| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/9/2007 6:26:18 AM | After an unmentionable amount of years... I have taken the leap and am back in University to finish my degree in Art and plan to continue through to teach. I am curious as to how many people out there have done the same with starting over after divorce and going back to school. I was married for 10 years and am now a single mom and it is hectic as hell but i feel great for taking this on.
I would love to get a convo going on experiences......what lead to the decision how you are coping etc..etc...
look forward to your sharing.... cheers | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/9/2007 9:22:59 AM | I graduated from college at 31, also with a degree in Art with the emphasis on photography, after a tour in the Air Force followed by a few jobs that took me nowhere. Even though I was a little older than most of the other students, I found myself much better equipped to cope with the rigors of college-level education. There is a certain discipline that you have that the kids right out of high school do not have. You need that in order to keep up with the demand on your time that studying takes.
For the past 22 years I've been a department head at the same university I graduated from. Over the years I have seen many "more mature" people taking classes, so it is not that unusual. And I can tell you, they are the best students! | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/9/2007 9:30:31 AM | Nowadays, continued learning throughout our adult lives is more commonplace. Technology and society changes so rapidly now, and with that, skills need to keep up with the new and changing demands.
I, for one, think it is great to further your education during adulthood. It is never too late to learn new skills or hone existing ones.
I think that employers and the like are more accepting of adult graduates as it shows they have a willingness to continuous improvement. Adult students are more serious about their education, and more focused, IMO. Education coupled with vast life experience makes for a well rounded and much sought after employee!
I too have decided to continue my education in my 30's...I have an honours diploma from College from 1993, and a BA in Psych from 1999, and have recently decided to seek Post-Graduate studies which will utilize my life skills as well as my college and university educations! A win win situation me thinks! Long-term, this will mean better pay, and a more fulfilling carreer experience. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/9/2007 9:52:32 AM | I've been going back to school as well. And it was really tough for me to concentrate and then do "homework" after ten years of "the real world". I found myself having to reprogram my mind completely. Going from the master(so to speak) to the student was strange. I wasn't even conscious of it at first. I found myself mentally questioning the instructors and then asking "and the application in the workplace is..." Now, I've been at a few months and I'm able to switch between the work/student mode. I didn't anticipate having to deal with concentration problems. I was afraid the distractions would be due to environmental issues. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/9/2007 11:51:11 AM | I've been in school for four years now as a single mom... it has been really tough and intense at times. It is sometimes difficult to be surrounded by younger people who have no idea what its like to do school work AND take care of kids. School also has a tendency to drag up issues for some reason.. I have experienced many misfortunes during my time as a student.... but its sooo worth it! I am stronger, smarter and I have shown my girls how to be independent and to go after what they want.. plus I graduate this spring!
Good luck with everything :) | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/9/2007 11:59:41 AM | Kudos to you^^^^ all of you, who have the courage and determination to go for it! Especially single Moms. Three cheers for all of you!!!
I know people, including two of my sisters, who went back to school in their 30's. They are all doing very well now. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/9/2007 3:45:33 PM | I start school next monday. I am nervous. It is nice to hear I am not the only over 30 person taking the chance on returning to college. Did anyone else wonder if they were making the right decision when you returned to school?
Now just to win the lottery to pay the tuition! | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/9/2007 5:26:55 PM | | Go for it and good luck, I'm continuing my PhD studies come Oct. Have been studying too in other areas for past 7 years consecutively..... be the best that you can and fulfill all those dreams. It will pass quickly too, dive right in and enjoy the experience again. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/10/2007 12:40:09 AM | | went to nursing school in my 30's, waited until my kids were almost grown. when I started I was married, when I finished I was not, had nothing to do with school. I had a nice mix of older and younger students, there were many times I wanted to just say forget this, trying to work, spend time with kids, study, homework, no social life what so ever, but it was all so worth it, I get to make a living doing something I love. And the icing on the cake I graduated validictorian. Good luck and enjoy it goes by very fast. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/10/2007 8:22:54 AM |
I'm continuing my PhD studies come Oct.
Awesome Irish what is your area of study... just curious
looks like I started an awesome thread here! lol | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/10/2007 9:15:33 AM | Last year I took my grade twelve (never finished high school). I finished with a 94 average and was valedictorian of my class. It was tough at first, as I have two small children. Once I got into the swing of it, I absolutely loved it. And I found out I was actually pretty smart...
This fall I'm planning to attend University, I want to go into the pharmacy program. It'll be tough, it's a five year course, but the way I see it is I wasted almost twenty years accomplishing squat, five years is a drop in the bucket.
I am nervous though, because I've heard the program is pretty tough...
Bottom line: I want my kids to be proud of their mom, I want a stable future, and hopefully they won't make the same mistakes I did. I can honestly say though that at eighteen, or twenty, or even twenty-five, I wasn't ready for this. I now have the discipline and drive to put my all into doing the best job I can.
Good luck to all of you, it's a fantastic journey we are all on. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/10/2007 10:52:41 AM | I went back to school at age 33 for one year. Probably one of the smartest things I can say I have done. Having the extra education helped my career along.
It isn't easy going back to school after so many years even without having to support a family.
But you really have to want it. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/10/2007 1:41:18 PM | I went back to school after my seperation, I was 31! It was the best thing I ever could have done! I got my diploma in bookeeping and payroll, while raising 2 boys on my own! The divorce made me feel like I was nothing, graduating gave me back my self esteem!!!!
