Anxious about uni as a mature student

Is anyone else going into their first year of university as a mature student feeling anxious about being surrounded by teenagers?

I'm 24 but I look very young (I get IDed for PARACETAMOL regularly!) And I'm starting to feel quite nervous about being in a setting that's mostly young adults who haven't quite left school behind yet. I know university is very different to school and I'm otherwise excited for my course, but I was picked on quite badly at secondary school and again at college, I dropped out because of it. I'm really worried that I'm going to be read as a teenager by other students and treated accordingly. These are anxieties that I thought I'd long since left behind, but I'm now in a position where these nerves are opening old wounds I had forgotten existed.

The whole idea of being surrounded by young adults who are stepping into independent life for the first time fills me with a fair amount of dread, they're just learning how to be an adult and their behaviour usually reflects that (I know mine did)

I cant be alone in this, can I? I've paid bills for longer than most of them will have been out of primary school!! I have no intention of sharing social space with any of them unless I happen to click with someone on my course, outside of the mature student soc and the Christian soc I won't go to events, but I'm just stressed about being in the corridors and study spaces with freedom fueled 18 year olds!

How have other mature students coped with being an adult in a setting full of young people? Am I being ridiculous getting so worked up over this? Help!!

Reply 1

Chibie

Original post by ramblingsnail

Is anyone else going into their first year of university as a mature student feeling anxious about being surrounded by teenagers?
I'm 24 but I look very young (I get IDed for PARACETAMOL regularly!) And I'm starting to feel quite nervous about being in a setting that's mostly young adults who haven't quite left school behind yet. I know university is very different to school and I'm otherwise excited for my course, but I was picked on quite badly at secondary school and again at college, I dropped out because of it. I'm really worried that I'm going to be read as a teenager by other students and treated accordingly. These are anxieties that I thought I'd long since left behind, but I'm now in a position where these nerves are opening old wounds I had forgotten existed.
The whole idea of being surrounded by young adults who are stepping into independent life for the first time fills me with a fair amount of dread, they're just learning how to be an adult and their behaviour usually reflects that (I know mine did)
I cant be alone in this, can I? I've paid bills for longer than most of them will have been out of primary school!! I have no intention of sharing social space with any of them unless I happen to click with someone on my course, outside of the mature student soc and the Christian soc I won't go to events, but I'm just stressed about being in the corridors and study spaces with freedom fueled 18 year olds!
How have other mature students coped with being an adult in a setting full of young people? Am I being ridiculous getting so worked up over this? Help!!

Hello don’t let this anxiety control you, nothing to worry. You will stand out from the crowd stay focused and don’t feel intimidated by age. University is for all ages. Good luck and 😊

Reply 2

ArtsUniPlymouth

Official Rep

Original post by ramblingsnail

Is anyone else going into their first year of university as a mature student feeling anxious about being surrounded by teenagers?
I'm 24 but I look very young (I get IDed for PARACETAMOL regularly!) And I'm starting to feel quite nervous about being in a setting that's mostly young adults who haven't quite left school behind yet. I know university is very different to school and I'm otherwise excited for my course, but I was picked on quite badly at secondary school and again at college, I dropped out because of it. I'm really worried that I'm going to be read as a teenager by other students and treated accordingly. These are anxieties that I thought I'd long since left behind, but I'm now in a position where these nerves are opening old wounds I had forgotten existed.
The whole idea of being surrounded by young adults who are stepping into independent life for the first time fills me with a fair amount of dread, they're just learning how to be an adult and their behaviour usually reflects that (I know mine did)
I cant be alone in this, can I? I've paid bills for longer than most of them will have been out of primary school!! I have no intention of sharing social space with any of them unless I happen to click with someone on my course, outside of the mature student soc and the Christian soc I won't go to events, but I'm just stressed about being in the corridors and study spaces with freedom fueled 18 year olds!
How have other mature students coped with being an adult in a setting full of young people? Am I being ridiculous getting so worked up over this? Help!!

Hi @ramblingsnail

I'm a bit older than you and can tell you that I had the same anxious feelings, and background as you. I'm just about to go into my 3rd year.

I contacted student support before I got to Uni, and asked for some wellbeing appointments, where I could just chat to someone about what I was feeling. It helped a lot. There was a mature student mixer during freshers, so I went along to that. I still meet up with most of the people I got chatting to there. My Uni has a Mature Student society so I go and meet up with them, and chat. The paid officers of my student union were great too. They tend to be a bit older, but have been students too, so understand what you're going through.

