Hey Maturies/Non-Trads, how's it going?

Larianne · 25-09-2009 7:30pm

End of Freshers week for me. Went in to register at 9am with a stinking hangover! oh my god. :eek: Met up with other Maturies from the Mature Student Soc. Some interesting people but I was disappointed there wasn't more people there.

Met my class today. Talked to some nice people. Straight into classes on Monday. All 9am starts!

ckkelly · 28-09-2009 8:39pm

how's it going??? did you get your mp3 player and correctly worded t-shirts?
i'm nervous as kitten. i feel totally at sea in college! i'll just go with it 'til things start looking more familiar i guess...

blondy24 · 03-10-2009 11:28am

Larianne wrote: »

I'm pretty sure you can appeal their decision. I would contact the Mature Student Office and Student Union to see how they can help you.

http://www.ucc.ie/en/SIN/welfare/finance/UCCSpecificApplications/UCCStudentAssistanceFund/

hey thanks for the advice, haven't really been online as much as i used be when i was unemployed!

2 weeks of college down, in response to some of the posts at least i know im not the only one feeling a bit lost. It is very hard to spot mature students, i look young so i'm sure i don't look like a mature student which is kind of good and bad at the same time.

The actual course work is ok but i've gotten the flu and everything so already missed few lectures.. not the start i had intended.. hopefully next week will be better, definetly going to take few weeks to settle in and get into some kind of a routine.

financially, I will apply for millenium grant when possible and student assistance and hope i get them. fingers crossed, best of luck to everyone with their studies, apparently this is one of the best decisions of our lives! *( not that you'd feel like that some days)

x

looksee · 14-10-2009 10:57pm

Good luck to you all. I was in college as a mature student when I turned 50. Most of the other students were younger than my kids, but I found them easygoing, tolerant and not over concerned one way or the other about a (very) mature student in the class. Now I am teaching and I have mature students in my classes, and they are generally a joy to teach. They tend to balance the attitudes that some of the younger ones have brought from school, and add maturity, but they do not dominate the classes. There is very low drop out and they usually do very well. It can be both very rewarding and very frustrating at times, but the experience and the end result is well worth it.

Larianne · 06-11-2009 10:34pm

Well lads, how ya all getting on????

Me, I've just finished my 6th week and I'm wrecked. Ha ha. Loving the course, lots of study to be done, but loving it all the same.

My class is nice and small enough that I've got speaking to a lot of them. Still a few I haven't spoken to but they all seem to stick together and don't really mingle with anyone else in the class - fair enough.

Haven't been out at all in college which is a shame but I just don't have the time. Also, I don't really fancy heading to Club 21 - I was 21 a while back..... I have though gone on a diving trip with the subaqua club which was great. I would like to have joined another club - well participated in it but again, I just don't have enough time. Some of the clubs are on late enough, like Badminton 8pm-10pm.

There is not enough hours in the day.

There's a mature student society night out coming up so hopefully I'll get to meet some more maturies, but they don't tend to go out (I can understand why!) I have met the lovely Lauraloo from Boards. If there's any more maturies who are at TCD give me a shout and we could organise a coffee/tea date.

mud · 09-11-2009 7:02pm

I'm having a hard time

I've fallen behind with at least two subjects (out of six)

Can't seem to make myself go and fix it, I have hit a wall people!

Has anyone else ever gotten into a bad situation like this? (college wise)

I'm trying to meet the course director but he's out with flu

I really don't want to fail/drop out but feeling frozen

Larianne · 13-11-2009 4:23pm

mud wrote: »

I'm having a hard time

I've fallen behind with at least two subjects (out of six)

Can't seem to make myself go and fix it, I have hit a wall people!

Has anyone else ever gotten into a bad situation like this? (college wise)

I'm trying to meet the course director but he's out with flu

I really don't want to fail/drop out but feeling frozen

Heya,

Okay well first off don't panic!! Easier said then done. Have you spoken to other people in the class, asked for their help. They may be better at a certain subject.

Write a list of what needs to be done and give yourself strict deadlines to finish them, be they assignments or a topic to study.

Get onto your class tutor or the subject lecturer and see if they can help you out.

No-one is going to give out to you for asking help. Those people are there, paid to help you. You need to start taking action now and not getting yourself into panic. Once you succeed in getting on top of one thing, it'll be so much easier to do the rest. It's the first step that's the hardest.

ciaracp · 29-01-2010 3:48pm

Hey all,

I hope your studies are going well

was delighted to come across this forum as ive just sent in a cao application for Sept...

