Worried about going to uni at 21

I don't know why but I'm uneasy about going to uni at 21. Uni is sort of portrayed as the base for 18-21 year olds and I can't help thinking I'll be a bit of an outcast, sharing a flat with people who are all 3 years younger than me.
I am not interested in the conventional 'uni experience' of partying but I would like to make friends. If I'm 21, will this not make it more difficult?

Reply 1

Anonymous #2

I'm turning 30 next year, and am doing uni right now. So far it's been great (though I'm okay being relatively secluded).
I'd say for every person that goes clubbing every other night, there are probably 5 others that don't touch alcohol for one bit.

Reply 2

domonict

17

No problem.
One of the most popular students on a course was (I think) in her 60’s.
Granted, she lived at home and didn’t go partying a lot!

21 is nothing and plenty of people are over 19-25 when arriving

Reply 3

Scotland Yard

Clearing and Applications Advisor, Universities Forum Helper

20

Not an issue for anyone, promise! I myself am a year or two older than most people on my year, and I know someone else who's even a year older than me! Not that I, or anybody else noticed until he told us. It genuinely doesn't matter, trust me, people won't know unless you tell them, and they won't care one bit. Enjoy uni! :smile:

Original post by Anonymous

I don't know why but I'm uneasy about going to uni at 21. Uni is sort of portrayed as the base for 18-21 year olds and I can't help thinking I'll be a bit of an outcast, sharing a flat with people who are all 3 years younger than me.
I am not interested in the conventional 'uni experience' of partying but I would like to make friends. If I'm 21, will this not make it more difficult?

Hey there!

I really wouldn't worry about this. In my first year at university, my whole friendship group were above 21 and I didn't even notice. We only noticed like halfway through the year that we were different ages and it never made a difference to us. We found loads of other interests apart from going out and did other things all the time. My point is I feel like no one even makes a point of telling people their age at uni and you really won't notice the difference. Sure you may find a lot of people want to go out and party all the time but on the other side of that, there's always people who don't. You could try joining societies and sitting with a big group of people in your lectures, those things proved successful for me personally.

Hope this helped!
Lucy - Digital Student Ambassador SHU

Original post by Anonymous

I don't know why but I'm uneasy about going to uni at 21. Uni is sort of portrayed as the base for 18-21 year olds and I can't help thinking I'll be a bit of an outcast, sharing a flat with people who are all 3 years younger than me.
I am not interested in the conventional 'uni experience' of partying but I would like to make friends. If I'm 21, will this not make it more difficult?

Hey!

As people have said above, there are a lot of people who will be over 18 when starting uni! Personally, in my first year, 2 of my flatmates were 22 and 23, and as others have said above it literally made no difference to our friendship! You're still all pretty close in age so I'm sure will find common ground!

Best of luck with everything!

Natalie
University of Kent Student Rep (PhD Psychology)

Worried about going to uni at 21

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