The challenges of being a learner between 40-49.
I not sure if the challenges I face are age related. The challenges I am encountering are internal pressures of where I ‘should’ be based on age. I think I should be further along in my career. I have remained in education but with a different focus. I began with teaching children and now I deal with adults pursuing their high school diploma and non-traditional adults pursuing their first college degree. Also, I am feeling external pressure from my mother who feels I should concentrate on remarrying to have children.
The joys of being a learner 40-49.
One of the joys of being a learner at my age is a complete focus on school work and learning. Absent are the social peer pressures of college life. I feel secure with who I am as a person. The value of education is not lost and I cherish all that I am learning. I mentioned to someone that I did not do as well as I would have liked on a paper. Only one point was taken off. He thought it was ridicules that I moaned over one point. But he does not understand that I have set a high standard for my learning. At 20 and an undergraduate, I would have been ecstatic with a B. As a friend’s mom once told me, the B’s and C’s have the same tuition cost as an A.
My hopes for the next decade (50’s) as a learner
I hope I am up for a new challenge of learning even if it is informal learning. I always wanted to learn French and to play the piano. I also would like to take a learning vacation to study culture or something environmental. (I love PBS and the Discovery Channel). Maybe I will write a book.
Advice for people who are entering my decade as a learner.
Go for it. Whatever it is, make the decision and see it to fruition. I know colleagues who are 10 to 18 years my senior pursuing a doctorate degree and they are tired. The majority wished they would have taken the journey in their 30’s. I am very tired at the end of the day in my (even with taking vitamins) and I said it was now or never. Also, it is important to build a support base of friends and family to encourage you along the way especially when you want to give up or are having a rough go. If you want to take on a learning challenge but you are afraid, do it anyway. Do it afraid. When you meet success, even if it is small success, the fear will gradually melt away.
