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23 year old first year should i mention my age upfront

Im 23 and i feel awkward i don't want to seem like a creep but i would ike make friends and im scared most people will be like wooo ur 23 and then convo just turns awkard and no change of being real friends... what to do? Drop out of uni?
(edited 4 years ago)

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I don't think it'd bother them. I made a friend I later learned was 21. I always forget and it doesn't bother me at all.
hmm I'd say don't mention it simply because ppl are just asses and may treat you differently but if they ask go ahead cos there's nothing wrong and no you wont come across as a creep and God no don't drop out. there's ppl much older than you so 23 is fineeee. I'll be 20 when I start so I get you
Original post by Christian Miller
Im 23 and i feel awkward i don't want to see like a creep but want to make friends and im scare most people will be like wooo ur 23 and then convo just turns awkard and no change of being real friends... what to do? Drop out of uni?

I think anyone worth being friends with would really not care. No need to say it first thing, just mention it if it's relevant to the conversation.
Thanks for the commetns so far any more thoughts?
You're overthinking it hun.

If they ask, feel free to disclose it at your own discretion. 23 isn't that old really. And the majority of people will be inquisitive; what did you do before you decided to study again, why have you studied again, etc.

And I think you being older than the 18 year olds is a blessing. Sure, you're not that much older but you may have experienced things many 18 year olds haven't. First relationship, first this, first that. You'd be surprised.

You don't need to randomly tell them you're 23. Life goes on lol.
Original post by Christian Miller
Im 23 and i feel awkward i don't want to seem like a creep but i would ike make friends and im scared most people will be like wooo ur 23 and then convo just turns awkard and no change of being real friends... what to do? Drop out of uni?


Up to you but I would say absolutely not. You can mention you took some time out or worked, but if you dont make an issue of it then others wont. If you go in with the idea its a big issue am afraid you will stand out whereas I think its just a minor fact and shouldnt stop you making friends. There will be many other mature students and age isnt a reason you cant be friends.
It always came up for me in conversation sooner or later because people would ask what I studied at A Level and I'd say "oh, I didn't do A Levels" and that would just go into the topic of my Access Course and me being 23.

Up to you how you do it. Judge the situation. You've no obligation to tell people how old you are.

My problem was at 23 I have nothing in common with somone who had just turned 18.... :s-smilie:
Nah. Some of my friends at uni didn't realise I was 7yrs older than them for a year+. They were surprised but weren't weird about it.
Original post by Christian Miller
Thanks for the commetns so far any more thoughts?

I've got a friend at uni who's 26 and married. Obviously we bully him for it as a joke but honestly there's not much difference between 20-26 year olds. I'm probably just saying the obvious answer, but there's no reason to bring it up unless it actually comes up. No one's really going to care.
I honestly wouldn't worry. I started uni when I was 24 and my friends are completely fine about it. They joke that I'm an old lady when I can't keep up with their drinking but I can take a joke.
Original post by MidgetFever
I honestly wouldn't worry. I started uni when I was 24 and my friends are completely fine about it. They joke that I'm an old lady when I can't keep up with their drinking but I can take a joke.

You should of phoned the woke police and had them arrested.
Seriously though age is only an issue if you want to make it an issue. But this topic seems to appear at least five times a day so I feel I may be wasting my time.
I am a post grad and 24 I went to societies and freshers were there. I'd say that not really in same ball park as first years but anyone 2nd year age is irrelevant
Original post by Anonymous
It always came up for me in conversation sooner or later because people would ask what I studied at A Level and I'd say "oh, I didn't do A Levels" and that would just go into the topic of my Access Course and me being 23.

Up to you how you do it. Judge the situation. You've no obligation to tell people how old you are.

My problem was at 23 I have nothing in common with somone who had just turned 18.... :s-smilie:

what did you do in the end?
Original post by The Empire Odyssey
You're overthinking it hun.

If they ask, feel free to disclose it at your own discretion. 23 isn't that old really. And the majority of people will be inquisitive; what did you do before you decided to study again, why have you studied again, etc.

And I think you being older than the 18 year olds is a blessing. Sure, you're not that much older but you may have experienced things many 18 year olds haven't. First relationship, first this, first that. You'd be surprised.

You don't need to randomly tell them you're 23. Life goes on lol.

I personally find that quite stressful tho 101 questions aobut what ive been up to. I just want to get to get to know people normally
Original post by MidgetFever
I honestly wouldn't worry. I started uni when I was 24 and my friends are completely fine about it. They joke that I'm an old lady when I can't keep up with their drinking but I can take a joke.

Have you just started this year? :smile:
Reply 16
Don't worry about it! Once you start you will realise there are lots of mature students in your year (ie 21 is the official definition). I wouldn't say to every person you have met the second you meet them that you are 23 but just mention it if it comes up in conversation. I took a gap year so I was a year older when I started than lots of people but tbh most of them forget until they start talking about 21st birthdays or how A Levels changed and you did the old one and they did the new one. At that point you will have loads of the grandma memes sent to you but its honestly fine!!
Original post by Aashamohamed
hmm I'd say don't mention it simply because ppl are just asses and may treat you differently but if they ask go ahead cos there's nothing wrong and no you wont come across as a creep and God no don't drop out. there's ppl much older than you so 23 is fineeee. I'll be 20 when I start so I get you


yep exactly , people can make it difficult i don't know whether to say their being any certian way tho because thinkin back to 18 year old me i might of reacted in a kind of weird way myself.
Original post by Jehaan
Don't worry about it! Once you start you will realise there are lots of mature students in your year (ie 21 is the official definition). I wouldn't say to every person you have met the second you meet them that you are 23 but just mention it if it comes up in conversation. I took a gap year so I was a year older when I started than lots of people but tbh most of them forget until they start talking about 21st birthdays or how A Levels changed and you did the old one and they did the new one. At that point you will have loads of the grandma memes sent to you but its honestly fine!!

its annoying tho i get it's a joke but should you really feel odl at 23 i feel like im in the best years of my life and getting made to feel old by 18 year olds is a drag loool
Original post by Jehaan
Don't worry about it! Once you start you will realise there are lots of mature students in your year (ie 21 is the official definition). I wouldn't say to every person you have met the second you meet them that you are 23 but just mention it if it comes up in conversation. I took a gap year so I was a year older when I started than lots of people but tbh most of them forget until they start talking about 21st birthdays or how A Levels changed and you did the old one and they did the new one. At that point you will have loads of the grandma memes sent to you but its honestly fine!!

imagine looking back when your old and thinking i was made to feel old in my twenties its certainly a waste of youth!

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