What's it REALLY like as a thirty-something going to uni for the first time?
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Original post by john2054
But you've already got a degree right 571?
Yes, I do.
Original post by 571122
Yes, I do.
How is your job hunt going? It's like the markets, you never can tell, but keep on trying, and your hard work should pay off eventually okay?
J
Original post by iaintasnaketho
LET'S BE FAIR, I HAVE A MORE DEEPER AND MOVING STORY HERE THAT I NEED HELP WITH. I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO. WHOEVER HELPS ME WILL GET A CAKE. PLEASE I'M RELYING ON YOU GUYS!!
PEGI 18!
Help!! My friend grows bacteria!! ;( How am i gna live with him???
THIS HAPPENED AT UNI, PLEAcan SE HELP ME!!
So basically yh... we agreed that myself and my other mate are going to move in with this friend (we'll call him X) and made this plan 2 month ago. However, we were told by X's flat mate that he is the flatmate from HELL!! he leaves food in the kitchen for 3 weeks to the point where blue bacteria grows on it like wtf.. he doesnt wash his dishes and when he does, he merely wipes it and puts it away... furthermore, he takes up 95% of the freezer... and the rest of the 5 flat mates have to share the rest of the fridge... when they confront X about this, he says hes busy and gets confrontational. X's flatmate has said we can move in with him, but we dont wana snake X as hes a cool guy. I cant deal with bacterial colonies in our kitchen... and as for the toilet, lets not mention that. And dont get me started on X's flatmates protein powder. He only said he can borrow some of the powder. A normal person would borrow a scoop or two max, he decided to use the whole 40kilo bag in one day... (exaggeration but it was finished lol)... someone help us wat shall we do. even if he promises hes gna not do it i dont wana get tied down in a year long rental contract. Appreciate the help. thanks
PEGI 18!
Help!! My friend grows bacteria!! ;( How am i gna live with him???
THIS HAPPENED AT UNI, PLEAcan SE HELP ME!!
So basically yh... we agreed that myself and my other mate are going to move in with this friend (we'll call him X) and made this plan 2 month ago. However, we were told by X's flat mate that he is the flatmate from HELL!! he leaves food in the kitchen for 3 weeks to the point where blue bacteria grows on it like wtf.. he doesnt wash his dishes and when he does, he merely wipes it and puts it away... furthermore, he takes up 95% of the freezer... and the rest of the 5 flat mates have to share the rest of the fridge... when they confront X about this, he says hes busy and gets confrontational. X's flatmate has said we can move in with him, but we dont wana snake X as hes a cool guy. I cant deal with bacterial colonies in our kitchen... and as for the toilet, lets not mention that. And dont get me started on X's flatmates protein powder. He only said he can borrow some of the powder. A normal person would borrow a scoop or two max, he decided to use the whole 40kilo bag in one day... (exaggeration but it was finished lol)... someone help us wat shall we do. even if he promises hes gna not do it i dont wana get tied down in a year long rental contract. Appreciate the help. thanks
Can you shut up and stop posting your **** everywhere?
I'm in my 2nd year undergrad. I don't live in halls. I'm the oldest in my class by far at 68 and most of the younger students in my class I have grandchildren their ages, and a couple of mature students in their 30s and 40s I have children their age. I have never had any problems with any students in my class and get on especially the younger ones. I'm their student rep 2 years running and I don't see the problem with a 30 year old. X
I wouldn't let your age prevent you from studying - although as others have said your uni experience would probably be quite different to most undergrads. Personally, I would worry less about the social side of uni (you're there to learn after all) and instead focus on learning - having years of work behind you should help you to appreciate this opportunity, unalike some 18 year olds who see lectures as getting in the way of their partying...
As DCRsilver suggested, getting to know some postgrad students may be the best bet
However, I would be concerned that you haven't worried at all about what subject you would be studying - have you decided what kind of career you're looking to move into? Picking a really relevant degree would be helpful, and if you're going to commit three years of your life studying something you'll need to be passionate about it! Tbh, a degree on its own is an overrated bit of paper unless you're learning important technical skills you'll need for a job (e.g. engineering) and work experience is always top of the list in what graduate employers are looking for. It may be worth considering if a degree really is required for the jobs you want to go into, and I wouldn't discount the OU as an option as the flexibility and distance learning could be helpful for you (again, I'd say don't worry about the social side of uni at all - if anything, avoiding drunk 18 yr olds vomiting on your door in halls and stealing your food should be a priority...).
As DCRsilver suggested, getting to know some postgrad students may be the best bet
However, I would be concerned that you haven't worried at all about what subject you would be studying - have you decided what kind of career you're looking to move into? Picking a really relevant degree would be helpful, and if you're going to commit three years of your life studying something you'll need to be passionate about it! Tbh, a degree on its own is an overrated bit of paper unless you're learning important technical skills you'll need for a job (e.g. engineering) and work experience is always top of the list in what graduate employers are looking for. It may be worth considering if a degree really is required for the jobs you want to go into, and I wouldn't discount the OU as an option as the flexibility and distance learning could be helpful for you (again, I'd say don't worry about the social side of uni at all - if anything, avoiding drunk 18 yr olds vomiting on your door in halls and stealing your food should be a priority...).
