[lucami]

hey guys I have no point in my life nowadays, I'm doing nothing, so I started to think about studying online, but have some concerns,

1. I'm 25 and I feel too old for studies. People in my age generally are after universities already and it makes me feel bad.. if I would start in next year I would be quite old, it just feels so old for starting first faculty... I know that there are people who starts studying late in life, but mostly have job family experience or anything already, me, I lost last 4 years for totally nothing and have nothing..

2. studying is damn expensive and I'm worried I could just give up because of my mental condition :s

3. I don't know which faculty I could choose, my family says I'm stupid, so I feel too stupid for anything..

4. is this have any point anyway? studying when I'm mentally f*ucked up feels like is a waste of money because with all of this damn problems I can't go to job...

Wonder what you think about it...

[geis]

First off, I don't think you're stupid at all, from what you've posted. Families can be cruel, but just because they share our genes doesn't mean their opinions of us are true.

As for classes, have you ever checked out coursera? They do free online classes. You can't get college credits for them, but it might give you a good idea of whether you'd be able to handle credit courses.

Hi lucami: Well... I think there are several important considerations here. First, I'd just like to say, from my perspective, you're not too old at all... just sayin' (although I do understand your perspective.)

I think the important concerns here are with regard to what you would study, the cost, & what you would do after you had completed your studies. It would be great if one could just pursue knowledge for its own sake. But for most of us, this simply isn't reality. As you say, studies are expensive. And most of us need to be reasonably certain we'll be able to earn enough money to make the cost of our studies worthwhile.

Pursuing a course of study could certainly be uplifting for you if the subject is something you enjoy & can succeed at. But if not it could be a real downer too. So, as a former vocational rehabilitation counselor, I would suggest that before you proceed, you get some solid vocational & interest testing & counseling so that you can identify a course of study you would like to pursue, would likely succeed in, & might possibly help you to secure employment in once your studies are completed.

That said, from my perspective, I don't know that on-line studies would be the preferred option. I doubt there would be the kind of support there you're going to need. Of course I don't know much about you. So there may be considerations I'm not aware of. But my preference for you, based on what little I know, would be for you to become enrolled in a school that has an actual campus with real-life professors & students, etc. Then, if that school would offer options for taking classes on-line, as well as in person, so much the better. But I think it would be important for you to have access to academic advisors, school counselors, a real-life faculty, etc. Simply sitting alone at a computer, reading & typing out assignments, & sending them off to some unknown entity somewhere would not it seems to me be worth the money it would cost you. I know there are many schools that do business this way nowadays. And perhaps for some people it works. But I have to admit, for the most part, I'm skeptical.

Obviously I don't know how realistic any of this is for you. But I think the main point here is that what is of primary importance is planning. There's no point in jumping into some course of study, having no support system around you, having no idea where you're really going with it, & then floundering and failing. Success is what you're looking for here, & it is what will make the money you're going to spend worthwhile in the long run. Good luck!

Wow, thanks for posting about coursera geis! I've never heard of it before it seems pretty awesome! I should give a course or two a try. I'm also considering going back to school. This would help me to see if I can handle it.

I'm in a similar place as you lucami. I'm 25 as well (turning 26 soon) and am in a place where I am just stuck and just existing. I too feel bad when I realize how far my peers are compared to myself. I feel like a loser and I have to fight very hard not to give into that kind of thinking. I want to start school again as well though I think I want to go to a community college and work my way up the ladder. People older and wiser than myself remind me that I am still young and that it can take a while to figure out what I want to do. Heck, my grandmother (whom I greatly admire) didn't go to college until she was in her 30s. She finally got her Master's in her 40s. She did have life experience though. That's the one thing I am lacking. I have worked before but now I'm on disability. I worry about getting a job after this. But what can I do? I'm trying to volunteer and do things to stay active like joining a support group.

I worry about the cost as well. I don't want to just give up or worse have another breakdown and end up forced to leave. I guess nothing ventured nothing gained. It's a risk I just may have to take and I'll have to do the best I can.

I agree with geis. Families can be cruel. I know that I don't know you, but I can tell you that what they say doesn't define you. YOU define you. I definitely have had my family say some nasty things about me and it hasn't defined me.

Originally Posted by The Skeezyks

Hi lucami: Well... I think there are several important considerations here. First, I'd just like to say, from my perspective, you're not too old at all... just sayin' (although I do understand your perspective.)

I think the important concerns here are with regard to what you would study, the cost, & what you would do after you had completed your studies. It would be great if one could just pursue knowledge for its own sake. But for most of us, this simply isn't reality. As you say, studies are expensive. And most of us need to be reasonably certain we'll be able to earn enough money to make the cost of our studies worthwhile.

Pursuing a course of study could certainly be uplifting for you if the subject is something you enjoy & can succeed at. But if not it could be a real downer too. So, as a former vocational rehabilitation counselor, I would suggest that before you proceed, you get some solid vocational & interest testing & counseling so that you can identify a course of study you would like to pursue, would likely succeed in, & might possibly help you to secure employment in once your studies are completed.

That said, from my perspective, I don't know that on-line studies would be the preferred option. I doubt there would be the kind of support there you're going to need. Of course I don't know much about you. So there may be considerations I'm not aware of. But my preference for you, based on what little I know, would be for you to become enrolled in a school that has an actual campus with real-life professors & students, etc. Then, if that school would offer options for taking classes on-line, as well as in person, so much the better. But I think it would be important for you to have access to academic advisors, school counselors, a real-life faculty, etc. Simply sitting alone at a computer, reading & typing out assignments, & sending them off to some unknown entity somewhere would not it seems to me be worth the money it would cost you. I know there are many schools that do business this way nowadays. And perhaps for some people it works. But I have to admit, for the most part, I'm skeptical.

Obviously I don't know how realistic any of this is for you. But I think the main point here is that what is of primary importance is planning. There's no point in jumping into some course of study, having no support system around you, having no idea where you're really going with it, & then floundering and failing. Success is what you're looking for here, & it is what will make the money you're going to spend worthwhile in the long run. Good luck!

Great advice...I'm taking notes as well. Thanks Skeezyks!

Hang in there lucami and good luck