It may be hard, but it's worth it!! Best of luck to everyone following that path now! | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/11/2007 10:54:57 AM | I did things backwards. As a single mom back in the early 90's I went to college and obtained a Legal secretary degree. I then found it near impossible to get a JOB with such degree due to lack of experience (nice catch 22 there eh) I floundered around with other jobs, struggling to raise my daughter , when i finally realized that finishing my HIGH SCHOOL was the best thing i could do.
So at 30 off i went to continuing education and finished my high school diploma. The experience was way better the second time around. People were there because they WANTED to be, not because they HAD to be. There was more maturity and genuine desire for knowledge. There was also the satisfaction a lot of people had that they were taking care of unfinished business from their past. A lot of people knew they would never make a decent living without a gr. 12 education so it made them more determined to succeed.
I know that since i finished my gr. 12 i eventually ended up in a great career (mail carrier) that i never would have had without it.
I'm stressing to my daughter now to devote herself to her education while she is young and to NOT do it backwards the way i did. Trying to educate yourself while raising kids, working, worrying about bill/rent/food etc is definitely the harder way to go about it. | |
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ceg33
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Joined: 1/8/2007
Msg: 15 | |
| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/11/2007 2:49:41 PM | Good for you! Have always wanted too, but something inside me holds me back. I think it could be fear of failing at something. Then again as the quote goes "It is never too late to do the right thing!"
All the best and congratulations on taking a step forward! | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/11/2007 5:57:47 PM | Good for You for deciding to return to school. I just went back in January at the age of 41, yes I said FORTY-ONE ! After 24 years out of school, its been a challenge, but I love it.
Good Luck to You !
You'll do just fine. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/11/2007 7:00:27 PM | I'd always thought about going to university, but didn't know what I wanted to take (too many interests). So I wandered around the work force for 10 years hoping to discover my life's calling. Instead, I found a job that was okay, but not wonderful, met my husband, got married and was preparing to start a family. When we found out he was terminally ill, I realized just how short life is and started to seriously reassess what I wanted to do with it.
To make a long story short, after he passed away I decided it was time to bite the bullet and finally go back to school. It would have been all too easy to talk myself out of going, but at 30 I just packed up, sold my home, moved 700km away to attend school in a new city and am completely satisfied with my decision. I've actually picked a direction to go in instead if just waiting to see where the wind blows me. Admittedly, I miss my old paycheck and social circle, but I'm doing what I have to in order to make the lifestyle changes I've been craving for years.
The hardest part for me has just been homework - not so much the load but the fact that my day never really seems to end. When you have a job, you can leave stuff behind at the office at the end of the day. With school, you have to bring everything home with you and that's where the work begins, lol. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/12/2007 8:09:58 AM | | I went back, got a degree and now work there in a R&D role while being a single dad through it all. It wasnt easy but well worth it. Hope it works out as well for you as it did for me ;P | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/12/2007 9:52:45 AM | I'm 41 and in my 3rd year at university so I can relate.
I say you're never to old to improve on yourself. I have to admit I do wish there were special universities specifically for mature students as we have different needs than unfettered 19 year olds who still live with mom and dad but all in all, I'm making it through and so far, it's had its good moments.
I would have preferred to do this while in a solid relationship so that we could share the responsibilities with the kids, as it's tough being a single parent and doing this.
I figure it'll just make me stronger. Sad part is that the more I accomplish on my own, the picker I'm getting when it comes to men. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/12/2007 11:38:09 AM | just gone back to college after 10 years in a deadend job and loving it my kids think its great i get more hwk then them but intend to go to uni to study nursing good luck with study hun  | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/12/2007 7:20:33 PM | | I was about 33 when the ex and I split and suddenly I found myself with an opportunity I hadn't had previously and that was a chance to change careers and go back to school if I so desired. I was jobless and gave up everything in the split so it was like starting over. I moved back home, worked for a year to get some cash together and then enrolled in college. It was challenging and quite a change from working an 8 hour day to going to school for 6-8 hours then spending another 3-5 hours doing homework or working on assignments. You don't realize how asleep your brain becomes when you aren't using it everyday. But it was a fun experience, being a mature student, I found the teachers respected us differently than they did the younger students. I made some new friends there and walked away with a new career. It was like being reborn for me. A good decision to be sure. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/12/2007 7:41:45 PM | | Well, I am back in school at the ripe old age of 40. While I already do have my B.S. degree, after my separation I decided to do a total career change, so here I am. I was nervous in the beginning but am loving it now. Being a certified college tutor for the past few years, it left me with some great study habits which I can now utilize! | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 3/12/2007 7:42:29 PM | My story is similar to yours aka joe. There are a few differences, one being I have my own home, had to make sure I was able to maintain the payments, another is I went back when I was 44. I have no regrets. It was one of the best things I've ever done for myself. I needed to finish something I had started many years before. I now have a new career which I'm still finding my way in, but loving it. I have continued my studies, part time, to add to the skills I spent 2 years at college gaining. I have made new friends, have worked with some wonderful families, and seem in my own small way to be making a difference. I had to make many changes in my life, I worked part time while going to school, had to learn how to study again ( the brain sure doesn't work the same as it used to...lol), and I found out alot about myself in the process. I graduated with honors April 2006.
I've been asked if I had the choice to do it all again, would I. I don't hesitate for one moment to say yes I sure would. | |
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