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Finding Confidence in Being a Student (Again)

Photo of multiple students in a lab holding plant specimens, working together using printed guides to identify them.

By Joanna Redfeather

Going to university as a mature student can feel like a daunting step, especially because you probably won’t be making the transition along with students you already know at school or college. But, fear not! There are ways to find your confidence in being a student before and during a degree.

Photo of students smiling and studying together with laptops on a desk.
Image credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/universityofwolverhampton/23005794773/

Try it before you commit

If your confidence is wobbling a great deal and you’re not sure if committing to a university degree is something you’re ready for, a great way to explore this is to explore some short courses. It is possible to do this for free or at low cost. Consider trying courses in similar subjects to what you would study at university and in a similar format. Some examples if you’re interested in nature and the environment:

Photo of multiple students in a lab holding plant specimens, working together using printed guides to identify them.
Identifying plant specimens using guides.

Doing any of these courses will also strengthen an application to a university degree course and jobs in the future. So, they are a fantastic way to explore whether being a student works for you, and see if you prefer online or in-person learning environments. You can also find out if you enjoy learning about certain topics such as theory, research, digital skills, and/or being out immersed in nature in the field.

What if university-level studying seems like too big of a step for me?

It is understandable to find the thought of going to university (or even going back to university if you’ve been before) a huge leap. You may even have reasons to believe that the intensity of study will be a big change and you might prefer to ease your way into it rather than hit the ground running. That’s totally okay and there are ways you can do this. For example, many university degree courses offer a foundation year, which is offered for this reason. It introduces students to university life, how to navigate all the many university resources that you might need during your studies, guides students in learning how to support themselves in studying and in student life. If you choose to do this at the same university where you hope to study your degree then you will also get to know the staff, the university itself and may even build friendships with other students who you can keep in contact with and offer mutual support throughout.

In addition to this, many universities offer introductory events just before the academic year officially begins in late summer that are tailored specifically for groups of students like mature students. I was invited to join one of these at my university and it was a great opportunity to understand how my course is structured, what support resources are available, and even have a taster session in how to read a scientific paper. These sessions are usually with other students in similar positions, so you can also make connections before the academic year officially begins.

What support is there during my course?

Universities have a wealth of support options available to students. Firstly, you’ll be assigned an academic tutor who is there to support you if you ever have any academic struggles. They can also support you further by signposting you to other resources that you might need that are offered by the university. For example, most universities have resources ranging from study skills workshops, to careers resources, to well-being workshops, to individual or group counselling, and more. You can reach out to any of these university services directly yourself, or via the student services teams who will also signpost you, but it can sometimes be helpful to have someone you know guide you to the most suitable resource based on what might help you best.

In addition to this, many universities have networks and/or student-run societies for mature students. This is a great way to meet others who are studying a little later in life and remember that you are not alone. I joined some of these events in my first year and was delighted to see that there were many other students older than me, even though I was in my late 30s. Much of undergraduate university life can feel tailored toward younger student peers, but there are pockets within the community that are great for older students.

Three students sitting at an outdoor picnic bench on a green campus, smiling.
Student societies and networks can help you meet other students and make friends.

Remember that reaching out for support always feels hard at first, but it is worth it. If you need support, reach out as soon as you can and don’t be afraid to reach out to different people, especially if you need further support.

Being an ‘ancient undergrad’

In my social media profiles, I’ve enjoyed referring to myself as an ‘ancient undergrad’, especially because many mature students are still in their 20s and I found fewer my age or older. That means it can feel even more daunting to enter an in-person lecture, workshop or lab with a large cohort of younger student faces looking back at me. I will fully admit that some younger students have been uncomfortable studying with someone close in age to their parents. So, I started to find strategies to help, especially in group working situations with students who hadn’t yet gotten to know me. Here are some strategies that worked, at least some of the time:

  • Remind younger student peers directly that you’re here to learn, just like they are. You aren’t there to judge them, nor do you have all the answers, otherwise you wouldn’t be studying for the same degree as them.
  • Remember to delegate tasks as a group. As a mature student, you might have skills that the other younger students haven’t acquired yet, but that doesn’t mean you should do all the group work that you have skills for. Other students may want to learn that skill by taking it on as their part in a group working project. It can be hard to share the load in these situations, but in group work you can support the other students if they get stuck and give them pointers if they want them. Just remember not to be tempted to step in and ‘rescue’, unless they ask for help!
  • Some students will never be comfortable around older people, and that’s okay. Find the students that are comfortable around you, and focus on them.
  • It’s also okay to find staff or postgraduate students more easy to relate to than younger student peers sometimes! You will have had a lot of life experiences that younger students probably haven’t had yet, and might be in different living situations as a result. Sometimes that can feel isolating, so don’t be afraid to connect with the wider university community. Staff and postgraduate students have always accepted me and never judged me as different due to my age.

About Joanna

Joanna is a prize-winning, award-earning Zoology finalist at the University of Nottingham (it was no surprise when her academic tutor described her as ‘hugely enthusiastic’!) She is a student member of CIEEM, a committee member for a local nature reserve, and lifelong autodidact. As a recent career-changer, she has accrued 15+ years of experience and skills in the intersection between technology, data and marketing, and plans to advance these skills by studying for a Masters in Data Science with the aim of applying them in the conservation, ecology and/or environment sectors. She is currently seeking long-term, part-time work in a related role that is remote or hybrid while studying part-time. Her passions include rewilding, EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion), horses and very amateur wildlife photography.

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