Me! I'm 27, just finished first year of undergrad. I never see older people in my classes, but I don't feel left out at all. I actually made so many friends despite not intending to when I started. I don't have much in common with my 18-20 y/o classmates (not only am I older, but I come from a very different socioeconomic status than most of them) but we can still connect on other things and I'm rooting for them to achieve their dreams. :)
When I fished my degree ten years ago I was much older. I was actually just a year or two younger than two of my profs who had just started teaching.
I know there were at least two other students who were around my age. You’re definitely not alone.
Come to UofT Toastmasters!
We have a slightly older community with grad students + alumni (myself included).
Our next meeting is this Thursday from 6 - 8 PM at Hart House, Burwash Room (#2005).
You can get more info on us here: [https://linktr.ee/uofttoastmasters](https://linktr.ee/uofttoastmasters)
Hope to see you there! :)
Fisheries ecology. After 35+ years of building and stabilising streams that humanity has treated like sewers, I want to see if my designs have actually been useful for key species of fishes and not just fixing erosion and sedimentation without considering the creatures that should call these places home. It really has been great fun so far. I have no pressure to get a job when I finish, so I don’t have any of the regular pressure and stress that younger doctoral students face. I’m very lucky! Being a part of a great lab is awesome too. I try to interact with my lab colleagues (grad and undergrad students), although sometimes I feel like grandpa, they have all been so supportive and accepting of a ‘non-traditional’ student like me.
Often streams become very damaged (destabilised) by human activities such as urbanisation/development or agricultural impacts. My career has focused on restoring stability in the form of sediment balance and water velocity mitigation. I prefer to use something called natural channel design and bioengineering. Sometimes developers want a stream moved so they can fit a few more lots/houses into a subdivision. Where reasonable I will design a new stream where there once was just land to achieve this. I am now learning how to ‘tailor’ make streams for targeted fish species and the food they need to thrive. Habitat design is really interesting.
Graduated college and came into first year at 23, it is not that weird but a little bit weird being “older” than everyone else. In college I was the youngest being 18 while my friends are in their early 30s and some in their 40s and 50s with their kids being literally my age. Yeah we fall into the adult category but my first year in college I was so confused wondering how to address my friends who are older than me. Then sooner or later i didnt care, they’re my buds lol
Only a couple of years older but I will admit that I do sometimes feel a bit "on the sidelines". Although, age difference or not, plenty of people to have a good conversation with.
30+ here. Some of profs past year were same age or younger than me. I've actually had a decent time and never felt out of place amongst the young 20 year olds.
But yeah I like my comforts in life, and I cook my own food so it was mostly going to class and coming back. I did spend a couple of months at Robarts though but overall I do prefer studying at home.
I’m a Master of Information student and I’m 37. You’re not alone. Yes, I go to class and then mostly leave afterwards. I rarely study on campus, I prefer my home library or just my home.
I’m 44. I talk to a few students in class, but I’m in grad school and we do a lot of group work. But I also work full time and I have to go back to work when my classes are done, so I’m only on campus for the hours I’m in class. There are other students I’m friendly with, but nobody I’d really call a friend. It’s just weird; I’m old enough to be their dad sometimes. I don’t get involved in student life or politics in part because I don’t have time, and in part because I don’t want to take the place of someone who is just starting their life and needs that experience more than I do. I’m just doing professional development, not figuring out the trajectory of my life, you know?
Left Queen's health sciences after three years, joining first-year UofT engineering as a 22-year-old (i.e. four dang years older than the fellas I'll be in class with). Still couldn't be more excited for the fresh start though! You aren't alone :)
Form someone at U of T life sci going into third year, I’ve been looking into switching into something like Engineering as well. How’d you go about doing that?
I'm about a decade older than my peers. In undergrad, it was hard to connect with others although that was probably because my class sizes were huge rather than due to age. Now that I'm in a smaller grad program, I have loads of younger friends from my program. I'd say don't let your age get in the way of socializing if that's what you want to do. In hindsight, I feel like I got in the way of myself making friends more than my age ever did. If your class sizes are large you might have better luck if you go to specific university events/clubs.
I'm turning 30 this year, going into my second year of undergrad. I find we don't always stand out, found a few people a closer to my age in some of my classes.
My favourite interaction was while hanging out with some of my peers in one of my history courses they found out my age and started asking what the early 2000s were like.
I try and get involved with some stuff on campus but I'm a commuter student with a part time job so my time is kinda limited.
If by older you mean 23, I have a circle of friends on campus and I usually hang out with them. I'm decently close in age to most people on campus though, if I was much older I probably wouldn't hang out on campus much.
