Already getting anxious.. and still a year to go!!

Mrs_Ryan

Hi everyone.

I been nosing through the threads on here and I've just been on my prospective uni's website and tbh I am now freaking out big style.

I'm a prospective mature student (when I hopefully begin my course in September 2014 I will be just shy of my 34th birthday) I am applying for one single choice at one uni - not exactly my local uni but one about 40 minutes away from my house.

Im no stranger to uni - I last left in 2006 after one year when I developed an illness that was eventually discovered to be cancer. My course was terminated due to academic failure however this was overturned on medical grounds after a long and complicated appeal. Unfortunately I was too poorly to return, and now 8 years later, I hope to return to a different uni to do the nurse training I was unable to complete.

Thing is I am utterly and completely anxious about it. Last time I lived in halls and had no-one but myself to worry about - 8 years down the line I have a disabled partner (he does work full time though and by then his work will have relocated to Northampton from Leicester where we live and where he currently works for the Royal Mail) and as mentioned, will likely still be living here in Leicestershire where I will have to commute from each day by public transport.

I have booked for an open day next Saturday and I'm really freaking out!!! I'm currently studying and I work full time on an NHS dementia care ward which I know will help my application, however I feel like I'm under a massive amount of pressure to get this right as everyone knows I'm applying for uni very soon and while the support from my colleagues and my manager is good I feel like I'm setting myself up to fail at the same time if you see what I mean!! My tutor is worse than useless - I'm doing the new version of the NVQ course thats called a diploma or something and she has absolutely no experience of anyone wanting to go to uni with it and neither has she any experience of anyone who has previously studied at the level I have studied at (I have a uni diploma from my first academic degree from when I was 20) so everything I ask her she either doesnt know and she doesnt know why I'm so worried - the course I'm doing at the minute I find very easy and the assignments are easy which is good - but I'm finding I'm getting more and more stressed at the prospect of the whole application/interview/starting the course and juggling my life with the expectation of the course.

One of the nurses on my ward was in exactly the same situation as me - same course at same uni - and shes been really helpful but I dont want to keep bothering her and I certainly dont want anyone knowing how stressed I am - I'm off sick at the moment after an accident and I have too much time to think!!

Anyone any advice about how to deal with the whole thing??

Thanks all.

whitewing

Stop worrying, go and really enjoy the Open Day. You'll know from that if you feel a bit excited too and you'll know that it is what you'll want. 34 is a great age because you're old enough to not waste the opportunity but plenty young enough to get on well with everyone.

When I was at uni, I had a mature student friend. She was great, worked hard and focused and a good laugh. I didn't keep in touch but do wonder what she's doing now.

I think you are very caring on here. On that basis you'll be a brilliant nurse.

Mrs_Ryan

Thank you whitewing I'm a little bit excited already so I'm hoping that when I go the excitement will build and I'll know. I know I have to try and open my mind as this really is the only uni that will take me so I'm trying not to think that I must like it whatever if you see what I mean

nimbo

Take a deep breath - you will be fine...

But why only on application - it would improve your chances of you applied to more?

I'm in the second year of my SW degree, and my first choice didn't interview me... and after that my options changed places, it's amazing how many people on the course said the same thing, and how much their preferences changed order so dramatically...

my second choice was a nightmare interview, and I rapidly changed my mind about going there - option three became my first choice after meeting the people who were conducting the interviews...

eklynne

I started uni at 34, graduated in July at 38, best decision of my life. Relax and enjoy it. I miss being an undergrad

jaxjax123

I'm a mature student in my second year of a four year degree in Science. I love it I was really nervous, I had no qualifications but I'm doing just as well as those who did A-levels.

I put in so much to the course I go to every lecture and do all the background reading. I see that a lot of the younger students who don't put in so much (although so do).

I have gained so much confidence. I have 2 children too and my eldest now has aspirations to go to uni. So when I have finished I hope it will be of a gain to everyone.

You'll be fine, it's good to be nervous it shows it's important to you.

Good luck

Person_one

Is it mental health nursing you're applying for?

I definitely think it would be a good idea to apply to more than one uni, nursing is very oversubscribed at most places and there are far fewer mental health places than general (well, adult) places. It would take the pressure off you at interview if you had a couple of backups.

The course isn't easy, no denying that, but in some ways I think its easier for us mature students than for the 18 and 19 year olds living in halls. We don't have to cope with being surrounded by other students staying up drinking and making a racket until 5am when we have a shift starting at 7am, we're more used to the 'world of work' while it comes as a massive shock to some that you really do have to show up on time every day and stay for 8 or more hours, we have a bit more life experience behind us and are more likely to have met people from all works of life and dealt with a few tricky situations before.

Most of the younger students are brilliantly committed and hard working, don't get me wrong, but I do feel for them sometimes when I see them looking bleary eyed at 9am lectures or looking terrified while a hallucinating patient screams the place down!

Best of luck, you're clearly committed to your work, and that's the main thing!

Mrs_Ryan

thanks everyone for your helpful feedback and kind words

I'm sort of limited to where I can get to in terms of travel - my original course was at the University of Nottingham which I would love to go back to and would be very do-able travel wise (I spend a lot of time in Nottingham anyway and know the area well) but I dont believe they will take my qualification - ditto De Montfort Uni. Derby seems to be the only one so far willing to take me - if Derby say yes, great, but I'm sort of stuck otherwise because something like an Access course isnt an option due to shift work. The course Im doing at the moment is work-based learning so it fits around my work - although now people have come to mention it, I might give a couple of other unis a try. Nottingham said firmly they do not accept NVQ's but when I first emailed them the course I was doing was very new and no-one really knew anything about it - I might go along to an open day and have a word - ditto DMU.

And yes that's right Person_one - I'm going for Mental Health nursing.

Thank you again everyone xx

LunaLady

Derby is a great university, really modern and good transport links.

I am at Leicester which I love, but Derby is a good choice.

Person_one

I'd definitely apply even if you aren't sure you'd be accepted.

With your experience, your previous acceptance and a really cracking personal statement they might be willing to be more flexible.

LL30

I was in your position last year, just a touch younger than you at 31 I applied to just one Uni (Nottingham actually!) for my MA in Social Work - notoriously tough to get onto. I couldn't apply anywhere else due to caring responsibilities, so all my eggs were in one basket. I knew that changes were afoot for funding, so I needed to get in for the Sept '12 cycle to be sure I'd get the bursary. I felt a huge amount of pressure, but I also took a view that if it was right for me, I'd get in, and if it wasn't, I wouldn't! That really helped to manage my anxieties (still wasn't cool as a cucumber though!).

Turns out it was right for me, and I got in. I love it! Very hard work, lots of juggling and I managed to pick up a disability before I started so that's added complications, but it's fab! Fingers crossed for you x