Days of Our Lives (Life as a Mature Student)

Member Name: raehippychick

Product:	Life as a Mature Student
Date:	16/08/07 (503 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fun, great memories, a useful qualification

Disadvantages: Hard work, little sleep and almost no money

When I had my son (twenty years ago now, where does the time go to?) I made the decision that I wanted to stay at home with him until he went to school. This was fine until he was about three and I realised he was a sociable little chap and needed more than just his mum and I was ready do something other than play with a toddler all day. So I made the decision that since I had no decent qualifications I would look into going into further education

Having a dearth of O levels but a few years of experience in catering I decided I wanted to work in an office as the hours were more suited to coping with the needs of a child. Norwich City College was on my doorstep and a quick peruse of their prospectus (bearing this was before we all had the internet) I found that they offered an HND in Business and Finance. Just what I was looking for: a good basic grounding in all things office related. I sent off my application form and very soon was offered an interview, as, as I knew, I did not have the requisite entry qualifications. Luckily I was interviewed by an understanding lady who had been in the same situation as myself and she offered me a place that day.

Come September I was very nervous, something I think my son may have picked up on, as when I dropped him off at nursery he wailed and screamed and had a death grip on my hair. Having had a couple of visits to the nursery I knew he would soon settle and be happy there, but it left me in a right old tizzy as I made my way to the business block. Because it was a business course I did not wear the traditional torn jeans and scabby T-shirt of a student, but some smart slacks and a polo jumper. You can imagine how I felt as a respectable dressed 27 year old, walking into a room full of hulking denim clad teenagers

Luckily the next day I was back into my comfy jeans and scruffy tops and soon became one of the crowd. Although there was about 7 years between my contempories and me and I was the only woman on my course with a child this never became an issue. Possibly this was because my house was halfway between the college and the nearest Chinese takeaway and the friends I made who lived on campus soon realised that if they descended en masse I would provide them with plates and cutlery in return for a spoonful or two from each plate! I had a dishwasher so this was no hardship for me and a great way to meet up with fellow students as being a single mother I could not easily go to any study get-togethers (or booze ups) in the college after hours

I was very lucky as I was one of the last few who were able to benefit from the grant system, so not only were my tuition fees paid for but I also got a grant, not much, but enough that I could, with a great deal of scrimping afford to buy a tiny terraced house. Nowadays that would not be possible, not only do people have to pay their own fees and receive no grant but house prices have sky-rocketed out of the reach of normal people’s funds. My son and I were extremely hard up, but very happy. He benefited immensely from being at the college nursery, which was staffed by the loveliest girls you could wish for and the nursery course students would do placements there too, so every adult working really wanted to be there, resulting a great atmosphere. If you could imagine the most perfect nursery you could wish for and then add some, you’d be close as to how good that place was

Although initially nervous about being the old f*rt on the course, any worries soon disappeared as I got to know the others I studied with and because the majority were in halls of residence on site and many away from home for the first time we soon became close. The work itself was not too much of a problem and any time I was stuck there was a college lecturer available to point me in the right direction. Fortunately we all wanted to do well and pass the HND, so we all had a good attitude towards the actual coursework and exams we had to get through, but we also partied hard. I can remember some great college balls where we all dressed up to the nines. The first ball was my favourite, as when I arrived to meet up for the coach carrying us to the hotel, all the young lads had hired Moss Bros tuxes which were covered in little bits of white fluff. My mother instinct took over and I brushed them all down before letting them take any more photos. They looked so sweet and I treasure some photos of line-ups of gawky young chaps looking a little uncomfortable, but very proud and rows of teenage girls more confident in their sparkling finery all set against the delightful backdrop of student accommodation breezeblocks

Towards the end of the second (final) year my now close friends and I were sat one evening reminiscing back on the months of hard work we had all put in and the fun we had had. My son had gone to bed and been read his bedtime story by one of the gang and we got to chatting about work habits. Now, it had become a habit that my friends would fetch their takeaways and arrive around half past six and stay until around midnight. They did their homework straight after college, ate their tea, came to me and then went back to bed, I explained that when they did their homework I was feeding and bathing my son. At this point someone suddenly asked when I did my homework. “Well, after you guys go home” was my simple reply. Cue stunned silence as they realised I had been doing the course on about half the sleep they had!

So for two years, I worked hard and played hard, but a mature student, especially with a dependent I was far more committed to completing the course than I would have been when I was younger. I look back on those two years with very happy memories. At 27 I was still young enough to manage on less sleep than I should, young enough to have a great time, but old enough to know the work still has to be done, preferably before the fun starts

I worked for a few years, then went back again to top my HND to a degree at the same place, but as ever places change and although I really enjoyed going back again, nothing could be beat those first two years with such a great crowd of people. A sad thought to me is that my parents paid taxes, I paid taxes both before my college days and am still working and paying taxes now, and my son pays taxes, but if he wants to get a degree he will have to pay for it all himself

If you can possibly afford to go back into education as a mature student I can thoroughly recommend it. You will have the common sense to keep up with the work and being around younger people will give you a whole new lease of life and different outlook on things

Summary: You really are only as old as you feel! Go get an education if get the chance!