I'm extremely stressed out at the minute as i'm not 100% (well not even 50%) decided. I initially started off in DCU doing general nursing, but dropped out mid way through 2nd year due to personal issues. Ive been working for the past 2 years in an office which has sparked an interest in the legal field. So on my cao i have law in carlow, and i have the required points (did my leaving cert in 2004).

Ok get to the point, well basically im not sure i necessarily want to "be" anything as i enjoy doing sooo many things so i have no main area of interest. I know noone can decide for me but maybe other indecisive maturies/nodders can give some insight. The last 3 days my mind has been wandering from one thing to the next and todays thought is to just go back and finish nursing and not start something new. Im going to ring my old lecturers in dcu and see what they say. Roll on the weekend i say, I need a whiskey

sarahn11 · 29-01-2010 3:57pm

Another Newbie here too! Just got off my CAO form in today after a little over a week of deciding i had to go back to education! Roll on the long wait for offers!! suppose its outta my hands now and cant do anything else!

Some great testimonials in this thread that has really put my mind at ease and made my decision easier! Ready for the new challenge!!

ciaracp · 29-01-2010 4:06pm

Hey sarah, if you dont mind me asking what course/courses have you picked? And is this your first time in 3rd level education?

Interested in hearing peoples stories...

sarahn11 · 29-01-2010 4:32pm

Im going for Pharmaceutical Science in WIT.

Not my first time in 3rd level, did first year in sport science twice in wit, but the course just wasnt for me. The went to work for a while, travelled some then did a Higher Diploma in Sound engineering and music technology. Really did well in that, but i cant get a job in the industry. Went back to work, travelled some more...lol and now here i am! Really looking forward to getting back into education, but at the same time totally bricking it ! lol, i suppose were all in the same boat judging by the posts in this thread!

Have you put nursing down on your CAO Ciara? or did you choose something else and now your thinging of nursing now?

ciaracp · 29-01-2010 5:17pm

Wow you've done a lot, fair play, i worked and did a bit of travelling too...still more to do though

I did general nursing in DCU for 2 years and then dropped out. Now im thinking about law in Cork or Carlow (but probably Carlow!). Its all very daunting, im find it harder now than when I was 18...im 24 now.

Great to have this forum for people to look at I must say!

sarahn11 · 29-01-2010 5:33pm

yeah, i still have a whole lot more too see and do, but the opportunity presented itself to me very recently and i feel like nows the time to climb the mountain!

I was very young when i finished secondary school (16) and i was very lost in the world and didnt know who i was or what i wanted. Ive learned alot in the 'University of life' over the last 10 years and i feel really ready to get back into learning! i'm 26 now.
you gotta think about all the life experiences you already have under your belt and how you can apply them to this opportunity.

i was really feeling like a duck out of water til i came across this forum and realised that everyone was feeling the same was i was! and everyone seems to be getting on grand and having the time of their lives, Why not me?

Hope things become clearer for you, remember were all in the same boat, well i know i am anyways!

thepuredrop · 29-01-2010 7:24pm

Good luck to you both Ciara and Sarah. I am at the very beginning of my career change (nearly 10 years nursing) and want to get into DIT bioscience course. I think there's a school open day late March so hopefully they'll be able to answer some of my questions. It's difficult overcoming fears or inertia about retraining, I'm hoping that this is my biggest challenge-making the decision to go and do it!

mousehouse · 07-02-2010 1:51am

Hey
I am 28 have worked in retail management for the last 8 years and due to the times we are in decided to follow my dream Teaching. Have applied as mature student in St Pats Thurles so heres fingeres crossed I am stressing though after the report last week 2 people for 1 place..

Larianne · 07-05-2010 8:22am

Hey all!

Finished 1st year!

Had my last exam on Wednesday. It was tough going. I definitely think studying throughout the year (mostly) has paid off and helped me get through.

I can't believe how quickly the year has gone. I've read all the threads here about people having interviews. That was me last year!!

I loved every minute of it (bar a few labs!) and I couldn't ask for a nicer class. There is no one in the class who I don't know by name and I can honestly say I've made friends with a good 10 of them.

Hope exams are going well for everyone else. Best of luck to ya all!

Now.. what to do with myself till September...??

Curlz · 07-05-2010 3:54pm

Nice to have the summer off!! I got my date for Nursing Interview :eek:. I have your tips printed off and doing the questionaire over the weekend. Any last minute advice??

Larianne · 07-05-2010 4:04pm

I can't emphasise enough to be yourself at the interview!

Have a think of what questions you'd like to be asked and how you would answer them.

And talk to them as if someone on the street has asked you why you want to do Nursing.

