Any Mature Students have trouble fitting in when they started?

dr gonzo · 06-09-2009 05:02PM #1

Starting Arts tomorrow and im a quiet bloke at the best of times so just wondering if any mature students had any advice as it would be very much appreciated.

Chet T16 · 06-09-2009 05:38PM

I'm starting tomorrow and so far i haven't seen any other mature student on my course. I'm not normally that quiet but i have nothing in common with the other students so its proving a bit awkward.

That doesn't help you but at least you know you're not on your own!

dyl10 · 06-09-2009 05:46PM

In the vast majority of my lectures, there are a decent number of mature students (5-10) and most of them seem to hang around together in college.

JayC5 · 06-09-2009 06:16PM

Yeah, the first week was a bit odd, personally I felt a little out of place but got used to it after a few days. I haven't seen many other mature students about however...!? Is there some cool hangout place that I'm not aware of...?

I'm sure when lectures/tutorials kick off it will be easier to meet peops and make friends, at least then you'll know who is in your classes etc etc. Also join the mature student society and a few other socs -that's what I intend on doing anyways

JC

Chet T16 · 06-09-2009 07:11PM

I think alot of mature students fall into under 30's category and don't really stand out?

Maybe thats wishful thinking on my part and i stand out like a sore thumb!

dr gonzo · 06-09-2009 07:13PM

Yeh Chet i was thinking the exact same thing, sure we'll see tomorrow i guess.

bnt · 06-09-2009 07:37PM

There is a cool hangout place for mature students: the Mature Students Society. We'll have a table in the Fresher's Week tent, so be sure to join up.

Some of us do stand out, and don't care about doing fashionable things in an attempt to fit in. You'll probably find your fellow mature students sitting near the front of lectures and paying attention, rather than gossiping at the back. Ditto for stupid drinking sessions and "balls". :rolleyes:

doly · 06-09-2009 08:07PM

Chet T16 wrote: »

I think alot of mature students fall into under 30's category and don't really stand out?

I think there should be a support group for the super mature - those of us who are 50+. I am starting tomorrow and judging by all the "young" people at the mature students orientation day, I must be part of a very select set. I will certainly stand out but then I think mature students have an advantage, like smokers do, of the unifying effects of being in the minority.

dr gonzo · 06-09-2009 08:12PM

Nicely put Doly

Zuffer · 06-09-2009 08:20PM

While also wishing to pimp the Mature Student Soc (without angering the mods), our first event isn't until freshers week. So you have to get through a week first. My take on it is: don't worry about it. There will be enough new and shiny stuff in your first week's lectures to distract you. Tutorials and labs don't start until weeks 2 and 3, so you may not want to 'wait around' until then to start making friends.

For people coming straight from leaving cert, this is also new and scary to them. So don't think like you're alone! Sit down beside someone in your lecture, say hi, and try to make a new friend. Chances are they'll be as glad to get talking to someone as you are, whether they are young or old. And, to repeat some advice I gave on the Mature Student Orientation day (you did go, didn't you?!), if you do get talking to someone, try to remember them and swap email addresses. Honestly, arts is so big that you can't rely on randomly bumping into them a second time.

Chet T16 · 06-09-2009 09:22PM

Zuffer wrote: »

For people coming straight from leaving cert, this is also new and scary to them. So don't think like you're alone! Sit down beside someone in your lecture, say hi, and try to make a new friend. Chances are they'll be as glad to get talking to someone as you are, whether they are young or old. And, to repeat some advice I gave on the Mature Student Orientation day (you did go, didn't you?!), if you do get talking to someone, try to remember them and swap email addresses. Honestly, arts is so big that you can't rely on randomly bumping into them a second time.

I did

(pointless post, i know)

El Siglo · 06-09-2009 09:35PM

Make sure to enjoy tomorrow, it's Black Monday and the student bar next to quinn is the place to be!;)

Zuffer · 06-09-2009 09:38PM

doly wrote: »

I think there should be a support group for the super mature - those of us who are 50+.

Just on this, I guess I'm one of the 'younger' mature students, but honestly when I started I felt like I had more in common with the people 20+ years older than me than the people 10 years younger than me.

Any Mature Students have trouble fitting in when they started?

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