Adopt a mature student!

Mature students (those who are over 21 on enrolment) now make up more than a third of the UK undergraduate population. At the university I went to, it was nearer one-half, although a lot of these were part-time evening-class students. On my course (a joint degree) I was one of two mature students in one half of the degree, and the only one on the other.

I was 26 when I enrolled at university in a sea of 18 and 19 year olds. I didn’t look significantly older and in reality, it was only eight years at the most, however by then I had worked for eight years in a commercial role in different areas of the UK. I was a home-owner and had been for six years. I paid a mortgage, my own council tax, and had a partner who worked full-time to think about too. Those eight years made a world of difference.

The mature student society and the university’s mature student officer was a lifeline. Through them I met the only other mature student on (one-half of) my course. I knew I had somewhere to go where someone would understand my concerns and issues if I ever had any.

The university academics were ok, on the whole. They occasionally had to put up with my complaints that their policies were focussed on the teenage away-from-parents-for-the-first-time majority and failed to recognise that there were some students who had diverse and complicated lives.

By the second year I had a child to think about as well as the partner, the mortgage, and the studying. My needs changed considerably. I’d made the move from student who is a bit older than the others to student with a dependant.

Through the third year I studied from 9am to 5pm every weekday. I rarely went to the university bar with my classmates, or went out after tea-time. Studying was my full-time job, and being a mother was the rest (although I never stopped being a parent once I’d left my child at the nursery door). I lost a week of study to chicken pox (not mine), and one to an ear infection (again, not mine). My studying, out of necessity, became more focussed and efficient.

Other mature students I knew ranged from the age of 25 to 60. Some were parents of teens, and some were grandparents. We came from a range of professional backgrounds, some having left secure jobs to realise their life-long dream of obtaining a degree. Some had gone through messy divorces, or life-threatening illness. Some were carers to partners or elderly parents. My friend held down her full-time job whilst studying. How she did it I will never know. But she got there.

Mature students tend to have different reasons for study, and reasons that are different from each other. Mature students tend to be more driven and self-motivated. They are disproportionately successful – a larger proportion of mature students get firsts compared to the population as a whole. They are exceptionally good study-buddies. Pair up with one of these and you’ll do well. I was a source of lecture notes and reading lists. I paid attention in class. I read the module handbook. I was a beacon of studying wisdom – I always knew the shortcuts to find the best reading material. I had to. I didn’t find it difficult to make even more friends once I’d started getting the best results in class.

To be honest, the other students were pretty good with me. The age difference wasn’t huge and I didn’t find it too difficult to become part of the gang. However, I know of mature students who, aside from seminars, never really spoke to any of their classmates – either through fear of rejection, or because they just couldn’t find a common ground to break the ice.

So I implore you – if you have someone on your course who looks a bit lost, it might be because they are feeling their age. Enthusiastic teenagers are constant reminders that your life may be passing you by. Please be kind. Say hello. You never know – they might help you on your way to success!

Joanne is the owner of student textbook trading site www.thebookpond.com. She is a mum to four and works as a copywriter and social media manager.