0 reactions
0 reactions
At 52 I went back to university and the fear nearly stopped me
Spent twenty years pulling espresso shots and telling customers about my plans to go back to school someday. Someday. Kept saying it while colleagues moved on and younger staff got promoted over me. Last autumn I finally enrolled in a part-time business degree through a Dublin university. First lecture I walked in and everyone else looked about twenty-two. Sat there frozen thinking I had made a horrible mistake. My hands were actually shaking holding the pen. Went home that night and told my husband I was dropping out. He just made me tea and said he thought I would stick with it. That quiet belief meant more than any motivational poster. Three months in and I still feel out of place. My study notes look like coffee orders scrawled on napkins half the time. My tech skills are rubbish compared to the younger students. But I handed in my first proper assignment last week and got a solid B-minus. Not glamorous. Not inspiring. Just real progress from someone who almost let fear win. The degree might not change everything. Might not lead to some big career pivot. But proving to myself I could start something this scary at my age? That part already matters.
#inspiration
source
Spent twenty years pulling espresso shots and telling customers about my plans to go back to school someday. Someday. Kept saying it while colleagues moved on and younger staff got promoted over me. Last autumn I finally enrolled in a part-time business degree through a Dublin university. First lecture I walked in and everyone else looked about twenty-two. Sat there frozen thinking I had made a horrible mistake. My hands were actually shaking holding the pen. Went home that night and told my husband I was dropping out. He just made me tea and said he thought I would stick with it. That quiet belief meant more than any motivational poster. Three months in and I still feel out of place. My study notes look like coffee orders scrawled on napkins half the time. My tech skills are rubbish compared to the younger students. But I handed in my first proper assignment last week and got a solid B-minus. Not glamorous. Not inspiring. Just real progress from someone who almost let fear win. The degree might not change everything. Might not lead to some big career pivot. But proving to myself I could start something this scary at my age? That part already matters.
#inspiration
source