One of the biggest things colleges want to know how mature student applicants will cope with the academic side of it. how do you know you are capable of the workload? What would you do if you were finding a subject difficult? Etc. So think about how you would answer that. I did a study skills class before so I mentioned study journals and they were well impressed with that. So maybe have a look at study skills websites on the net and relay what you have learnt from them.

Best of luck! It is nervewracking but they aren't out to get you. You would not have got an interview if they didn't think you might be suitable for the course.

Curlz · 07-05-2010 5:25pm

Well I think I will do ok in terms of being myself and I'm hoping my life long ambition shines through and they see that!

I currently work in Marketing but to help my chances I did an Introduction to Nursing FETAC Course,I volunteer in the childrens hospital one evening per week I also did a small bit in a nursing home but finished that now and tomorrow I start 4 days shadowing in Beaumont...phew! Thanks for the heads up on the 'study' part. I'm so busy trying to get as much experience you can forget that the next 4 years will be study/exams etc...hmm maybe I should have done a day shadowing in the college or something??:rolleyes:
At this stage though I've done so much and its been hard as nothing is guaranteed so ill just keep thinking positive thoughts and hope that i'll be one of the lucky ones!!

Larianne · 07-05-2010 6:03pm

Ah you've done loads and your marketing experience should help you in the academic part. I had done art related jobs so I that's where I fell down there. If you've spoken to nursing students make sure to mention that too and that you know exactly what the course involves.

Jessibelle · 08-05-2010 12:52am

I have a wee bit of a dilemma. I've been offered a place on a MSc and have 2 weeks to make up my mind whether to accept or not. If I accept, I have to pay a 500 euro non-refundable 'deposit' from the course fees, so if I later decline the place on the off chance the undergrad I applied for comes through, I'll be down a very much needed 500 euro, however, if the undergrad falls through and I haven't accepted the MSc, I'll have nothing. Hurmph, decisions decisions...

Larianne · 08-05-2010 4:40am

Well what do you want more???? If you get offered the undergraduate place after accepting the Msc would it not be worth it to loose the €500????

Laydee · 08-05-2010 10:22am

Well done on completing 1st year Larianne

I got my date for the nursing interview. I'm still going through the whole process but I'm still in 2 minds whether to go for it or not if I get it. Honestly I probably won't. I want to do radiography so much & I'm not half as passionate about nursing anymore as I am about radiography.

I still haven't heard anything from UCD about an interview & apparently they do call mature radiography students for interview so I'm still playing the waiting game here. I've rang the admissions dept a few times & I got told that I'd be called in April, then that I'd be called in May. I think I'll just ring the radiography dept on Monday, they might know a bit more.

Larianne · 08-05-2010 12:47pm

Thanks Laydee.

UCD aren't the best for getting back to you or giving you any information for that matter.

Don't settle for something you don't want to do. If it means applying again next year or heading to the UK so be it. It would be nothing worse than finishing a degree you only half heartedly wanted to do and then be in the same environment as the career you did want. If you get me.

I didn't hear back from UCD until late too.

Laydee · 08-05-2010 1:29pm

I was talking to some 4th year radiography students when I was on my work experience & they gave me the name of one of the heads of radiography who would be likely to give me an interview if I wasn't called.
They also told me about the areas of radiography that interest him the most so to mention those to help me in the interview or in my email to beg for an interview.

Larianne · 08-05-2010 1:32pm

Well if you have a name, maybe try contacting them on Monday?

Even when I went into the Health Science Building in UCD no-one would come and speak to me. I was not impressed.

I gave their offer letter the two fingers!(yes it was after accepting Trinity but still.. felt good!)

Laydee · 08-05-2010 1:51pm

Can I just ask for one of the heads of radiography?
I thought that if I rang the radiography dept & asked for him that I'd be asked what it's about & be put through to admissions again?

I suppose, I won't know until I try.

Larianne · 08-05-2010 6:06pm

Well I don't know. I was dealing with a different department. It might be completely different in your case. But I was able to contact the head of the department in Trinity no probs so I'd definitely go for it.

ithread · 08-05-2010 8:04pm

Hi everyone, I'm new here and like some of you, in the process of preparing for the interview. Great to read some of the threads on here!!

I was wondering if anyone knows if you are supposed to receive a separate response with the number of points you got in the written assessment? I got a letter to attend an interview but not sure how well I did in the test?

Thanks!

Jessibelle · 08-05-2010 9:05pm

Larianne wrote: »

Well what do you want more???? If you get offered the undergraduate place after accepting the Msc would it not be worth it to loose the €500????

Yes, yes it would! Sometimes all it needs is to be seen in black and white, thanks!

Hey Maturies/Non-Trads, how's it going?

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