Starting back to school. NERVOUS. Encouragement? Advice?

[une nouvelle vie 327]

When I say starting, I mean JUST starting. I've applied to my local community college for a 2 year certificate program and I have an orientation coming up in a few days to give me my next steps. I'm nervous! Scared!

Why scared? I tried college right out of high school and I blew it off. I foolishly cared more about having a good time and hanging with the wrong people and never got an education. Now here I am, in my early 40s and I think I want to try again. I was in that super obese category for SO LONG and I'm down 150 pounds from where I was a year ago and still losing so why not try to improve the old job situation?

It's been over 20 years since I was in a classroom. Obviously MUCH has changed since then. Since it's been so long since my college testing I'll have to take placement tests. So there's something else to be nervous about. That voice in my head that tells me (all the time) what a failure I am is trying to tell me to forget it. It's telling me to either forget this completely or take the "easier" course which would be 100% online but would be for a job that would earn me about $10 less per hour.

Before starting my weight loss journey I would have never, ever thought seriously about doing this. I've lived so many years trapped in that enormous body and it held me back from so many things. I'm party posting this in hopes that someone else has been through this and has advice and partly because if I put it out there, maybe I won't quit.

NERVOUS!

[CanyonBaby 1,852]

Can't blame you one bit! It is scary going back to school, thinking you have to compete.....but I realized when I did it (back almost 25 years ago - I was 31 at the time - law enforcement academy, and ALL men there...talk about scary...I came in 1st in class, 4.0gpa...but I digress...) that I was there for a reason...I WANTED TO BE THERE! It was what I loved, what I WANTED to do (as opposed to high school...I didn't WANT to do that!), so why not enjoy the ride? I really threw myself into it, and relished the challenges set before me. Scary, YES! Worth it? ABSOLUTELY! And even though I never became a cop after the training, it helps me to understand what my cop-husband deals with day in and day out, and I can help him.

Once you get back into the swing of things, I think you'll really enjoy it, especially if it is in an field you love. For me, learning is a joy, and something to look forward to. Have fun with this, make it something to look forward to. It may be your last schooling days! Good luck to you on yet ANOTHER new journey!

[Bufflehead 6,358]

I haven't been through your exact situation but I see it from the other side. As an educator, I work with adult learners -- both those who are young(er) and have gone straight through school without taking a break, and those who are returning to higher ed after several years away. I can tell you, my "returning learners" are the BEST! They are focused, thoughtful, able to plan and manage their time well, and do a great job at keeping their priorities in order. They are not always at the top of the class, but they are NEVER at the bottom. I have absolutely no doubt that you will follow this pattern and do great. I don't know you, but I can see that you are intelligent, you express yourself well, you are self-aware, you see exactly what you are aiming for -- you have the tools you need to succeed. Don't sell yourself short.

And by the way, in the time you've been out of the classroom, I think there's been a lot of learning by educators about the best ways to teach adult learners, and a lot of that has been adopted by various people. You may well find that the work you do is more engaging and it is easier to focus and learn, not just because you are more mature and ready for it (which you are), but because teachers have improved their methods. No guarantees on that part of it but you might get lucky there. Let me repeat, I have no doubt you can do this and be successful. Trust yourself

[swimbikerun 1,045]

@@une nouvelle vie My sister started out bits and here and there. She finally started getting down the wire with me going after my 2nd degree. It may have taken her 20 years, and she is in the same decade group you were when she finished.

Our family would not sit with me at graduatin because I said I was going to whoop like it was the 2nd Coming for her. She is the eldest and helped out a lot, didn't hear her complain on it really, so she didn't get as much opportunity as others to go to college. So when the time came, I helped her with some classes because it meant a lot to me to see she got the degree. Yes, it was a 2 year but she conquered it.

Please know that it doesn't matter the age. The ability to get back in the game and pick yourself up and start over takes courage that will serve you well. College requires a lot of personality changes that not everyone out of college can muster. Emotional intelligence has a lot to do with it.

[mi75 1,235]

after i had my surgery and FINALLY felt healthy and normal again, i decided to pursue my Doctor of Nursing Practice and become a Nurse Practitioner. I have been a RN for 18 years and wanted to further myself for many years but just didn't have the confidence.

my words of advice are this: starting at a community college level is GREAT. they want you to succeed. they also want to help you gradually lean into the college experience and learn all of the caveats of being a college student, before you earn an associate's degree and (possibly) move on to a university sized institution. find out where student services is, advising, financial aid, a cafe/lunch spot, and where the 'union' is- where people gather between classes. these are all places you will frequent. even if some of your classes are hybrid or online, spend some time on campus to become acquainted with people and places there. also, after a semester or two, you may want to consider on-campus employment. when i was an undergrad student, working on campus was INVALUABLE in really helping me get into the best classes, meet lots of people, and really get into the whole experience!

college immediately after high school is NOT for everyone, but now that you are older and wiser, you will have a completely different experience. in undergrad nursing school (my BSN program) i just could not wait to get out and into 'the real world'. now as a DNP student, married with a 40 hr nursing job, 2 kids and a husband, i LOVE being at school and working on school stuff and wish there was another degree i could do even beyond this one!

enjoy your new experience, good luck, and feel free to PM if you have any questions or such!

