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Anxiety about going back to college

ASD_Geek

ASD_Geek

Well-Known Member
V.I.P Member
I am an adult and I am having some anxiety about returning to college. The last time that I went to college was about 30 years ago and it did not go so well. Last year I decided that it was time for me to start college again. Since then I've been taking it slow and started by attending one class at a time.

Last semester I took an online course at the college and did really well. This semester I am taking a class on campus (with my first class being this evening) and I am really anxious about being in a classroom setting again.

Any advice or comments are welcomed.
 
I elected to go to vocational school some twenty years after graduating from a university.

One of my better decisions. Hope it will be for you as well. :)
 
I do recall feeling a little self-conscious about my age. It's allowed! Even remember sitting next to the one person in my class who seemed in my age group. Strength in numbers! LOL...even if it was only one person.
 
The 3 " mature students " in my uni course sat automatically sat together as well. It only took a week or so before they integrated in with the rest of us, about as long as it took the rest of us to establish friendship groups and decide who to avoid (translation: who were the immature idiots only there to waste time).

What exactly are you anxious about / went badly the last time you went to college?
 
That's a little of how I feel. I'm going to be one of the oldest guy in there or close to it, not to mention being the odd one in there.
 
NothingToSeeHere said:
The 3 " mature students " in my uni course sat automatically sat together as well. It only took a week or so before they integrated in with the rest of us, about as long as it took the rest of us to establish friendship groups and decide who to avoid (translation: who were the immature idiots only there to waste time).

What exactly are you anxious about / went badly the last time you went to college?
Click to expand...
I don't really know… I guess I'm anxious about being one of the older ones in there. The class is a three hour block so I'm going to be in there a long time. I'm also worried about being unusual.

I guess part of it is also just fear of the unknown.

When I went to college fresh out of high school my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and my mind was other places. It was also overwhelming as it was very different from high school. As a result I ended up trying to take classes over multiple semesters but ended up either withdrawing or failing.
 
Do you know if there will be other older students there? you could contact the course leader and ask, if there are then at least you will have the reassurance of not being the odd one out because of your age.

Also, keep in mind that those 3 hours will be spent working on something you hopefully find interesting, you'll be busy so fitting in isn't so important in that environment. If there is any socialising involved there will always be something to talk about that you have in common even if they are 30 years younger than you, your course! Most of my uni 'friendly acquaintanceships' (the people I chose to sit next to in class, join in group work and occasionally met in the library) relied completely upon discussion of classes and coursework, so it didn't matter that we had nothing else in common or that I was clearly a bit weird.

Alas fear of the unknown is an inevitable part of starting something new... keep in mind that most everyone else in the room will be equally nervous (I never found this very reassuring unfortunately :p ). The root of being confident in new situations is acting like you are even if you're internally shitting it.
 
Thanks, everyone. I'll let you know how it goes! It should be pretty interesting. It's general psychology.
 
ASD_Geek said:
I am an adult and I am having some anxiety about returning to college. The last time that I went to college was about 30 years ago and it did not go so well. Last year I decided that it was time for me to start college again. Since then I've been taking it slow and started by attending one class at a time.

Last semester I took an online course at the college and did really well. This semester I am taking a class on campus (with my first class being this evening) and I am really anxious about being in a classroom setting again.

Any advice or comments are welcomed.
Click to expand...

What country or state do you live in? I ask because that could determine how strong the disability support services at your college will be.
 
Glad it's going okay for you. The good thing about being the "old fart" in any group is that old farts are allowed to be a bit eccentric and, nobody would dare think ill of us for it. :P
 
My major is biology. I'm studying to become a wildlife biologist.

BTW, thanks again everyone. My class went better than expected... and when I sat in my row, there were other older people that sat near me.
 
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