The Student Room Group

So nervous to start my access course

Hey everybody!

I am a mature student of 33 and tomorrow il be studying an access couese to social work and also i'll be studying maths along side the course.

During the summer hols, all I have been doing is researching the course, what to expect from the course, booking university days, as I will be applying to five university. And now I am so, so nervous to start the course, to the point i am thinking off not turning up to tomorrows classes. I am that scared.

Has anybody else experienced this before!

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Reply 1
Absolutely! But everyone is in the same boat. As soon as you get there and meet some people who are equally as nervous, you will feel better.
Original post by Craig Beardsley
Hey everybody!

I am a mature student of 33 and tomorrow il be studying an access couese to social work and also i'll be studying maths along side the course.

During the summer hols, all I have been doing is researching the course, what to expect from the course, booking university days, as I will be applying to five university. And now I am so, so nervous to start the course, to the point i am thinking off not turning up to tomorrows classes. I am that scared.

Has anybody else experienced this before!


Really no need to be. You should view it as a good oppirtunity to make new friends and learn new stuff. You will then be able to go to uni?

1. Other people will be nervous, but you all decided you want change.
2. You all have a similar pirpose which is to learn soemthing that interests you and is a bridge of getting to uni.


Just keep going for 2-4 weeks and then it wull be easy as it vecomes more fmailiar. Talk and intereact plys do the work set and you will be fine. Its common for people to be apprehensive about new things, just adapt and apply yourself. it will be fine.

Really nothing to be scared of and if you had bad memories, then its nothing like school and you start with a clean slate.
Original post by 999tigger
Really no need to be. You should view it as a good oppirtunity to make new friends and learn new stuff. You will then be able to go to uni?

1. Other people will be nervous, but you all decided you want change.
2. You all have a similar pirpose which is to learn soemthing that interests you and is a bridge of getting to uni.


Just keep going for 2-4 weeks and then it wull be easy as it vecomes more fmailiar. Talk and intereact plys do the work set and you will be fine. Its common for people to be apprehensive about new things, just adapt and apply yourself. it will be fine.

Really nothing to be scared of and if you had bad memories, then its nothing like school and you start with a clean slate.


Thank you for your responce.

I have had some great feed back from other students from this site and they have all been so helpful to me; just like you have; thank you.

I think its all come so sudden to me, one minute i am researching the course and the next minute il be in college studying the course.

Thank you again!!
Don't worry about it, we've all felt like that.

When I started last year we all looked nervous but by the next week there was good banter going. Everyone has that common goal of getting to uni and there's none of the BS that comes with school.
Original post by novyi
Absolutely! But everyone is in the same boat. As soon as you get there and meet some people who are equally as nervous, you will feel better.


Thank you for your comment.

Have you studied an access course before?
Original post by JamesN88
Don't worry about it, we've all felt like that.

When I started last year we all looked nervous but by the next week there was good banter going. Everyone has that common goal of getting to uni and there's none of the BS that comes with school.


Tha k you for your comment mate!

How did you find the access course?
Original post by Craig Beardsley
Tha k you for your comment mate!

How did you find the access course?


I wouldn't say it's difficult really, it's just the workload that can be a problem(I did Computing though so I can't speak for a Social Sciences course).

Just make sure you start your assignments as soon as you get them and you'll be fine. Don't leave things until the last minute and cause yourself unnecessary stress(like I did at times but I've learnt my lesson for uni :smile:).
Original post by Craig Beardsley
Hey everybody!

I am a mature student of 33 and tomorrow il be studying an access couese to social work and also i'll be studying maths along side the course.

During the summer hols, all I have been doing is researching the course, what to expect from the course, booking university days, as I will be applying to five university. And now I am so, so nervous to start the course, to the point i am thinking off not turning up to tomorrows classes. I am that scared.

Has anybody else experienced this before!

You go and you'll be just fine. There will be others there who will be feeling as you do, but get past your first day or so, and it will be OK.
IM 68 now and I did my Access course when one of my grandchildren was born and I had to take custody of him. He is 17 now and at college and I have gone back to university to do my degree.
Just keep yourself focussed on your future and it will be OK. Good luck. Come back and tell us how your first day went. X
Reply 9
Original post by Craig Beardsley
Hey everybody!

I am a mature student of 33 and tomorrow il be studying an access couese to social work and also i'll be studying maths along side the course.

During the summer hols, all I have been doing is researching the course, what to expect from the course, booking university days, as I will be applying to five university. And now I am so, so nervous to start the course, to the point i am thinking off not turning up to tomorrows classes. I am that scared.

Has anybody else experienced this before!


