Mature student feeling nervous about starting Grad school

Hi everyone I am a mature student (47F) starting UOfG in September for my masters in international HR. A bit nervous since I've been out of school for a while and worried about keeping up with assignments and making friends. Are there any mature students here? What was your experience?

Hey!
Congrats on your offer and going back to uni thats amazing!
While I'm not a mature student myself, it’s completely normal to feel a bit nervous, especially if you’ve been out of education for a while. I’ve met quite a few mature students through my undergard who’ve had a really positive experience. And even more so, postgrad courses tend to attract people from all sorts of backgrounds and age groups, and everyone is there to learn and support each other
You might actually find that your life and work experience adds a lot to class discussions too, and when it comes to making friends, that will be nothing to worry about - things like group work, workshops, and social events make it so much easier to connect with others!
Wishing you all the best
Gemma
Official LJMU Student Rep

Hey - I'm a mature student at the University of Sunderland - I started my undergrad when I was 46 and I'm still here at 51 doing a PhD
So the assignments thing is probably the most difficult thing to get used to, but usually not because they are particularly long or complicated, but because at masters level you need to really go deep by using critical thinking - masters are less about cramming information into your noggin, and more about learning how to fully understand that knowledge, to analyse it, to view it without bias, and to recognise whether evidence backs up that knowledge. You learn to question, to argue, and to prove that argument - it's so much more than undergraduate, and so much more fun - but it does take a bit of settling in and getting used to a new way of thinking about knowledge
The social side is waaaaay easier - just take part in stuff, join a society, try new things, be a student - the vast majority of students don't care that you are older, and may in fact like you because of that. I was 23 years older than the next oldest in my undergrad class, 21 years older during my masters - no one cared, no one treated me like a weirdo or like I didn't belong; they did come to me for advice and my opinion, they respected my age but didn't see it as a negative
You're going to have a blast, just let it roll over you and enjoy every minute!

Hey there!
I'm a mature student myself and can happily vouch that it is the best decision I ever made! I totally understand the worries about returning to academia, I know it all felt a bit alien to me to get back into the swing of academic writing and generally getting used to the format of education again.
From my experience there has been lots of understanding of this from the university and I've found being honest with staff, building relationships and reaching out as much as possible has been the best approach. I really recommend requesting to book 1:1 meetings as much as possible with lecturers/relevant course staff to discuss course content and have delegated time to discuss things in more depth, especially before assignment deadlines and then after receiving your assignments back to go over feedback.
Something to look out for too is any support services which help with skills and academic writing and help you get back into the swing of things, we have something called Wordscope at UoS (I've linked it if you want to have a nosey for similar things to look out for) - this is run through the library for us so maybe asking the library staff at your university if there is any similar short-courses available could be a good idea? Many of my mature student friends have used this service and similar and it has been a really useful boost to their studies 😊
In terms of making friends - I've found that mature students are very common at universities these days and managed to befriend quite a few from finding them in the study areas of my campus or from seeing them in lectures...don't be afraid to strike up a conversation or say a quick hello. I am also in a mature students society which has been particularly useful for finding likeminded people, plus I have joined things like the Psychology Society to link up with others from my course area. However, regardless of age there are lots of things to bond with people over at university so have an open mind, get involved in things wherever you can and embrace the experience 😁
Enjoy and congratulations!
Becky
University of Salford Student Rep

Not a mature student myself, but my dad went back into education to do his PhD in his 60s after a long break, and he got along just fine ^^ In my experience, at any level the first bits are often foundational to get everyone up to speed, so don't worry about having to adjust back to learning mode. I'd recommend joining societies/clubs your university offers to make new friends who share your interests, and generally not closing yourself off to socialising in your own classes - no matter how hard talking to people may be (no judgement.) Have fun and I wish you all the best!!!

Hi everyone I am a mature student (47F) starting UOfG in September for my masters in international HR. A bit nervous since I've been out of school for a while and worried about keeping up with assignments and making friends. Are there any mature students here? What was your experience?

Hello @Honeybiscuits ,
Congratulations on your offer to study at UofG! We are so excited to have you!
Though I'm not a mature student myself, I find that the campus spaces are very welcome to everyone regardless of age. There is a mix of all different ages at UofG and you'll definitely fit right in, too.
I hope everything goes well with your Master's! Don't hesitate to reach out for absolutely anything you need!
Thank you,
Maria, PG Student Rep
MSc Sound Design and Audiovisual Practice