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Should I lie about my age to fit in?
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I'm 33 (nearly 34!) and at uni in Vienna so I am known as the only Brit, not for my age 
It really isn't a big deal. I have friends between 20 and 35 and it's no problem. When one of my friends turned 30 last year, the young ones were good-naturedly taking the piss a bit and going on about her being the oldest one on our anatomy table! So I just started talking about what I did for my 30th birthday (now 4 yrs ago!) and they were all shocked that I was older
OK, you're nearly the same age as the youngsters anyway, but if I'd tried to lie they would have caught me out within seconds - e.g. we didn't have Microsoft on computers when I was at school, I learnt to use the internet in my 2nd year at uni when I did my BSc, silly in-jokes about films like Back to the Future or Wayne's World that the youngsters don't get......music, just forget it
It really isn't a big deal - especially when you're only 23
It really isn't a big deal. I have friends between 20 and 35 and it's no problem. When one of my friends turned 30 last year, the young ones were good-naturedly taking the piss a bit and going on about her being the oldest one on our anatomy table! So I just started talking about what I did for my 30th birthday (now 4 yrs ago!) and they were all shocked that I was older
OK, you're nearly the same age as the youngsters anyway, but if I'd tried to lie they would have caught me out within seconds - e.g. we didn't have Microsoft on computers when I was at school, I learnt to use the internet in my 2nd year at uni when I did my BSc, silly in-jokes about films like Back to the Future or Wayne's World that the youngsters don't get......music, just forget it
It really isn't a big deal - especially when you're only 23
lunchbox
I don't really want people at university to see me or treat me differently because I'm a bit older than they are. Seeing as I easily pass for 18 or 19, would it better if I simply lied about my age if asked about it? I am 23, about to turn 24 by the way.
I want to make friends, to have as authentic a uni experience as I can, and people's perception of me may change if they see me as the "geezer" in the room. I act and look younger than my age too, so if I simply said I was 19 no one would suspect any differently. Although I can see how messy and confusing this could become as time went on and I become closer friends with certain people and then they see my driver's license or something!
What do you think?
I want to make friends, to have as authentic a uni experience as I can, and people's perception of me may change if they see me as the "geezer" in the room. I act and look younger than my age too, so if I simply said I was 19 no one would suspect any differently. Although I can see how messy and confusing this could become as time went on and I become closer friends with certain people and then they see my driver's license or something!
What do you think?
Lie about your age? What do you want to have about with a bunch of 18 year olds for? I'd rather chew off my own face!
I fully intend to do everything I can to hook up with other mature students, and if that fails I'll just do some volunteering/join a rugby club/something else to make some friends outside of uni if I don't meet anyone else in halls or at uni or in the hospital on placement which I'm hoping I will, but if I don't it certainly doesn't mean I wont meet new friends.
Just to add, I intend to be perfectly nice and civil to the younger folk, although the uni I want to go to is prodominantely mature students anyway. I just can't envisage having that much in common with an 18 year old, although I'm sure there are exceptions.
Thanks everyone for your replies.
Really I think the problem stems from me and my personal viewpoint that one should "act one's age" in order to avoid embarassment.
I think I am having a sort of quarter life crisis, but not in the way you might think it to mean. I just want to have the college experience I feel I missed out on and trying to decide on the best way of attaining this.
I don't want people to think "Why does she dress like this? How old does she think she is?" when they encounter me. I remember thinking at 18 or 19 that someone who was 21 or 22 was OLD, let alone 24! I remember being 20 and in college and being told one of my classmates was 24. At the time I wondered "What the heck is he so happy about? 24 and still floundering in community college! I hope to God I don't ever become him." But I have!! And this time round I will be in a classroom and some 20 year old will ask me in passing how old I was, and I'd reply 24, and they'd reply with a disinterested "Oh." I know what they'd be thinking because I was in their shoes once!
It doesn't matter if 24 is still quite young... I'll continue to grow older as time goes on and this will only get worse, not better. The trouble is I am not even sure if I want to go back to school or spend it traveling.
Anyway, i think lying would eventually wear on me and my self-esteem, so ultimately it's probably not worth it.
Really I think the problem stems from me and my personal viewpoint that one should "act one's age" in order to avoid embarassment.