Hi i finished my 1year Access course a few moths ago now and can honestly say that everybody is in the same boat for the first few days/weeks - thought id share with you my first hand experience of it all. Im only 23 but was still very apprehensive to return to an education setting in a college based institute predominately for learners 16-18. But the teachers/tutors were amazing, so flexible and understanding, way more so to us than all the young-uns! I acheived C's & B's at GCSEs but due to circumstances at the time i didn't give a **** about my education. I applied for 5 choices, my local uni, an ex-polytechinc, fairly poor university (the vast amount of people on my course chose this option because of family commitments) but as i didn't have to worry about that, i decided to apply further a field. I became really good friends with this girl on my course and we both decided (for a laugh - but something to strive for) we would apply to Oxford. When our grades came in and we both achieved our offers of 45 Distinctions we couldn't believe it. Not bad for two chumps who grew up and have lived on a council estate all our lives, Two years ago i was homeless and now I'm going to arguably the most prestigious university in the world. I can't believe it. My advice is to seriously consider your university choices, it will come round really fast. Even if you only got C's at GCSE, if you are determined and focused don't write anything off. Honestly, the best decision i ever made was to walk into those gates on my first day, and i will never look back again. Wish you all the luck for your future studies mate!
Reply 10
Original post by Craig Beardsley
Thank you for your comment.

Have you studied an access course before?


Yes, a long time ago. I finished it in 2003. It was a great experience!
Original post by Seamus123
You go and you'll be just fine. There will be others there who will be feeling as you do, but get past your first day or so, and it will be OK.
IM 68 now and I did my Access course when one of my grandchildren was born and I had to take custody of him. He is 17 now and at college and I have gone back to university to do my degree.
Just keep yourself focussed on your future and it will be OK. Good luck. Come back and tell us how your first day went. X


Thank you mate and good luck
Original post by JTFrith
Hi i finished my 1year Access course a few moths ago now and can honestly say that everybody is in the same boat for the first few days/weeks - thought id share with you my first hand experience of it all. Im only 23 but was still very apprehensive to return to an education setting in a college based institute predominately for learners 16-18. But the teachers/tutors were amazing, so flexible and understanding, way more so to us than all the young-uns! I acheived C's & B's at GCSEs but due to circumstances at the time i didn't give a **** about my education. I applied for 5 choices, my local uni, an ex-polytechinc, fairly poor university (the vast amount of people on my course chose this option because of family commitments) but as i didn't have to worry about that, i decided to apply further a field. I became really good friends with this girl on my course and we both decided (for a laugh - but something to strive for) we would apply to Oxford. When our grades came in and we both achieved our offers of 45 Distinctions we couldn't believe it. Not bad for two chumps who grew up and have lived on a council estate all our lives, Two years ago i was homeless and now I'm going to arguably the most prestigious university in the world. I can't believe it. My advice is to seriously consider your university choices, it will come round really fast. Even if you only got C's at GCSE, if you are determined and focused don't write anything off. Honestly, the best decision i ever made was to walk into those gates on my first day, and i will never look back again. Wish you all the luck for your future studies mate!


Wow mate , good for you!

You have turned your life around drastically. Nice one and well done!
Thank you for you kind responce. I wish you all the luck in the world for your future!
Reply 13
I'm 36 and starting University in a few weeks as a mature student. I'm nervous and anxious as well, but I think that's normal, it's worrying about the unknown and what's to come but once you get there and get stuck into the work and get to know people on your course you'll be grand. The most important thing when feeling nervous and like not turning up is to just get there and get through those awkward first few days because if you don't it'll only get harder as you'll then have the anxiety of having missed days on top. Best of luck with your first day tomorrow.
Original post by Craig Beardsley
Thank you for your responce.

I have had some great feed back from other students from this site and they have all been so helpful to me; just like you have; thank you.

I think its all come so sudden to me, one minute i am researching the course and the next minute il be in college studying the course.

Thank you again!!


Try and change your mindset so it looks at the positives.

Making new friends.
Gaining knowledge
Greater confidence.
Step closer to university and a carer you want at he end.
Step away from the boredom or what you dont like about your current situation.

If you dont go then you are saying no to the possibility of all the above.
Just go and stick it out for a few weeks and things get easier as you adjust and things become familiar.
Original post by 999tigger
Try and change your mindset so it looks at the positives.

Making new friends.
Gaining knowledge
Greater confidence.
Step closer to university and a carer you want at he end.
Step away from the boredom or what you dont like about your current situation.

If you dont go then you are saying no to the possibility of all the above.
Just go and stick it out for a few weeks and things get easier as you adjust and things become familiar.


Thank you!
How did it go? :smile:
Original post by Lizzipth_Floyd
How did it go? :smile:


Hey !
How are you?

Yes it went very well, although it was only a induction week, we met our tutor and other students that were taking the course, other all it went really well.

The course seems very interesting and intense!

I am on the bus to the college as a write this msg and still nervous lol.

Thank you for replying.
Original post by Craig Beardsley
Hey !
How are you?

Yes it went very well, although it was only a induction week, we met our tutor and other students that were taking the course, other all it went really well.

The course seems very interesting and intense!

I am on the bus to the college as a write this msg and still nervous lol.

Thank you for replying.


Glad it went well :smile:

I am OK, getting extremely nervous myself about starting next week. Have been sent a lot of induction material already, and I really should get on with the preparatory work the college have set :colondollar:
Original post by Lizzipth_Floyd
Glad it went well :smile:

I am OK, getting extremely nervous myself about starting next week. Have been sent a lot of induction material already, and I really should get on with the preparatory work the college have set :colondollar:


Nice. What are you studying?

I got set an ungraded assignment on my second day. I was nervouse doing it. I was just to see where everyones at with thier writing, as everyone is different.

Good luck to you!

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