I started my undergrad degree aged 44. Here are my thoughts/experiences.
Won't lie, the first year was pretty lonely. The younger students were wary of talking to me, but I was probably the first older person they'd had as a peer. By the start of the second year I was just part of the furniture and was included in banter like everyone else. I wasn't about to go clubbing with them, but I was asked to pub quizzes and often invited to student houses for roast dinners and pizza/movie nights. Being that much younger than me, I don't see why clubbing etc would be out of the question for you.
Halls are pretty much the centre of social life in the first year. It's exactly the right place to be if that's your concern. Be aware that most Halls aren't available year round and you'll probably have to find somewhere else to live outside term time. The rent costs quoted on uni websites will generally not include outside term time occupation. Remember to factor that into your budget. Student Finance isn't generous and will assume that students live rent-free with parents outside term time.
No degree will guarantee you a job. But as someone with a pre-uni CV, you also have a raft of professional skills and business references which fresh graduates won't. In some respects, you'll have advantages over them.
To be brutally honest, at 30 and single, you're not exactly on track for settling down and having a family in your current life. Maybe at uni you'll meet the right person? You'll be in a community of thousands of new people you wouldn't have otherwise met. A reasonable number of them will be mature students, if the age thing bothers you. Plus I can guarantee that many of your school mates with families and mortgages, would give their eye teeth to be single and free of responsibilities! The grass is always greener.
There's no "should" about it. There will be ways for you to switch careers without going to uni. You need to decide what you want to do as a new career, then explore how to get there. It may or may not involve getting a degree. But without knowing where you want to end up, you have no way of figuring out the best way of getting there.
Original post by AbernathyRanch
•
Due to my age, the majority of people in my "classes/lectures" will be a lot younger (19+), and naturally I might find myself isolated. I don't want to be a loner!
Won't lie, the first year was pretty lonely. The younger students were wary of talking to me, but I was probably the first older person they'd had as a peer. By the start of the second year I was just part of the furniture and was included in banter like everyone else. I wasn't about to go clubbing with them, but I was asked to pub quizzes and often invited to student houses for roast dinners and pizza/movie nights. Being that much younger than me, I don't see why clubbing etc would be out of the question for you.
•
Having to live in halls/dorms (I feel I'll have to go down this route), again feeling isolated or withdrawn from social circles
Halls are pretty much the centre of social life in the first year. It's exactly the right place to be if that's your concern. Be aware that most Halls aren't available year round and you'll probably have to find somewhere else to live outside term time. The rent costs quoted on uni websites will generally not include outside term time occupation. Remember to factor that into your budget. Student Finance isn't generous and will assume that students live rent-free with parents outside term time.
•
Am I leaving it too late? I mean, I'll be around 35 when I graduate, competing with younger, fresh faced graduates for the same jobs and I've heard stories of ageism in many sectors regardless of the legality of it.
No degree will guarantee you a job. But as someone with a pre-uni CV, you also have a raft of professional skills and business references which fresh graduates won't. In some respects, you'll have advantages over them.
•
Am I missing out on the "core" years of my life? I mean, I'm currently 30, single, and at some point I'd like to settle down and start a family....these are kind of "core" years for that, and a lot of people I went to school with and friends of mine that are my age, many of them have families/mortgages etc.
To be brutally honest, at 30 and single, you're not exactly on track for settling down and having a family in your current life. Maybe at uni you'll meet the right person? You'll be in a community of thousands of new people you wouldn't have otherwise met. A reasonable number of them will be mature students, if the age thing bothers you. Plus I can guarantee that many of your school mates with families and mortgages, would give their eye teeth to be single and free of responsibilities! The grass is always greener.
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Should I just focus on getting a different career without 3 years+ of uni?
There's no "should" about it. There will be ways for you to switch careers without going to uni. You need to decide what you want to do as a new career, then explore how to get there. It may or may not involve getting a degree. But without knowing where you want to end up, you have no way of figuring out the best way of getting there.
Original post by Klix88
x
Note to anyone else: this poster is always right.
Original post by cambio wechsel
Note to anyone else: this poster is always right.
Thank you very much for the vote of confidence! However in the interests of balance, I ought to point out that I do get things wrong sometimes! My post above was based on my personal experience - not necessarily right or wrong, just what I saw
Original post by years101
can you shut up and stop posting your **** everywhere?
u will never understand wat im going thr.... If u were in my place god knows wat u wud do.... Im talking about bacterial farms in the kitchen
Original post by john2054
How is your job hunt going? It's like the markets, you never can tell, but keep on trying, and your hard work should pay off eventually okay?
J
J
Thanks man. Yeah, my job hunt is going empty. I keep applying and I keep getting rejected. The simple reason is that I need to perfect my technical skills (believe it or not) and my social skills.
