Calling all not-so-mature students

The age thing works the other way also. I went to university as a mature student. I always got the impression that the traditional aged students thought the mature ones shouldn't have been there, most ignored them. When I first went I was just 26 at that and looked 18. Even so, it was mainly other fellow mature ones spoke to me.

Perhaps the mature people at your group probably are wondering why you are not at uni.

Best thing for you to do is just start yapping to people, go up and ask questions about the subject, what you might be struggling with etc. Ice will break eventually.

Hi, I first started studying with the OU when I was 19, and that is 11 years ago now! One thing I like about the OU is the diversity of people. Perhaps there are other reasons why people in your tutor group are not talking to you. I am quite a shy person and have low self esteem. Sometimes it is easy to think you are being excluded when really you may be excluding yourself (at least in my case).

I am suprised you haven't had many replies yet, but Platform forums do still seem quiet which is a shame. I am sure there are loads of young students out there, especially as the brick uni's may be putting off students due to fees.

As you do different courses there may be people more your age. I always feel proud when I sit in exams and see students of all ages. Have you looked on the OU student forums, there is likely to be more people there. Good luck with your studies!

Hi Sidra! Im a young'un haha im 19 and started OU when i was 18 last year now. But i know what you mean about not talking to the older students quite as much as if you come across ones your own age area, i think i get put off it as older students are alot more mature and stuff, or full on 'adults' with different worlds to me, kids, marriage, all that sort of stuff. Although at a residential school i did chat to a fair few people older than me and got on ok, but i bonded most with people the same age. I wouldnt mind meeting more students my age though. Although im studying Environment/ecology. But i kinda wana go to brick uni to meet people altho the cost has put me off tons D: haha. Darren.

hi,
im 22 and am starting my first course towards environmental science. i would like to make new friends through the course but am worried about the age gap between me and other students, but it sounds like theres more younger students studying than i thought, all with similar worries haha. so here's hopeing to meeting new people! :) claire

Hi Darren & Claire!
Nice to hear from you. Darren, I totally get what you were saying about the mature students being full on adults, with kids and marriages! Apart from talking about things related to the course or the OU, there wasn't really much I had in common with anyone at my tutorials, I hope there'll be a few younger people on MST121 when it starts in October. My previous course (my first one) didn't require me to go to a residential school, and I'm pretty sure MST121 doesn't either.
Good luck to you both on your courses. Keep in touch via this forum
Sidra ;-)

PS: Hi Nimmy, you said "Perhaps the mature people at your group probably are wondering why you are not at uni", maybe so, but then they should just ask!
And Hi srm225 "Perhaps there are other reasons why people in your tutor group are not talking to you" I DID say that everyone was nice at my tutorials, so it's not that no one was talking to me. Thanx to you both for your replies and advice though ;-)

They say that age is mind over matter so is maturity -some people are very mature in their twenties.

I thimk the subject is also a 'mental' one it all depends on how you see the whole 'age thing' When I did my 1st degree I was always amongst the younger 1/3 of students at my tutorials; I'm now doing a 2nd Open Degree and find my perspectives have changed as I have changed.
so my advice would be -open up & talk to others; BUT also continue to be the uniqueness that is you. Let me know how you get on.

Hey,
i'm 18 and im starting my course in october. My first course is The arts past and present. I'm a little nervous of making new friends because of the age gap in the students. I'm quite a shy person and often find it hard talking to new people. I wanted to join the OU because i liked the flexiblity you have whilst studying and at the same time i will be able to balance work and my social life. Also the cost was an advantage. I'm really looking forward to meeting some new friends around my age at OU.

I look forward to getting to know some of you :)

zofia :)

Haha! I like your title.

I agree :-)

That is probably one of the only downsides of being at the Open University. I'm going to have to watch my "MSN" grammar on those forums.

I'm 20 and I'm just about to start at the Open University (I was at "normal" uni last year but left)

There must be quite alot of young people studying here though... I read the article on the OU website that said they'd been a massive surge in the amount of young people applying.

Sarah

Hi there,

I am just finishing explring science and have signed up for 120 credits starting in October(open maths, the molecular world and human biology)! as I am working towards a degree in nolecular science).
I am 21 and live in London (close to the Oval cricket ground).
It would be great to make some friends to revise with or go out for a drink!
My email address is micaelita@hotmail.co.uk

cheers

Mica.

Hello!
I'm also a younger OU student. 18, I started last year with a few courses whilst I was at college (glutton for punishment I think!).

Zofia - I'm doing the same course! Nice to meet you.

hello everyone

I'm 19 and doing my first OU course - An openings - "understanding children". I intend to further this over the years to a degree combining French, Education and Music....maybe!

There are loads of reasons I chose OU over normal uni - costs are big...also, I went to boarding school for most of my teenage years and want to spend some time at home with my parents now...I have suffered from anorexia and it was suggested that I might relapse if I was put under the pressure of a normal uni with solid deadlines and that sort of thing....and at the end of 6th form, I just didnt love any of my subjects enough to want to study them for 3 years!

