you!

Hi,
That is great! I graduated a long time ago, but still take classes when I can and is always kind of fun with class discussions with the more traditional students. I am sure your life experience will be enlightening for everyone.

Good luck, and peace

[akbacchus_BC]

24. Congratulations and best wishes to you. It is never too late to reach

for your dreams! I wish you well.

[handmade34]

25. excellent!!!

that was my age when I went back... yup, jobs, school, kids, coffee, more coffee... loved it. Good Luck!



20 years later and I'm still taking classes (online, every quarter)

[MrsBrady]

26. In December I graduated at 38 after returning to finish a long over due degree

For more than one reason, I could not finish the first time in the mid 1990's. I had a chance to go back...went back in 08.

Congratulations! it IS hard...it really is...but I'm proud of myself.

and YOU should be proud of you.


WAY TO GO!!! :bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce:


so now get back to that homework....or get to class!! (depending on when you read this)

[Phentex]

27. We called a 27 year old "the old guy" in one of our classes...

He had served in the Army and we thought he was so old and worldly, lol.

We shoulda been smacked!

Good luck and have fun! :hi:

[sarge43]

28. I started college when I was 40.

I think we appreciate and enjoy it more after we have some life experiences behind us.

You pace yourself; that's a full load.

[bobmorr1]

29. good for you!

I am also back in school at 55. I am actually enjoying it more than ever before. Look forward to the homework each week. Good luck to you on your school.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

30. Good deal!.........

I'm 42 an I'm back in school again as well. Hopefully I'll get a bit more mileage from this degree than I did my first one.

[JVS]

31. Kegger time!

[driver8]

32. Congratulations -- best of luck to you!!

I remember being in college and having "older students" in classes. I was always a bit intimidated by them knowing that they had actually been out in the "real world".

My father went back to college when he was your age after a career in the Navy. We were all very proud of him. Good luck...I am sure that you will do fine.

[Iris]

33. Good for you!

I'm a college instructor and I truly enjoy having 30somethings in my classes!

I know it seems hard to believe now, but before you know it, you'll be graduating!

[sinkingfeeling]

34. Good for you! My 40 year old son went back last year and got a 4.0. He's

a sophomore this year, but was denied a Pell grant and is struggling.

[Tikki]

35. I graduated from University when I was 46 years old...

I was just too busy to worry about anything but getting good grades and
still being a wife and mother (to an older teen) and
I transferred in my Major from Community with five others ranging from ages 28 ~50, so
I felt we were a force to be reckoned with. :)

Tikki

[lillypaddle]

36. I got my degree at age 47

BS in business admin from a fully accredited university. HOWEVER, I got it through a competency based degree program, and as I had held typically degreed positions for many years, I was able to get my degree in under 3 years. It involved some regular classes, and some other things whereby I proved competency. You might check into something like this. Regardless, GOOD for you & congrats on this new path. You will do great, I'm sure. Best of luck!

[Pool Hall Ace]

37. Hey, good going, Mojambo!!

I returned to school at the age of 27 and earned my B.S. at age 35 (some semesters I was attending full-time, but most were part-time). I remember how many doubts I had when I first started.

Enjoy your undergrad journey, and try not to get discouraged. If you do, come back and post about it, because we're all here for ya. :grouphug:

[Lucian]

38. I'm still an undergrad at 28 years old.

The freshmen class is ten years younger than me. I feel like an old guy.

But it's better late than never. This is going to lead me into grad school next fall. :woohoo:

[mikeSchmuckabee]

39. Excellent! Good Luck!

College was the best decade of my life.

[hippywife]

41. Congratulations to you, Mojambo.

It takes a lot of courage, fortitude and commitment to do it at this point. I wish you well in this endeavor.

:hug:

[Odin2005]

42. Congrats! I had a 72yo woman in my US History II class.

Given that she had memories going back to the Depression she made the class VERY interesting, especially in regards to the cultural changes of the 60s and 70s, which hit her in midlife.

[DebJ]

44. Good luck! I finally got me degree at 54! You're still young

enough to get more bang for your education buck.

[laundry_queen]

45. Good for you!

You are in good company. I'm back in school full time at age 35. And I'm not even the oldest in my class. I can understand the coffee iv, I actually wish I could do that, as my stomach doesn't tolerate coffee so I can't have it. I don't work full time though, I don't know how you do that! I'm beyond impressed!