I think I am having a sort of quarter life crisis, but not in the way you might think it to mean. I just want to have the college experience I feel I missed out on and trying to decide on the best way of attaining this.
I don't want people to think "Why does she dress like this? How old does she think she is?" when they encounter me. I remember thinking at 18 or 19 that someone who was 21 or 22 was OLD, let alone 24! I remember being 20 and in college and being told one of my classmates was 24. At the time I wondered "What the heck is he so happy about? 24 and still floundering in community college! I hope to God I don't ever become him." But I have!! And this time round I will be in a classroom and some 20 year old will ask me in passing how old I was, and I'd reply 24, and they'd reply with a disinterested "Oh." I know what they'd be thinking because I was in their shoes once!
It doesn't matter if 24 is still quite young... I'll continue to grow older as time goes on and this will only get worse, not better. The trouble is I am not even sure if I want to go back to school or spend it traveling.
Anyway, i think lying would eventually wear on me and my self-esteem, so ultimately it's probably not worth it.
Well i think the old adage "you're only as old as you feel" is very true. And if you feel at 24 that acting your age means you wont really mix with some people who are only 5/6 years younger, then i'm not really sure what can be said to change this viewpoint. Your post sounds like you are almost trying too hard to fit in with the "youngsters" which means not acting like your normal self - perhaps a better approach is to not try so hard, act as you would normally do and just see what happens.
Its interesting your viewpoint on a 24 year old in your college class when you yourself were above the "normal" age of someone at college. I myself was also 24 when i decided to go back into education, and i also went to my local college with all the youngsters fresh out of school. But i don't recall running into anyone who had an issue with my age, or anyone saying "god what are you wearing?" because in reality there isn't really that much of an age gap and its surprising how much in common i had with people i met, and yes i can honestly say i made some good friends, do i care that they are 6/7 years younger then me? no, and i would suspect they don't care either. Anybody who may have had a problem with my age, is not the kind of person i would want to associate with anyway.
Most mature students get hung up on the age thing at first, and i include myself in this, but its best to just look past it, and get on with what you set out to do. I think you should try to be less concerned with what other people may or may not be thinking about you, and do your own thing, and have fun, if someone has an issue with that, then to hell with them.
Its interesting your viewpoint on a 24 year old in your college class when you yourself were above the "normal" age of someone at college. I myself was also 24 when i decided to go back into education, and i also went to my local college with all the youngsters fresh out of school. But i don't recall running into anyone who had an issue with my age, or anyone saying "god what are you wearing?" because in reality there isn't really that much of an age gap and its surprising how much in common i had with people i met, and yes i can honestly say i made some good friends, do i care that they are 6/7 years younger then me? no, and i would suspect they don't care either. Anybody who may have had a problem with my age, is not the kind of person i would want to associate with anyway.
Most mature students get hung up on the age thing at first, and i include myself in this, but its best to just look past it, and get on with what you set out to do. I think you should try to be less concerned with what other people may or may not be thinking about you, and do your own thing, and have fun, if someone has an issue with that, then to hell with them.
I'm 22... although some people on my course thought and still think I'm 18. My friends range between 18 and 38 on my course, it doesn't matter. Just be honest. And if they only find out how old you are after they've known you a while it makes it more fun to see their mouth drop haha.
I had some dragging their jaws along the floor when I was an undergrad in my mid-twenties. Was pretty funny, lol.
lunchbox
I don't really want people at university to see me or treat me differently because I'm a bit older than they are. Seeing as I easily pass for 18 or 19, would it better if I simply lied about my age if asked about it? I am 23, about to turn 24 by the way.
I want to make friends, to have as authentic a uni experience as I can, and people's perception of me may change if they see me as the "geezer" in the room. I act and look younger than my age too, so if I simply said I was 19 no one would suspect any differently. Although I can see how messy and confusing this could become as time went on and I become closer friends with certain people and then they see my driver's license or something!
What do you think?
I want to make friends, to have as authentic a uni experience as I can, and people's perception of me may change if they see me as the "geezer" in the room. I act and look younger than my age too, so if I simply said I was 19 no one would suspect any differently. Although I can see how messy and confusing this could become as time went on and I become closer friends with certain people and then they see my driver's license or something!
What do you think?