I've found the mix of younger students to be great. Some 'old souls' that I have really gelled with, and some party kids too. There are some really immature ones I've struggled with, but I've learned to smile and move on, and keep my eye rolls hidden.

If anything gets too much you can just get up and walk away, even in lectures and tutorials. Uni's and their staff expect a level of independence from us. You're not being ridiculous and I think asking this questions shows that you're going to find your own people and deal with the difficult situations well. You'll find the people that feel the same way as you.

Hope that helps, and feel free to ask questions

Andrea. 3rd year student.
Arts University Plymouth Rep
Aup.ac.uk
Talk to our students -
💻 Email us at [email protected]⁠
☎️ Call us on 01752 203402⁠
📱 Whatsapp us at 07722 744184⁠

Reply 3

University of Salford Student Rep

Official Rep

Original post by ramblingsnail

Is anyone else going into their first year of university as a mature student feeling anxious about being surrounded by teenagers?
I'm 24 but I look very young (I get IDed for PARACETAMOL regularly!) And I'm starting to feel quite nervous about being in a setting that's mostly young adults who haven't quite left school behind yet. I know university is very different to school and I'm otherwise excited for my course, but I was picked on quite badly at secondary school and again at college, I dropped out because of it. I'm really worried that I'm going to be read as a teenager by other students and treated accordingly. These are anxieties that I thought I'd long since left behind, but I'm now in a position where these nerves are opening old wounds I had forgotten existed.
The whole idea of being surrounded by young adults who are stepping into independent life for the first time fills me with a fair amount of dread, they're just learning how to be an adult and their behaviour usually reflects that (I know mine did)
I cant be alone in this, can I? I've paid bills for longer than most of them will have been out of primary school!! I have no intention of sharing social space with any of them unless I happen to click with someone on my course, outside of the mature student soc and the Christian soc I won't go to events, but I'm just stressed about being in the corridors and study spaces with freedom fueled 18 year olds!
How have other mature students coped with being an adult in a setting full of young people? Am I being ridiculous getting so worked up over this? Help!!

Hi @ramblingsnail

Well done for posting about this, you aren’t ridiculous to be thinking about this, I think a lot of mature students worry about this including myself (a fellow mature student)!

I totally understand why you feel like this as a fellow mature student. Attending university as a mature student can be daunting, let alone if you have previous negative experiences in an educational setting. especially if you think you will be mistaken for being the same age as younger peers, this becomes more flattering as you get older, but not in this situation.

I am about to go into my third and final year of a Theatre and Performance Practice degree and I have had the best time at university, but when I decided to return to education in my late twenties the prospect of being surrounded by people ten years my junior who are finding their feet (often having left home for the first time) did feel nerve-wracking. How would I connect with people with such different frames of reference? However, I was pleasantly surprised, like you said university is different to school. One thing you might find is that everyone is more engaged, because they have usually selected a course they like and therefore although they will be finding their feet, often they are really interested in studying.

Many courses have students of varying ages, you might find other mature students on your course. I have discovered that some of the youngest students can be just as mature as some of the older students and sometimes have a refreshingly different perspective on things, of course, other times I have felt the difference in our ages. It is great you have already identified that you might meet up with people on your course that you click with outside of class: this is what lots of students do - including myself. There will of course be students you don’t connect with and that’s okay: university is so large and diverse you should get ample opportunity to meet lots of other people. I get on with everyone on my course and we work well together, but there is no obligation for anyone to hang out together outside of classes if they don’t want to.

That is brilliant you are already considering what societies you might join, because these are a fantastic way to meet people with shared interests outside your course, some of my best friends I have met are from the Mature Students Society. In addition, I found it difficult not working after having worked for all of my adult life, so I was delighted to work as a Student Ambassador alongside my studies, which has been another way to meet like-minded students if you have the time, many of these students are now my friends.

Andrea has given great advice about reaching out to the student support services at university even before you start for a chat, perhaps arrange a check-in appointment for when you begin to see how you’re settling in?

I hope this helps, don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions. Good luck at university and I hope you have a brilliant time.

Lucy 😊
(Official University of Salford Student Rep)