There you go, look forward to meeting you, either virtually or in reality!

Lucie x

Hey! I'm in the same boat as you, I'm 20 and just started doing a course at the OU, I've been to traditional universities before and didn't like the campus life because getting drunk constantly didn't appeal to me, and on the occasion where I've lived off-campus, it was just too lonely. It's good to know there are a few younger people doing OU courses as it does sometimes have a reputation of being mostly for "mature" students. Good luck with your degree!

Where are these uni's that people seem to be drunk al the time? The one I went to the students where very sqaure. They did their lecutures, went to the library and where out as soon as they could.

Must have gone to the wrong uni, oh well, never mind.

Haha, I thought at most universities students went out and got drunk all the time. I previously went to Queen Mary University in London and University of Kent, and also visited a few London ones. Most people's maintenance loans didn't last past Freshers Week!

I'm 39, so not quite a youngster, but it's refreshing to find out that the OU appeals to younger people as well as older ones. I've just finished a degree at Manchester University (nursing); the variation in ages on this course was staggering! It was amazing being friends with people who aren't that much older than my 16 year-old daughter! I think that's one of the reasons the OU appeals so much. Besides, I'm on my second childhood now so anyone youngsters who feel the need for an older (but maybe not wiser!) friend, feel free to talk to me!
Karen.

Hey, alena, My sister went to Kent. She was based in Darwin College, Lovely campus.

Hello everyone,

I'm 20 and have just (nearly) finished my first year of doing Maths and Stats. I didn't go to 'normal' university after college because I had no interest in doing anything apart from playing guitar, so i got a full time job instead. After a year of working and spending my time rolling various fruits down hills (i had got bored of guitar), i was pursuaded by my girlfriend and boss (not the same person) to do a degree. I chose Open Uni over normal uni because I liked my job and where I live, it's cheaper, i don't really like drinking and i figured it wouldn't take me that much longer to complete compared to normal uni anyway.

I've enjoyed my first year and I think i'm doing reasonably well, although i found the first six months or so quite difficult; for the last 8 years i haven't really done any work and just kind of got away with it (i spent my time at secondary school either swinging on trees or pretending i was a character from The Lord of The Rings) so having to actually do work was quite a change for me and was quite stressful. However, after reading a book (this was quite an acheivement for me as i've never read a whole book before) I was inspired to think differentely and have been finding the work much easier since (although i've been trying the go through all 3 of my courses in the last few weeks coming up to my exams).

I apologise in advance for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes that I have made, and for the possible overuse of brackets. Also, i'm posting this with the risk that I sound like an idiot!

Jon

Hi there!

I haven't logged onto Camputs for a while, but figured with the end of my course (and registration of a new one) now would be a good time, and i must say I am glad I found this topic.

Im 21 but started OU straight from finishing college. The reason(s) I picked OU were because I didn't want to end up with a large amount of debt hanging over my neck, and found the OUs payment system much more manageable, secondly I have a disability, which although I could still go to Campus based Uni, being at home eases any transport worries, (or indeed anything else.) Third, and finally, I wasn't really sure at the time what it was I wanted to do with my education. All I knew, and still know is that I want to be a writer, (if you find any mistakes here, I have a terrible habbit of not proof-reading things I post on the internet) 

As a consequence of not knowing with what I wanted to do, I went with things that interest me, starting first with a course in "Arts and Humanities" and then "Introducing religion." Finally this year I know what I want to do, and I am going in the direction to achieve it, so I am enrolling on the "Digital Photography" short course (its full name escapes me) along with the Creative Writing course, due to begin in October 2010

Thanks for reading.

Gary :) 

Hiya, im 19 years old and in Feb i will be starting the AA100 course. I am really looking forward to it. I agonized over whether to go to uni or to do OU for ages and drove my family near insane with my constant idea changes!!!   It was the fees and lack of flexability that pushed me away from uni. I wanted to work too. So the OU seemed perfect.

My dad has a Maths degree through the OU so i got to see first hand how much commitment goes with studying with the OU.

I have to admit, even when i actually signed up for this, i was still wondering if i was doing the right thing in not going away, i was worried that i would come across as anti-social or something. Still do worry. But i am enjoying myself, meeting new people and embarking on a subject that i love, so what more could i possilbe want?!! :)

Hi everyone

I'm doing DD303 starting in January and am new to OU study. I am working towards a BSc (hons) Open degree composed of all Psychology courses. After this I am doing DD307 and will then graduate. I am 23 and married, living in my own house with my husband. He is about to start a funded phd.

I'm doing OU to finish off my degree that I started in 2005 at University of Leicester straight from A levels. Postponed 2nd year exams til a year later as my mum died in April 2007 and wasn't able to sit my exams. So I was a year behind everyone else. Started 3rd year in 2008 but didn't get on with it, was depressed and felt like I'd been left behind, didn't really fit in the usual student types and felt very lonely and unsupported. Tutor support was completely shit and you could never get hold of the books you wanted. For every lecture you had to read many chapters from as many as 6 different books that all had huge reservation lists in the library. So it was impossible really. Wish I'd never gone and done OU instead but I have no regrets really as had some excellent times and still live in the city.