This is one of the most cringeworthy things I have read on here in a long time and shows how bad people have gotten about age in the UK anyway.
OP I am 28. When I started at UCL I told everyone who would listen
I did try to get in with the postgrads etc but a lot of the girls are doing the whole "we are sooo mature" thing which does get boring
My close friends at uni are mostly 19, 20 and 21. I get invited to all the parties which are amazing. I have joined a lot of societies (probably too many) but have fun juggling them. We have also organised a party halloween weekend
However what does irritate me is when we are talking about school and I say that I left school in 2000. They look really confused and then I say I am 28 and they look even more confused
thepinkpowerranger
I'm 22... although some people on my course thought and still think I'm 18. My friends range between 18 and 38 on my course, it doesn't matter. Just be honest. And if they only find out how old you are after they've known you a while it makes it more fun to see their mouth drop haha.
lunchbox
I don't really want people at university to see me or treat me differently because I'm a bit older than they are. Seeing as I easily pass for 18 or 19, would it better if I simply lied about my age if asked about it? I am 23, about to turn 24 by the way.
I want to make friends, to have as authentic a uni experience as I can, and people's perception of me may change if they see me as the "geezer" in the room. I act and look younger than my age too, so if I simply said I was 19 no one would suspect any differently. Although I can see how messy and confusing this could become as time went on and I become closer friends with certain people and then they see my driver's license or something!
What do you think?
I want to make friends, to have as authentic a uni experience as I can, and people's perception of me may change if they see me as the "geezer" in the room. I act and look younger than my age too, so if I simply said I was 19 no one would suspect any differently. Although I can see how messy and confusing this could become as time went on and I become closer friends with certain people and then they see my driver's license or something!
What do you think?
Why lie? You only have yourself to blame if you find yourself not fitting in.
I am the oldest in my flat and probably the most well known, for the most part no one even knew I was 33 until the first time all our flat mates and me were going out clubbing, I got asked for ID......got so pissed off cos I wasn't carrying any ID with my age on it.
Ever since that time, there is no shortage of things i get asked for including but not limited to sit in as the full licensed person for a learner driver
, going places in a rental car..... get to rent it without paying the young driver surcharge and every now and then there is always an academic or two questions that some younger fellow will ask you because they think you know the answers. I don't think I will ever lie about age........as for the most part in Uni no one really gives a damn.
lunchbox
I don't really want people at university to see me or treat me differently because I'm a bit older than they are. Seeing as I easily pass for 18 or 19, would it better if I simply lied about my age if asked about it? I am 23, about to turn 24 by the way.
I want to make friends, to have as authentic a uni experience as I can, and people's perception of me may change if they see me as the "geezer" in the room. I act and look younger than my age too, so if I simply said I was 19 no one would suspect any differently. Although I can see how messy and confusing this could become as time went on and I become closer friends with certain people and then they see my driver's license or something!
What do you think?
I want to make friends, to have as authentic a uni experience as I can, and people's perception of me may change if they see me as the "geezer" in the room. I act and look younger than my age too, so if I simply said I was 19 no one would suspect any differently. Although I can see how messy and confusing this could become as time went on and I become closer friends with certain people and then they see my driver's license or something!
What do you think?
I've just turned 24 and people don't treat me any differently to a 19 year old :P Don't lie, lying is no way to make new friends. I've made no secret of how old I am but oddly it was one of the more mature students (40s or so) who simply assumed I was 18 and was very shocked to find out I wasn't. I wasn't sure how to take that...
Aeolus
Just tell them, what difference would it make being 24? Maybe if you were 34 or 44 it would be a bit more diffiicult to fit in, but not mid twenties..
Im 38 and fitting in just fine, its all about your attitude and adapting. I find a lot of the students respect me for my previous knowledge and its a nice balance to offset the party animals/less mature students on the course.
Thanks for your opinions everyone.
No offense to anyone who is my age or older, by the way. My concern with my age is a personal concern of mine and it has everything to do with my history.
I am pretty sure things will be fine anyway. As long as I am OK with myself then the world will follow suit. =)
No offense to anyone who is my age or older, by the way. My concern with my age is a personal concern of mine and it has everything to do with my history.
I am pretty sure things will be fine anyway. As long as I am OK with myself then the world will follow suit. =)
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