Every gone back to uni/college later in life?

[faz]

So my current life is stuck in rut. I keep telling my self that I'll sort it out and start being an awesome graphic designer, but it just isn't happening.

I studied a course at local college but it was a pretty poor show and I ended up leaving. One semester we had no teacher for one of our classes. I was there for 3 years but due to my departure I never really got any proper awards, I got up to a HND but only achieved some parts of that.

I've just turned 24 and a lot of my friends moved off to bigger citys after school for uni so I'd feel quite strange only now going off to do what they done so many years ago.

Any advice?

[Adam]

Go travelling, find your direction that way. I was in a rut, went away, came back and decided I just want to do more travelling - any career can wait for me but I ain't that career minded anyway. Money is just a commodity (for me to travel) - which I know your thread isn't about money but have confidence in your ability to be able to provide for yourself and those you love.

But when in a rut, being taken out of your comfort zone can make you see your life differently.

[faz]

I wish I had this realisation BEFORE applications had closed

[Kid Presentable]

I was 25 when I went back. It was a great big rut destroying experience, best thing I ever did.

[dugmatics]

I'm 29 and went back last year. Not sure if it'll help me out careerwise nor is it much fun to sit in class, but it's a degree. I know in a sense it's bullshit - it's just a silly piece of paper - but it does testify to the fact (depending on the school) that you're educated in certain fields.

Anyhow round here the average age of students is 24-25 because not until they finish military and selling bathing salts in malls across america do they decide go to school.

[Caribou]

I started last year, at age 23. I'd been working for 4 years and decided I didn't want to do a shitty job for the rest of my life, so I tried to get into University. It took some hard work, but it's definitely worth it.
At first it felt a bit weird, because all my friends have already finished and started working, but I noticed that there were a lot of 'mature' students in my class. You're never too old to learn and if you're interested in something, just go for it.
And apart from learning loads of stuff, you'll also get to meet a lot of cool people. Srsly, just do it man.

[Drederick Tatum]

later in life? 24 isn't later in life. go back.

[Guy Incognito]

i went back to do a media studies degree when i was 27 at my then local college. it was good in that i could just come and do the work and not get all caught up in the socialising too much and i was really enjoying it but i still had to work for a living and study and then my dad got sick so i had to leave half way thru cos i had to work full time and help look after my dad. i want to go back again one day cos i loved the course, it was the one i should have done when i was a kid.
if you have your mind on something specific then go for it, if its just something you feel you should do but have no real idea of what you want to study then forget it, go travelling or summat.

[Planetary]

i went back to do a media studies degree when i was 27 at my then local college. it was good in that i could just come and do the work and not get all caught up in the socialising too much

yeah that socialising is a real pain in the ass

[Guy Incognito]

yeah that socialising is a real pain in the ass

ha ha

i didnt say that the first time i went to uni, i did two years of socialising and nothing else and the only thing i got educated in was class a drugs, alcohol, ladies and overdrafts.
the second time i was able to be a bit more grown up about it. i know this is going to sound grandad but i really regret getting too caught up in it all first time round.its just shit if you dont come out of it with something
so thats what i meant.

faz: 24 isnt too late to go fo it

[jabumbo]

many of times i've considered doing the whole graduate school thing, but i don't know if i ever will.

the types of programs that interest me are only sported at rural located colleges and i could never pull off living in a town where you can see cow pastures from your window. especially if i were an older student and less likely to mesh with the rest.

plus, i think my requirements are probably impossible to meet. i wouldn't want to pay for the schooling yet i wouldn't be willing to work a regular full time job (lab research or something could be acceptable though).

maybe in my golden ages or something

[Kid Presentable]

Yeah I'm going to study project management next year, I think.

[hpdrifter]

I'm 32 and just started back in school.

[faz]

Wow, lots of replies. I guess the more I read it the more normal it becomes. As I say it wont be until next year now so I'd be almost 25.

To be honest, I don't know if I could really of went this year even if I tried. Not only was the course probably full many months ago, but my mum was diagnosed with cancer a few months back and I would of probably found it to hard to leave her and move many miles away. Although I'm sure she would of been happy for me to do so.

I should really look into see if I can get into the course I want to with what I have and if not I can look into doing some part time classes at my local collage to get some extra things.

[b-grrrlie]

I went back to school when I was 39. After a "near-death" experience wanted to change my life and studied to a gardener and garden designer/-consult. Whilst studyin had an even closer near-death experience so was wondering if I'd done the right choice and have been struggling since... but still enjoying life!