I've spent 2009 getting my head together and have nearly finished an Apprenticeship in Child Care, Learning & Development (NVQ Level 2) and was working full time in a nursery.

I'm looking forward to studying with OU as the course looks much better structured than any Uni courses I did before and I feel like there is going to be much more support. I can also balance it with staying at home to look after the house and hopefully starting a family soon.

Well thats me! Hope to make some friends at OU for the 2 years that I am studying.

Hey!

Firstly I think the platform forums are sometimes quiet because i honestly don't think enough students know it's here!  There was an initial burst of advertising and then....nothing; unless I am missing it i don't even think there is a link to platform on the student home page of OU and so it becomes easy to forget about it, i spent ages trying to find the name of this place again lol..

anyway rant over(?), i am 25 and in my 3rd year with the OU, i agree with an earlier poster that perhaps the younger students might 'feel' excluded but actually perhaps we do that to ourselves?  Obviously we are all different and age shouldn't matter, but in some ways, if we are thrown into a group of people, and the majority all share something obvious in common i.e. age, then we might feel intimidated and that might create a barrier, it's no one's fault, but it takes someone proactive to break the barrier down again :-D

I feel like that sometimes, but I actually really enjoy meeting people who are older than me, I feel that although we are all the same in some respects, we can still teach each other a thing or two, and social stereotyping is an annoying and unavoidable fact of life...some older ppl might bunch young'uns into a group of 'troublesome, mischievious, careless' individuals, (generalising) and some younger people might think 'boring, nothing in common, different wavelength/interests' etc...so the best thing we all can do is to stamp on the stereotype and take matters into our own hands and just be our true selves, non judgemental, open and receptive to good things, and enjoy feeling slightly nervous and shy and the feeling of relief when we realise we are all not so different after all. :)

I didn't go to traditional full time uni because i wanted to 'earn as i learn' lol and it's become more of a hobby than a 'must have' ... the bonus is that i will have the opportunity to change my career when i graduate (currently working in local government and want to teach english abroad) ..merry christmas/holidays/winter/good times,

ash

Hi everyone!  I just noticed this topic.  I'm 23 and have been studying science with the OU for almost five years now.  It's a great way to do it as I can work at the same time and not build up the huge student loans that so many of my friends now have.    

Happy New Year to all you "not-so mature students" and those more mature ones too!       

Hi all, I'm 34 and so may be somewhere in the middle of typical OU age range. Strangely people in the outside world usually think I'm mid 20s which has led to some odd conversations. Glad that OU offers less opportunity for people to be judgemental. We're all doing the same course, for work and/or pleasure, I think everyone's on a more even footing here.

I work with some fabulous people in their 20s, 30s and 40s, but in the marketing world there don't seem to be too many 50+ except those who retired from their specialism early and work as freelance experts. Obviously the benefit of experience comes with age but some colleagues in their 20s are the most productive and driven I've ever met. People can be quick to dismiss younger folk but don't be fooled!

I'm really enjoying Book 1: Setting out from home. Trying to blast ahead while I've got no work commitments. Wanting to go all the way to gain Environmental Science BSc by being really focused with the courses over the next 3 yrs.

How are other people planning to juggle work/family/course demands? I was aiming to go part time at work this week to accommodate OU and gain voluntary experience in my chosen field, but it's very quiet at work so I've been told not to go in for a few weeks, no pay, uncertain if/when I'll be back. 

Hi all,

I'm 25 and from Cheltenham England, I am at the end of my second year of OU study and finding it pretty 'hardcore' as I work full-time doing shift work and unsocial hours, and have been doing some hefty modules! I have been telling all my clients (I work with homeless 16-25 year olds) and friends about the OU, and several clients and friends have signed up as a result of my preaching!!

I had done university for 3 years the recreational way, but after accruing a massive student debt and drinking far too much alcohol, I found myself completely demotivated and easily distracted, and with half a degree...The open university is perfect for me now I am becoming an old man, and there are no friends lurking in my bedroom encouraging me to go down to the student union bar! I hope to finish my degree after one more years study, doing something I am actually interested in and take pleasure in learning about. Much unlike the prodding I received to go to university when I clearly was nowhere near ready.

I am so grateful the OU exists! Thank you :)

My email is dannyboydavis@hotmail.com if anyone wants to have a banter...

Good luck with your studies everyone!

I have been surprised by how many young people there is with the OU. 

HI to all my new fellow students and happy new year if everyone is going to have a good old session then like my self it will be my last till my degree is in my hand i am a new student and mature not that age has much to do with a lot in the way of studying as no doubt how i am feeling is how most felt as a first time student with the O.U. nervous and excited but i know this will be a journey a life changing one in so many respects i hope to make a lot of new friends and meet people who are or studying social science mature or not advice is welcome i just want to say thank you to the O.U and everyone who is supporting me on this journey.