Feel embarrassed and ashamed to have to retake first year
I'm at Cardiff uni and I feel really embarrassed to have to retake first year due to mental health issues I've struggled with. I just feel it's embarassing being older than everyone else and having been through the whole uni experience before, and doing the same classes over again and pretending like I'm new to the uni life, anyone else had this? Just feeling a bit down at the moment 
There's nothing embarrassing about it at all! You had the disadvantage of mental health problems that other people may not have had, it's not a matter of laziness or carelessness, it's a genuine problem that impeded your studies. Also, the past year has been more difficult than any other year, so no one would judge you for retaking, I bet you that so many people will be retaking like you. You don't have to tell anyone if you don't feel comfortable, and there is no point in judging yourself! Personally, I think it's a real achievement that you got into university, tried your first year and experienced a set back and then still had to courage to do the year over again.
On the contrary, I think it's pretty respectable to do that. As the poster above me has already said, you aren't retaking it because you pissed it all away by partying and stuff. You have a valid reason. Also don't worry about age tbh. I had friends in first year who were 21. It's not like in HS where people mention it, in uni people will not really give a crap about it. There's a 0.001% some may be curious but it's unlikely they will ask why and they'll probably stop caring about it after 5 seconds.
You're never too old for life to get you down, and you're never too old to start over either. As Chloe said, the last 13 months have been unprecedented in their disruptive/destructive effects on people so don't beat yourself up over it. No need to pretend to be someone you're not, just be yourself and it'll all be good
I read your previous posts.
Being a year older than some students is trivial and not worth the guilt you are generating.
You should concentrate on resolving the issues that prevented you from submitting a single assessment to date in your first year.
From your previous post, you wasted a lot of time not accepting the Academic regulations applied to you.
So get through this self-flaggelating non issue of being elderly on this course and wake up to the extra 9k tuition fees and student loan debt that is getting racked up. Thats a tangible issue.
Being a year older than some students is trivial and not worth the guilt you are generating.
You should concentrate on resolving the issues that prevented you from submitting a single assessment to date in your first year.
From your previous post, you wasted a lot of time not accepting the Academic regulations applied to you.
So get through this self-flaggelating non issue of being elderly on this course and wake up to the extra 9k tuition fees and student loan debt that is getting racked up. Thats a tangible issue.
I understand how you feel but it’s nothing to be ashamed about. You’re making a sensible decision. The vast majority of people won’t judge you as your reasons are very understandable. If anyone does, those are the people you don’t need to be around. 1 year difference is nothing at uni and nobody will think any less of you. Don’t be too harsh on yourself, you’re being brave.
Thanks everyone! I feel much more positive about it now. Does it affect my chances of being accepted onto a master's? I want to do the MA Urban Design here at Cardiff after finishing my degree, and it says you need a 2:1, but hopefully retaking a year doesn't affect my chances of being accepted onto it.
