worried about starting uni at 21

Hi everyone, so I have taken two consecutive gap years for the past two years due to financial issues meaning that i couldn't start university. I will now be going to university this year and i am kind of scared. I will be 21 when i start, and i will be turning 22 soon after i start. My main worry is not being able to make friends since majority of people start at 18/19, will i be considered too old??? I would really like to form some really close friendships in univeristy since that will be the last school phase i will go through and my previous school phases havent been that great so i would like to make the most out of this last school phase. I know some people do start university later but as i know so far is that the majority of first year students are 18/19. I also plan on moving into a student accom and I'm scared that people may be weirded out that a 21 year old is living with a bunch of 18 year olds. if anyone was 21 or older in their first year of univeristy, i would really appreciate some insight as to how the experience was of making friends, and living in accomdations where most of the people are younger than you, and were/are you still able to make the most of uni lif despite your age. And if anyone who did start university at 18/19, and met people who were older than you, what were your thoughts on meeting the people who are older than you who were in the same year with you. Thank you to all who decide to read and respond to this !!!!!

Hi everyone, so I have taken two consecutive gap years for the past two years due to financial issues meaning that i couldn't start university. I will now be going to university this year and i am kind of scared. I will be 21 when i start, and i will be turning 22 soon after i start. My main worry is not being able to make friends since majority of people start at 18/19, will i be considered too old??? I would really like to form some really close friendships in univeristy since that will be the last school phase i will go through and my previous school phases havent been that great so i would like to make the most out of this last school phase. I know some people do start university later but as i know so far is that the majority of first year students are 18/19. I also plan on moving into a student accom and I'm scared that people may be weirded out that a 21 year old is living with a bunch of 18 year olds. if anyone was 21 or older in their first year of univeristy, i would really appreciate some insight as to how the experience was of making friends, and living in accomdations where most of the people are younger than you, and were/are you still able to make the most of uni lif despite your age. And if anyone who did start university at 18/19, and met people who were older than you, what were your thoughts on meeting the people who are older than you who were in the same year with you. Thank you to all who decide to read and respond to this !!!!!

Hello!
I completely understand how you're feeling; I also took two consecutive gap years and started my first year just after my 20th birthday. I remember worrying about the exact same things you've mentioned here. I remember also being told that Uni is unlike school, and that there are many different ages, but I was still worried.
However, since starting uni, I have been suprised to find that my age has not affected my experience whatsoever. Some of my closest friends are almost two years younger than me, but this hasn't affected how we treat eachother whatsoever. In fact, I don't think anyone even asked how old I was in my first few months of uni, and when I did tell them, no one seemed bothered!
Uni really is full of a wide range of ages: I've got friends who are a couple of years younger than me, some who are the same age as me, and a few who are much older! And these age differences have never affected our friendship - we're all adults!
I hope this has eased your mind in any way! Feel free to drop a message if you'd like to discuss further
Joe (2nd Year Film Student at ARU, Cambridge)

Hi everyone, so I have taken two consecutive gap years for the past two years due to financial issues meaning that i couldn't start university. I will now be going to university this year and i am kind of scared. I will be 21 when i start, and i will be turning 22 soon after i start. My main worry is not being able to make friends since majority of people start at 18/19, will i be considered too old??? I would really like to form some really close friendships in univeristy since that will be the last school phase i will go through and my previous school phases havent been that great so i would like to make the most out of this last school phase. I know some people do start university later but as i know so far is that the majority of first year students are 18/19. I also plan on moving into a student accom and I'm scared that people may be weirded out that a 21 year old is living with a bunch of 18 year olds. if anyone was 21 or older in their first year of univeristy, i would really appreciate some insight as to how the experience was of making friends, and living in accomdations where most of the people are younger than you, and were/are you still able to make the most of uni lif despite your age. And if anyone who did start university at 18/19, and met people who were older than you, what were your thoughts on meeting the people who are older than you who were in the same year with you. Thank you to all who decide to read and respond to this !!!!!