Starting college at 28

[Charlotte]

I've made a solid decision to go back to college this year and begin what I feel (at the moment) is my LP (Psychology).

I've been out of education for a while and I have to say I'm quite nervous but really enthusiastic and excited.  

Because I've been out of the education system for a while I thought I'd ask you guys as a heads up what equipment I may need?

I don't own a portable laptop or a computer, I'm sure I'll need one, could you guys recommend any? (I'm really quite useless with technology).

Will I need other things?

Any advice/guidance would be very much appreciated. 

Thank you ♥️

[Shin]

You need a laptop with a good battery, one with a ssd harddrive, note that and ask the tech guy.

The goal is to be able to use word and internet all day.

You also need at least 40gb of space on the disk to save some files (windows already take 30).

You should buy microsoft office to use onenote, it will save you so much time to organize what you wrote on word, instead of having dozens of word pages to open everytime you search something.

You also need to look for what kind of help you can beneficiate as a student (appartment, food, job, etc...).

Having an appartment near the college will save you a lot of time, I personally prefer just a chamber, it cost way less, which saves time since you have to work less (10 hours instead of 20).

Whenever you're accepted in the college you want (or don't want, don't wait too much) you'll need to seek a college chamber right away if it's your choice, otherwise you'll may be forced to take an appartment.

 

Edited February 21, 2018 by Shin

[Michael569]

@Charlotte excellent decision. There is never too late to go back. I have made a similar decision to go back to school and study my LP and haven't regretted it ever since. 

I think you mentioned somewhere that you are in UK. There are several websites that we have here with relatively fast delivery.  

https://www.saveonlaptops.co.uk I found very reliable one and they have a lot of sale products. 
laptopsdirect.co.uk are also very good. 

I would avoid general large stores such as Currys or CarponeWarehouse as they tend to be overpriced but they are good to test various devices. I'd let someone more tech knowledgeable comment on particular models. However generally if you intend to use it for basic work and studies there is no need to invest in high end models with powerful graphic cards. You could probably go to up to 500£ but no more. 

Make sure to have a good (up to 6 h) battery and screen size probably no larger than 15". 

Other things you may need:

• photo for school ID
• Ring Notebook with replaceable pages to organise your notes (unless you plan to keep everything in the laptop)
• Highlighters, sticky papers, several colour pens
• Decent backpack able to carry your laptop, books and notes. 
• Diary to mark exams and important dates
• A lot of patience !

 

 

 

 

[taleen]

Am going to go out of topic and recommend meaningfull things.

First, as you enter the lectures try after the instructor finishs to summerize what he said, really helpfull.

And before each lecture, read the previous one, it will anly take ten minutes but also very helpfull.

Am 27 and trying to learn italian.

It is very hard to go back to studying after being in a break for a while.

But i think what you are doing is brave.

[Shin]

When you're sure to go to a certain college, also start buying and reading the books they want you to have, take notes exactly like if you already were at college (learn to do it effectively on youtube).

That alone will save you a lot of time.

Edited February 21, 2018 by Shin

[Arman]

Microsoft office is free for anyone with a valid school e-mail btw

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/education/products/office/default.aspx?Search

Edited February 21, 2018 by Arman

[Nahm]

@Charlotte Good for you! 

[Charlotte]

22 hours ago, Shin said:

You need a laptop with a good battery, one with a ssd harddrive, note that and ask the tech guy.

The goal is to be able to use word and internet all day.

You also need at least 40gb of space on the disk to save some files (windows already take 30).

You should buy microsoft office to use onenote, it will save you so much time to organize what you wrote on word, instead of having dozens of word pages to open everytime you search something.

You also need to look for what kind of help you can beneficiate as a student (appartment, food, job, etc...).

Having an appartment near the college will save you a lot of time, I personally prefer just a chamber, it cost way less, which saves time since you have to work less (10 hours instead of 20).

Whenever you're accepted in the college you want (or don't want, don't wait too much) you'll need to seek a college chamber right away if it's your choice, otherwise you'll may be forced to take an appartment.

 

 

21 hours ago, Michael569 said:

@Charlotte excellent decision. There is never too late to go back. I have made a similar decision to go back to school and study my LP and haven't regretted it ever since. 

I think you mentioned somewhere that you are in UK. There are several websites that we have here with relatively fast delivery.  

https://www.saveonlaptops.co.uk I found very reliable one and they have a lot of sale products. 
laptopsdirect.co.uk are also very good. 