My plan is to re-study everything I learned in university and re-do my programming projects as well as creating new ones. I'll try to make websites like Youtube, Instagram,.. The IT world is a tough one out there. You need to be on top of your skills.
Original post by 571122
Thanks man. Yeah, my job hunt is going empty. I keep applying and I keep getting rejected. The simple reason is that I need to perfect my technical skills (believe it or not) and my social skills.
My plan is to re-study everything I learned in university and re-do my programming projects as well as creating new ones. I'll try to make websites like Youtube, Instagram,.. The IT world is a tough one out there. You need to be on top of your skills.
My plan is to re-study everything I learned in university and re-do my programming projects as well as creating new ones. I'll try to make websites like Youtube, Instagram,.. The IT world is a tough one out there. You need to be on top of your skills.
Really please, don't do this. You will be wasting time and money. You already have a perfectly good degree. Maybe take on a couple of moocs, and get some voluntary work experience. Even if it is just charity shop jobs. I really don't think it is a waste of time reading for another degree, when you already have a perfectly good one, okay?
John.
You will be killing yourself!
Great thread, very encouraging for us 'oldies'!
I lived with a guy who was 19 and he was OLD as anything, like seriously grandad what you doin at uni?
Original post by TheExtrovertGod
I lived with a guy who was 19 and he was OLD as anything, like seriously grandad what you doin at uni?
My grandad was 92 when he died i think. Just because we are older than you, doesn't mean that we are grandparents, okay?
Original post by john2054
Really please, don't do this. You will be wasting time and money. You already have a perfectly good degree. Maybe take on a couple of moocs, and get some voluntary work experience. Even if it is just charity shop jobs. I really don't think it is a waste of time reading for another degree, when you already have a perfectly good one, okay?
John.
You will be killing yourself!
John.
You will be killing yourself!
What's a degree if your skills aren't on top? I've been asked questions such as:
"What is MVC? How does it relate to patterns? Which frameworks could you plug into M, V and C respectively? Could Spring MVC be considered a model? Why not Spring Core? Describe the architecture of your internship project and explain how all the layers work together".
I have not studied any of that stuff since 2012 and now they want me to explain it like I was some professor. These things are very theoretical and I only remembered them well during the time I studied them.. now I forgot all about it.
It's things like these that nail you in interviews. There's no other way.. I need to be the Superman of Computer Science - my skills can't weaken.
Original post by 571122
What's a degree if your skills aren't on top? I've been asked questions such as:
"What is MVC? How does it relate to patterns? Which frameworks could you plug into M, V and C respectively? Could Spring MVC be considered a model? Why not Spring Core? Describe the architecture of your internship project and explain how all the layers work together".
I have not studied any of that stuff since 2012 and now they want me to explain it like I was some professor. These things are very theoretical and I only remembered them well during the time I studied them.. now I forgot all about it.
It's things like these that nail you in interviews. There's no other way.. I need to be the Superman of Computer Science - my skills can't weaken.
"What is MVC? How does it relate to patterns? Which frameworks could you plug into M, V and C respectively? Could Spring MVC be considered a model? Why not Spring Core? Describe the architecture of your internship project and explain how all the layers work together".
I have not studied any of that stuff since 2012 and now they want me to explain it like I was some professor. These things are very theoretical and I only remembered them well during the time I studied them.. now I forgot all about it.
It's things like these that nail you in interviews. There's no other way.. I need to be the Superman of Computer Science - my skills can't weaken.
If you couldn't get a job before with a degree, what makes you think that you will get one now? You have already said that there are people with clearly inferior knowledge bases, getting in from interviews, where you are rejected. This is why i think that there are probably other issues, than your academic skill base, which need to be addressed. Such as your social skills. Why don't you try something social, or perhaps as well as, to make sure that this time at uni isn't a total waste? You could join a sports club for example? Or some political society?
Original post by john2054
If you couldn't get a job before with a degree, what makes you think that you will get one now? You have already said that there are people with clearly inferior knowledge bases, getting in from interviews, where you are rejected. This is why i think that there are probably other issues, than your academic skill base, which need to be addressed. Such as your social skills. Why don't you try something social, or perhaps as well as, to make sure that this time at uni isn't a total waste? You could join a sports club for example? Or some political society?
It hasn't helped me one bit. I'm not compatible with people.
Original post by 571122
It hasn't helped me one bit. I'm not compatible with people.
it's just in your head imho. when i was at school i was bad with people. since then i have learnt how to make friends, and be more sociable. like i said, it is a skill like everything else. but just doing another degree, won't change this im afraid. that is why i said you should join a club or something. to be honest with you, you can do this without paying for another degree, surely>?
Original post by john2054
it's just in your head imho. when i was at school i was bad with people. since then i have learnt how to make friends, and be more sociable. like i said, it is a skill like everything else. but just doing another degree, won't change this im afraid. that is why i said you should join a club or something. to be honest with you, you can do this without paying for another degree, surely>?
Yes - and my current situation doesn't permit studying for another degree.
Original post by 571122
Yes - and my current situation doesn't permit studying for another degree.
So if you can't read another degree, what are you going to do now then?
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