May 15 2009
The 40 Year Old College Student
Any college student in the past five to ten years knows what I’m talking about. It seems like in every low level class you take there’s one person who decided to go to school to get their degree at an older age than usual. They are in their thirties or forties and generally overweight. I have no problem with this and maybe it’s just my personal experience, but these people always seem to think the professor is talking directly to them. It’s as if they are the only two people in the room and all the normal one on one conversational mannerisms are acceptable. This drives me crazy. The ripe student shakes or nods his/her head with each point made by the professor and often laughs, scoffs, or sighs at an unreasonable volume. With the rest of the class waiting their turn to speak, this student announces his/her feelings any time, cutting others off and proclaiming their opinions as if they were facts. I imagine a secret society of these people, conspiring to annoy and antagonize me and others like me. They strategically disperse their members throughout different classes, making sure to cover all subjects. I apologize if any of you out there are thirty to forty year old students who keep to themselves and/or provide interesting and helpful input, as I have met two or three of you. Unfortunately, your perturbing peers easily outnumber you.
I personally admire those who want to go back to school later in life. I understand what you are saying but I guess there is some “camaraderie” between the teachers and those older students that can’t come natural with the younger ones. Another thing is that thirty something and forty year olds are used to being listened to as equals. They have already been the “young inexperienced” student; and what school didn’t give them life has. So be patient with them you only get to share a semester or two with them.
Hello again, your blog got me thinking about the one I wrote and so I wrote a little more. Look into it see if my comment makes more sense.
Look for: Rethinking about being/turning 40.
Hello,just discovered you through Xpressoutloud. This critique of the over40 crowd almost made me fall off my perch with laughter. I went on a course a couple of years ago,and Bingo!!! guess who was there? A forty plus woman who never shut up.I eventually asked her if she had an “off” switch. And,btw,Iam over 40 myself.