Would you make friends with Mature Students?

Hi,

I think this is the best forum to put this in as there is a lot of 18/19/20 year olds here.

I was just wondering on what your opinions on Mature Students are? I'm mostly on about students only a couple years older than you (23-27ish).

If you guys met/live with a mature student at Uni, would you exclude them from your social activities or would you let them join in with you on nights out etc.

What is your opinion?

Reply 1

crema

9

I'm a mature student (23 now) :eek:

Can't say I have noticed people shunning away from me... Or people deliberately excluding me from activities... Haven't even had to beg people to let me join their fun and adventurous nights out, they have actually invited me on occasions :rolleyes:

Why would they exclude me anyway? It's not like I'm hideously disfigured creature no-one can bare to even look at.

Although I have to admit I do spend much more time with grad students or professionals than the 18/19 year old people on my course. Mainly because their interests coincide with mine more than kids fresh out of school.

Why do you ask?

Reply 2

threefortyfive

Depends on what they were like, but I wouldn't not make friends with someone just because they were a few years older than me! I think the only people who would do that are pretty close-minded and not the sort of friends you'd want anyway.

Reply 3

cpj1987

15

One of my good friends a uni is about 30 years old, with two young children (I'm 19). She's a member of my group of 4 for a lot of projects, and we socialise a lot together too - thing is, I don't see her as any older than me, and though I've been to her house in the past, the concept of her with a family and children doesn't come into our friendship at all. At uni, she's one of us.

Reply 4

tbm

13

Well Im a 'mature' student myself and I dont find that people distance themselves from me. Actually, theres quite a lot of mature people on my course, I think you'd be surprised at how many people there were: I reckon around half of the people on my course are mature students.

You may find though that a lot of mature students have other responsibilites that younger students do not, for example working aswell as studying, child care, living off campus etc, so because of those reasons, people may not be as 'accessible' as younger students, just because they have other priorities. For example they might not be able to go out drinking every night etc

If people dont want to be friends with students just because they're mature then thats pathetic, and to be honest I think you'll find that most younger students arent like that anyway, and tend to have large and varied groups of friends/acquaintences

Reply 5

apotoftea

19

Some of my closest uni friends are mature students ranging from 30-50. We dont have anyone between age of 21 & 29.

Have to say - they are such a good laugh, always up for being social, going to the bar, meeting up etc. I'm very lucky that with my course (about 30 of us), a third are mature students and everyone has just mixed into one big group. There is no young/old divide and works so well.

Can't fault mature students in any way

Reply 6

Hands_Clean

OP

Thanks for your replies.

The reason I ask is because i'm thinking going to Uni in September 2008, by which time i'll be 28. I'm also planning moving away from home to go and live in another city in halls so its important I find other peoples views and research every angle.

I just don't want to move away and not make friends with people, and be excluded from the social activities by being a couple of years older.

Reply 7

fais

15

We have a girl in our halls. Complete party animal and always outlasts everyone on a night out/drinking session.

I only recently found out she's 26 :eek:

Tbh, I can't tell the difference between normal undergrads and mature ones.. chances are, if you don't tell them they won't even realise.

Reply 8

xDreamx

8

Most of my friends are between 22 - 28 anyway, so yes, I would be friends with any mature students on my course. I'll talk to pretty much anyone, anyway.

Reply 9

Phoenix Wright

8

No, I would shun them like the pariahs they are. They should also only be allowed to live in the dorm with the moat. You know the one I'm talking about...

Reply 10

kellywood_5

17

I don't have any friends who are mature students, but that's because I haven't met any, either on my course or in halls. I'd definitely want to be friends with them, partly because I'm a very strange teenager and I've always got on better with people older than me anyway because I seem to have more in common with them. As others have said, a) it would be pathetic if someone excluded you just because of your age and you wouldn't want to be friends with someone like that anyway, and b) people might not even realise you're older unless you tell them.

Reply 11

bluenoxid

13

kellywood_5

I don't have any friends who are mature students, but that's because I haven't met any, either on my course or in halls. I'd definitely want to be friends with them, partly because I'm a very strange teenager and I've always got on better with people older than me anyway because I seem to have more in common with them. As others have said, a) it would be pathetic if someone excluded you just because of your age and you wouldn't want to be friends with someone like that anyway, and b) people might not even realise you're older unless you tell them.

Oh mature students, awful get them away from me.

Ive met a few through a few societies where they are held in high regard. Also I am living with SIX, yes 6, next year (and they are all mid to late 20's). Im just 19.

So no you wont get looked down on.

I tend to find a lot of the problems can be caused by a them and us scenario that exists around a lot of the postgrads. Its something that Newcastles union society is trying to battle down, but it is quite hard work for them.

Reply 12

PinkMobilePhone

Chat Forum Helper, Life & Style Forum Helper

22

I'm a mature student (23). I don't find that people exclude me no....it's more like I exclude myself. I have a toddler and I'm heavily pregnant, so it's not easy for me to go out.
I get invited to society outings and stuff like that, but often I have to say no, although I often wish I could go.

If it wasn't for my bump and lil' un I'm sure I'd get out a lot more and socialise fine.

Reply 13

FadeToBlackout

15

From my own experience, age matters a lot less once you get to uni. You tend to go on whether you get on with the person, not how old they are. I know 19 year olds who are going on 30, and 21 year olds who could be 16.

I know several mature students and grads through the boat club, and a couple of other societies too. They're not excluded in any way; if anything, the Middle Combination Room (for grads) is more drunken and fun than the JCR!

Reply 14

campbell87

8

Ive met some great 'mature' studnts, some around 50+ and some around 30+, thers a few on my course who Id have rather not met, some can have this air of authrotiy around them, the whole, 'dont give cheek to your elders' etc which can get annoying but there in the minority, on the whole most who Iv met have been really nice and plesant.

No I wouldn't.

FadeToBlackout

I know 19 year olds who are going on 30

That's me!! :biggrin:

Reply 17

Acaila

17

Yeah, course. There's plenty of people in their mid to late 20s on my course and I get on fine with them, even with ones older than that.
I've found in halls though, older people excluded me far more than I excluded them!