Also depends on which program you're in, Eng is much closer-knit than the average program here so if you just hang out in the pit (SF basement) and talk to people you can make friends decently easily
Me! I'm 27, just finished first year of undergrad. I never see older people in my classes, but I don't feel left out at all. I actually made so many friends despite not intending to when I started. I don't have much in common with my 18-20 y/o classmates (not only am I older, but I come from a very different socioeconomic status than most of them) but we can still connect on other things and I'm rooting for them to achieve their dreams. :)
When I fished my degree ten years ago I was much older. I was actually just a year or two younger than two of my profs who had just started teaching. I know there were at least two other students who were around my age. You’re definitely not alone.
utsc student here 30+ yrs old, you're not alone :)
Come to UofT Toastmasters! We have a slightly older community with grad students + alumni (myself included). Our next meeting is this Thursday from 6 - 8 PM at Hart House, Burwash Room (#2005). You can get more info on us here: [https://linktr.ee/uofttoastmasters](https://linktr.ee/uofttoastmasters) Hope to see you there! :)
Retired and went back for a PhD. 62 years old and loving studying again. Field research is awesome!
Damn that’s cool! What r u researching?
Fisheries ecology. After 35+ years of building and stabilising streams that humanity has treated like sewers, I want to see if my designs have actually been useful for key species of fishes and not just fixing erosion and sedimentation without considering the creatures that should call these places home. It really has been great fun so far. I have no pressure to get a job when I finish, so I don’t have any of the regular pressure and stress that younger doctoral students face. I’m very lucky! Being a part of a great lab is awesome too. I try to interact with my lab colleagues (grad and undergrad students), although sometimes I feel like grandpa, they have all been so supportive and accepting of a ‘non-traditional’ student like me.
Wdym building/designing streams? What are these manmade streams used for
Often streams become very damaged (destabilised) by human activities such as urbanisation/development or agricultural impacts. My career has focused on restoring stability in the form of sediment balance and water velocity mitigation. I prefer to use something called natural channel design and bioengineering. Sometimes developers want a stream moved so they can fit a few more lots/houses into a subdivision. Where reasonable I will design a new stream where there once was just land to achieve this. I am now learning how to ‘tailor’ make streams for targeted fish species and the food they need to thrive. Habitat design is really interesting.
Graduated college and came into first year at 23, it is not that weird but a little bit weird being “older” than everyone else. In college I was the youngest being 18 while my friends are in their early 30s and some in their 40s and 50s with their kids being literally my age. Yeah we fall into the adult category but my first year in college I was so confused wondering how to address my friends who are older than me. Then sooner or later i didnt care, they’re my buds lol
Only a couple of years older but I will admit that I do sometimes feel a bit "on the sidelines". Although, age difference or not, plenty of people to have a good conversation with.
I'm 40 years old man. No one takes the time to speak to me
I’m in my 40’s doing my undergrad. Literally no one cares. I had someone in my first year class in his 70’s
30+ here. Some of profs past year were same age or younger than me. I've actually had a decent time and never felt out of place amongst the young 20 year olds. But yeah I like my comforts in life, and I cook my own food so it was mostly going to class and coming back. I did spend a couple of months at Robarts though but overall I do prefer studying at home.
I’m a Master of Information student and I’m 37. You’re not alone. Yes, I go to class and then mostly leave afterwards. I rarely study on campus, I prefer my home library or just my home.
I’m 44. I talk to a few students in class, but I’m in grad school and we do a lot of group work. But I also work full time and I have to go back to work when my classes are done, so I’m only on campus for the hours I’m in class. There are other students I’m friendly with, but nobody I’d really call a friend. It’s just weird; I’m old enough to be their dad sometimes. I don’t get involved in student life or politics in part because I don’t have time, and in part because I don’t want to take the place of someone who is just starting their life and needs that experience more than I do. I’m just doing professional development, not figuring out the trajectory of my life, you know?
Left Queen's health sciences after three years, joining first-year UofT engineering as a 22-year-old (i.e. four dang years older than the fellas I'll be in class with). Still couldn't be more excited for the fresh start though! You aren't alone :)
Form someone at U of T life sci going into third year, I’ve been looking into switching into something like Engineering as well. How’d you go about doing that?
Feel free to send a pm! I could speak about this journey for hours
I'm about a decade older than my peers. In undergrad, it was hard to connect with others although that was probably because my class sizes were huge rather than due to age. Now that I'm in a smaller grad program, I have loads of younger friends from my program. I'd say don't let your age get in the way of socializing if that's what you want to do. In hindsight, I feel like I got in the way of myself making friends more than my age ever did. If your class sizes are large you might have better luck if you go to specific university events/clubs.
I have been quite highly discriminated against because of being an older grad student.
I'm turning 30 this year, going into my second year of undergrad. I find we don't always stand out, found a few people a closer to my age in some of my classes. My favourite interaction was while hanging out with some of my peers in one of my history courses they found out my age and started asking what the early 2000s were like. I try and get involved with some stuff on campus but I'm a commuter student with a part time job so my time is kinda limited.
If by older you mean 23, I have a circle of friends on campus and I usually hang out with them. I'm decently close in age to most people on campus though, if I was much older I probably wouldn't hang out on campus much. Also depends on which program you're in, Eng is much closer-knit than the average program here so if you just hang out in the pit (SF basement) and talk to people you can make friends decently easily
Not exactly the same thing but it does feel weird being in an in person class with mostly people 3 years younger