I'm thinking of going back to uni,
as a mature student. Has anyone done this? I'm 43 btw, will I feel a total old cunt? And are many students really that irritating, or is it just my age?
(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Mon 1 Feb 2010, 10:49, 22 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

Do it if you want,
more knowledge is not exactly a bad thing.
(PsychoChomp, Mon 1 Feb 2010, 10:55, Reply)

I do work release one day a week. My course started last year and I just got confirmation that I passed my first year exams
Most of the people on my course are a few years younger than me, although there is one guy a few years older.

When I did my degree 10 years ago there was a guy on the course who was in his 70s. I like to think that he's dead now because he was a cunt.
( fuck shit up the best you never had, Mon 1 Feb 2010, 10:55, Reply)

had a few mature students on my course
and in my halls for a bit in the first year. They were ok generally.

Students are pretty irritating. Exeter uni ones in particular.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 1 Feb 2010, 10:57, Reply)

I'm actually being a bit rough in calling them irritating.
Most I know are all right. Just some fuckers who drink in my local. They have voices which cut right through.
(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Mon 1 Feb 2010, 10:59, Reply)

I was going to do that this year.
Then I decided not to.
The End.

PS, people here said this; www.b3ta.com/talk/6629868
( Dr Preference AjcuiVd289, Mon 1 Feb 2010, 10:59, Reply)

Not at all.
There was a number of mature students doing the same courses that I was doing as an undergrad. They were much more interesting than most of the "regular" students. Some had been on the Hull flishing fleet and had recently lost their jobs; others had just decided that their decision to leave school at 16 wasn't great, and they'd taken the risk of going back to college and then university. I always thought that that was particularly admirable.
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Mon 1 Feb 2010, 10:59, Reply)

*adds 'flishing' to Wikipedia*
"Indecent exposure in South Africa"
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Mon 1 Feb 2010, 11:38, Reply)

Hurrah!
So it would appear I've invented a whole new discipline - and it's not even lunchtime. I should reward myself with the rest of the day off.
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Mon 1 Feb 2010, 11:43, Reply)

I certainly find other students on my course annoying
And they're the same age as me. We don't have any mature students on our course, but there were some in my classes in first and second year. They managed to always turn up late, and generally didn't pay attention. Cocks.
(PenguinOfDeath is Scottish, and most likely angry, Mon 1 Feb 2010, 11:00, Reply)

My mate's 46 and half way through his MA
He has bloody loved it and gets on better with the 'kids' than the other mature students.
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Mon 1 Feb 2010, 11:00, Reply)

I generally get on better with people younger than myself.
40 year olds want to talk about work and sport, 2 things I care not a jot about. Most of my friends are younger. Or maybe I'm just immature.
(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Mon 1 Feb 2010, 11:07, Reply)

Either way, it's one obstacle removed
You can carry on like a twat at the SU bar with impunity.
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Mon 1 Feb 2010, 11:09, Reply)

Is carrying on like a twat at the bar a course module?

(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Mon 1 Feb 2010, 11:30, Reply)

Yes
Compulsory
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Mon 1 Feb 2010, 11:31, Reply)

Do it

( Batshitmentalist is sane for once, Mon 1 Feb 2010, 11:29, Reply)

What course are you going to do?
Just out of interest, like.
(Mrs Ballunatic counting calories, not votes., Mon 1 Feb 2010, 12:13, Reply)

Photography.
I work in that anyway, and thought it would be nice to have letters after my name. Plus, meeting others starting out in that.
(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Tue 2 Feb 2010, 9:12, Reply)

When I did my degree
I had nothing but admiration for the mature students. Some had left jobs etc to do the course and were far more hard-working and attentive than the other cunts.

Plus they had to hang around with a bunch of fucking students - a fate worse than the gas chambers if you ask me.

I say do it, and just grit your teeth and ignore the spastic wacky students of which there will undoubtedly be dozens.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 1 Feb 2010, 13:10, Reply)

I did it, finished a couple of years ago, got another degree and an MA
and had a great time.

You've already done the timewasting teen stuff - sex, drugs, drink, learning to cook, driving lessons, luurrrve, whatever - so you can get the work done.

Hasn't really got me anywhere but I'm past it anyway. I like learning though.
(Juan Quar is clinging to her front teeth on, Mon 1 Feb 2010, 15:55, Reply)

Mature students are generally better students
I've been both a normal age-appropriate student and a mature student and now I teach both.
From the student point of view the mature ones are generally better organised and definitely more motivated.
From the teaching point of view mature students have more self-confidence and life experience and that makes them willing to add their opinions to class discussions.

Mature students can also be a little scary to teach - they won't always back down in a discussion and I've had at least one argue the toss on their grades until it was pointed out that they'd cocked up which was why they got a low score.

I certainly enjoyed studying as a mature student so I'd say go for it.
( chickenlady b3ta's very own Elizabeth Taylor, Mon 1 Feb 2010, 23:04, Reply)

Speaking as a student
Large numbers of them really are irritating as hell...
( Hdjejjwsjdjjf LOOK, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 0:56, Reply)

I went when I was 29
Mrs G (same age) was a mature student at the same time. We also had a kid at infants school.

I agree with Chickenlady - mature students are there for the study first, anything else second. Immature students (well, what else can we call them?) are there for the experience first and the study second - if at all.

It's different for matures and well worth it - if I had been single at the time, I am sure I would have had a surfeit of nubile young maidens. As it was, I got pretty good grades, stuck with the other mature students - most of us were in our thirties or early forties - and tried to keep clear of the youngsters.

One thing I found easy was changing course in mid-stream, whereas the 'kids' would not have had the bottle to even ask.

Go for it.
(Che Grimsdale Best before:, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 14:33, Reply)