Edited April 9, 2015 by mi75

[wantingabetterlife 364]

I totally did this. I went to college at age 38, so I know how you feel. I had to take all the placement tests and I was scared to death since I hadn't been in school for 20 years. I bought a book that helped me brush up on some of the info that would be on the tests. I thought I would pass out on my first day of class! But you know what, I wasn't the only "older" student in there and I survived! It is way more intimidating in your head than it really is. Once you get started and get into the groove, you will be finished before you know it and relieved. Best of luck to you and remember, you can do it!

[gowalking 10,790]

Congratulations. The hardest step is the first one. As a 'mature' student, you will likely do very well because you will be focused. I went back to school and so did my son and there's something to be said about doing so at an older age when you can appreciate what an education can really do for you.

Be proud of yourself. What you're doing is awesome.

[AmyFromCincy 56]

I wish I had not went to college right after highschool. I wasnt mature and didnt know how to be a good student. When I went back to get my bach I was sooooo much better at being a student.

[une nouvelle vie 327]

Thank you guys so much for your support and suggestions. I'm sincerely touched that you'd take the time to respond. I don't have a lot of offline support and I'm afraid my self esteem isn't the best so every little bit helps.

Just knowing other people are out there doing it or have done it gives me hope that this could work out. I'm really going to try. Thank you again, I really mean it. I'm going to bookmark this page and read it again and again.

Edited April 10, 2015 by une nouvelle vie

[JustWatchMe 7,117]

Congratulations !!! It's amazing how our confidence increases in so many areas of our lives after we get control over our weight and eating. You will do great!

[Bandista 7,466]

So happy for you -- you will do beautifully. You're old enough to know what you don't know and to take advantage of all that is available to you. Don't forget to look for scholarships for returning women students!

So happy for you -- you will do beautifully. You're old enough to know what you don't know and to take advantage of all that is available to you. Don't forget to look for scholarships for returning women students!

[gowalking 10,790]

Don't forget to look for scholarships for returning women students!

Yes! Bandista is right. I got scholarship money from NYU because I was widowed and head of household. They paid about 20% of my tuition and for a school like that, it wasn't chump change. They didn't even ask for financial info...just documentation that I was widowed and head of household. Make sure you check into it.

[Miss Mac 6,262]

I agree with Bufflehead and the others. I started college at the age of 18, but only got in eighteen credit hours before my mother became critically ill. I had to drop out to care for younger siblings, one who was a toddler (geeze, he is 49 now!) After that, I got married, moved away, had kids of my own and two divorces. At the age of 54, I went back to school to fiinish my degree. Fifteen of my eighteen hours from 1971-72 transferred (just not the P. E . (swimming) class. I even got a $1,000 scholarship for winning an essay contest with the school, and was published in their tutorial on the correct way to write a college-level thesis.

Because of the availability of life-long learning credits, I got three more credit hours comped for passing a Human Health course as part of my science credits. At the age of 56, I aced, that is ACED Statistics I and II. My overall GPA was 3.75. At the age of 58, I finally completed my Bachelor's Degree in Business Management. Just think - how old will you be in two - four years if you don't go back to school?

My only gripe about the experience was that many of the younger students were just drinking their way through four years of college on Daddy's money, and took every shortcut they could. Group projects drove me crazy, because to get my A, I had to hold up three or four kidlets who could not have cared less if they even got a C grade. All content contributed to group papers had to be carefully edited for plagerism and Wikipedia cut and paste. So, I learned quickly to exert myself into being the team editor for every class I was in. It was extra work for me, but I am the one that walked away a 3.75 instead of a 1.75 GPA.

Here is a quote from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, that gets me through tough times, and got me through those classes with my focus on the prize:

"Whatever you can do, or dream you can do.......begin it.
For boldness has genius, power, and magic in it."

[Miss Mac 6,262]

How in the world does this ap do crazy stuff like center your work when you did not center it yourself???????

[une nouvelle vie 327]

Thank you again to everyone. I went to an information session and my next step will be taking the COMPASS tests to see where I place. Then it'll be on to financial aid and seeing what prerequisites might be in my future before I can start the program. One step at a time, right?

I filled out the FAFSA a month or so ago so they'll have that information shortly if not already. After my COMPASS tests I'll be meeting with an adviser to discuss the rest.

I'm taking all of your words to heart. I want so much to do well.

Edited April 14, 2015 by une nouvelle vie