One is never too old to learn 🙂

Rose……

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn’t already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being.

She said, “Hi handsome. My name is Rose.

I’m eighty-seven years old Can I give you a hug?”

I laughed and enthusiastically responded, “Of course you may!” and she gave me a giant squeeze.

“Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?” I asked.

She jokingly replied, “I’m here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids…”

“No seriously,” I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

“I always dreamed of having a college education and now I’m getting one!” she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake.

We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this “time machine” as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went.

She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At! the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet.

I’ll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor.

Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, “I’m sorry I’m so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I’ll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know.”

(this cracked me up!)

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, “We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.

There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success You have to laugh and find humor every day. You’ve got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die.

We have so many people walking around who are dead and don’t even know it!

There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.

If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don’t do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight.

Anybody can grow older. That doesn’t take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets.

The elderly usually don’t have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with

regrets.”

She concluded her speech by courageously singing “The Rose.”

She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives.

At the year’s end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago.

One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it’s never too late to be all you can possibly be.

No, not at all. Don’t let that stop you. Don’t be afraid. Put in the effort in your classes (take great lecture notes, participate in class, study every day, get help such as tutoring if you need extra help) and you’ll excel academically. Smile, be friendly, join some clubs/organizations, and you’ll make some friends. Don’t be scared.

Someone close to me started college at 25. I’m taking some undergrad courses that are prerequisites for a graduate program and I’m 33. I thought I’d be the oldest in the class, but I’m not. There’s a woman in her early forties in there with me who’s getting her bachelor’s degree. So see, people go back to school at all ages. Good for you for wanting to do this. A life change like this is difficult, I know, but it’s doable and it’s worth it. Major in something you’re passionate about and you’ll start looking forward to your future and you’ll be proud of yourself for taking the steps to get there. Good luck.

If you’re not sure what you want to study, this website might be a good place for you to start:

http://www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm

Type in a career you’d like information on into the search box in the top right-hand corner (add ‘s’ at the end, as in “psychologists” instead of “psychologist” and it might give you more result). You can also google “what can I do with a psychology/communication sciences and disorders/marketing/whatever you’re interested in major” to get career info. Good luck.

I will assume you are asking about starting an education at 23 years old and going to a university. So if that is what you are asking, then no it is not to old, any age is not to old. If that is not what you are asking than ask the question again so I and others can understand what you are asking.

Now watch the thumbs down for trying to answer an unclear question.

I don’t think so but of course, it’s up to you, or whoever you’re asking about. At 23, you might have a clearer idea of your career and education goals than an 18 year old. However, it’s all relative. I’m a medical student and there are several students attending a review course that I’m currently in who are definitely between 45-55. They didn’t let their ages stop them and I think that’s admirable. So, good luck.

Absolutely not, due to the company I worked for being forced to close due to NAFTA. I needed more education to compete for the jobs available at the time. I was not computer literate, but I could do anything anyone asked me to. The problem was I lacked a degree and no firm would take the chance. At the age of 49 I went back and received my degree in electronics. That was thirteen years ago, without that education I would be working until I died instead of preparing for my early retirement. My point is, there is no age that is too old to improve your education. At 23 you have the necessary skills to put the proper effort into he system and after you graduate your will be looked on with admiration for the efforts you put in. Most companies jump at educated mature adult applicants. Go for it, go for it big time.

Nope, you are never too old to get your education. I graduated when I was 32 from college and if I hadn’t I would have probably worked as a waitress for the rest of my life! It is never too late to make a change…btw my husband was even older than I was when he graduated and now he has a great job as a Software Engineer, doing better than he ever imagined…go for it!

No it’s not as you’ll be more mature and maybe be more aware on what you want to get out of it, rather than just being in university to pass time (like me).

it is never to late to begin at a university and if your embarrassed about it you could always try the online univerisity it usually takes as much time

Not at all. I am 62 and just got my Doctorate. As far as I am concerned it’s never too late. Obviously.

Roy

Hell no!!! Try 32—I am in college presently.

Colleges are very diverse!! People come in all ages. I nevr once felt too old….It just makes me more advanced…LOL!!!