Feeling old and sad ?

College Admissions Gap Year
#1

Hi everyone, I’ve been feeling a little down because I’m 24 and still in undergrad. I know age is just a number and I’m not that old but I just feel so weird being in a classroom with a bunch of 18 year olds.

I graduated hs in 2014 and didn’t start college until 2016 at a community college due to personal reasons. I graduated in 2019 and took the fall semester off and then went back to school last semester unfortunately none of my credits transferred over to the new school I’m at so I guess that also set me back besides that I took a semester off. Now I’m a sophomore at 24, and won’t be graduating until 2024 I’ll be 28 by then. I’m getting my bachelors in childhood education, so I won’t be starting my career until then. I feel so old… I feel like taking so many classes just so I can finish by 26 but I know that would be so impossible. Any advise or warm words to make me feel a little better?

#2

You are not old by any means! You took a different path and that’s okay. I had tons of classes with people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s in my undergrad at a state school. There’s a lot more nontraditional students than you’d think. It can be tough feeling like you’re the oldest student in the room - I took classes with 18-year-olds at 21 and even though it’s not as big of a gap, it still felt weird! I’m sure no one else around you thinks of you as out of place :slight_smile: Keep doing what you’re doing and you’ll kill it.

#3

My two closest classmates in my major were in their mid 20s when I was in college. I always liked being their lab partners because I knew they would take it more seriously than most. 25-30 years later, both have gone on to do very well.

And you want to feel old? I took a class at our community college last year. Most of the students were not only my youngest son’s age, they had been on his soccer team! I had been their team manager and team mom. Lol.

#4

When I was an 18-year-old engineering female freshman, one of my best friends was a 28-year-old guy who was taking the same classes I was. He was like my big brother. I thought it was so cool that he was going back to college at that age! Then when I got to grad school, there was a 48-year-old guy who was also getting his master’s degree.

My husband dropped out of school the first go around as a college senior. He decided he didn’t want to be a teacher after all. He went back to engineering school at the age of 28. I met him when he came down from Wisconsin to go to grad school at UT Austin - we had two classes together. He was 30 and I was 22. We were engaged within three months of meeting. If he hadn’t braved going back to school, we never would have met.

One last story - my son’s psychiatrist, just the most amazing man, took his 20s to sail around the South Pacific. At the age of 30, he decided to go to medical school. So he was REALLY old when he started practicing psychiatry! Again, I am so thankful he took that brave step, because he has helped all three of my adult children in many ways.

Just think of the kids you will impact by being a teacher! They won’t care how old you are!

#5

Hugs! I think you will find too if you decide to do internships that your additional experience will help in dealing with children. What an awesome major, hats off to you!

#6

My sister left the business world and went back to school at 55 to get a teaching degree. She’s now 65 and loves being a teacher.

#7

omg thank you all sooo much!! i feel much better, I was just feeling a little down I think its just me overthinking as usual… thanks to you all!