I would avoid general large stores such as Currys or CarponeWarehouse as they tend to be overpriced but they are good to test various devices. I'd let someone more tech knowledgeable comment on particular models. However generally if you intend to use it for basic work and studies there is no need to invest in high end models with powerful graphic cards. You could probably go to up to 500£ but no more. 

Make sure to have a good (up to 6 h) battery and screen size probably no larger than 15". 

Other things you may need:

• photo for school ID
• Ring Notebook with replaceable pages to organise your notes (unless you plan to keep everything in the laptop)
• Highlighters, sticky papers, several colour pens
• Decent backpack able to carry your laptop, books and notes. 
• Diary to mark exams and important dates
• A lot of patience !

 

 

 

 

Brilliant point's, thank you so so much!! ♥️

@taleen Thank you very much for your advice! ♥️

@Nahm Thank you Nahm 

Thank you all! I'll do everything as suggested. 

[vibrate]

I went back at 30 to study psychology. I don't know about your committments but it took me a while to realize that I had to cut down on mine, family- and workwise. When I startetd I worked 3 full days and that did not work out for too long. Oh it would have, but I wanted better grades and had to cut down to working two days. I needed much more time to study than I thought initially...

Good for you, in hindsight, I would not do it again, but that is another story.

[Charlotte]

51 minutes ago, vibrate said:

I went back at 30 to study psychology. I don't know about your committments but it took me a while to realize that I had to cut down on mine, family- and workwise. When I startetd I worked 3 full days and that did not work out for too long. Oh it would have, but I wanted better grades and had to cut down to working two days. I needed much more time to study than I thought initially...

Good for you, in hindsight, I would not do it again, but that is another story.

I have no children and my family live around the corner so commitment wise I think I'm safe in this department. I have plenty of time to study and I don't go out drinking/partying so I never have a hangover, I'm fresh everyday and up at 6am. On the odd occasion I go out to eat so I think in relatively flexible?

 

Thank you for your input ♥️

[vibrate]

sounds perfect!!

[Vingger]

Start to reading now, do not wait for the class to start to do that

[Echoes]

@vibrate Could you elaborate more on why you wouldn't do it again? I'm curious. 

Was the jobmarket not as you expected? The field not as interesting as you thought?

[Charlotte]

2 hours ago, Vingger said:

Start to reading now, do not wait for the class to start to do that

✓

Will do, thank you! 

[keepgiving]

This is definitely inspiration for me to go back! 

I'm 22 and I planned on going back when I'm 24 but I was thinking it'd be weird being in a classroom full of people 18 y/o freshmens. The classes I took had people in my age group which was 18 so yeah... but I guess it'd wouldnt be so bad if I'm going to learn.

[vibrate]

On 23.2.2018 at 6:19 PM, Echoes said:

@vibrate Could you elaborate more on why you wouldn't do it again? I'm curious. 

Was the jobmarket not as you expected? The field not as interesting as you thought?

Several reasons and may be I'll change my mind again about it :). Right now I think it was a waste of time and money...Back then I though I'd want the title and I was also curious about the curriculum. But I'm really disappointet as to what I've learned...There is simply not enough there in school psychology that I would invest more time in it. I'm all about meditation and coming into the body now.

I did a psycho analysis myself twice a week for 4 years between 27 and 31 and compared to what I get out of meditation, yoga and other techniques it just does not compare. And the whole field of sciece just has lost all its glory for me...

It does give me credibility for what I do businesswise though.

[Charlotte]

On 25/02/2018 at 8:24 PM, vibrate said:

Several reasons and may be I'll change my mind again about it :). Right now I think it was a waste of time and money...Back then I though I'd want the title and I was also curious about the curriculum. But I'm really disappointet as to what I've learned...There is simply not enough there in school psychology that I would invest more time in it. I'm all about meditation and coming into the body now.

I did a psycho analysis myself twice a week for 4 years between 27 and 31 and compared to what I get out of meditation, yoga and other techniques it just does not compare. And the whole field of sciece just has lost all its glory for me...

It does give me credibility for what I do businesswise though.

Interesting. What you said has crossed my mind with regards to the course. 

Thanks for sharing ♥️

[Charlotte]

@keepgiving Good to be honest I don't give much thought about the age range around me, in going there for me, not them.