Mature

 

When I told my friends I was returning to education they laughed and they laughed.  Not because of the return to education, they support that entirely, but I had referred to myself as a "mature" student.

It's a simple statement that's made people laugh over the decades.  Being a "mature" student.

One of the reasons it was used as a term before was that it meant people who were past the age of what people assumed was an educatable level were attempting to learn. 

Thankfully though, the term "mature" has now been dropped when places like the OU talk about new students and I am glad.  It means that people now understand that any age is acceptable to take on any type of education.  I'm in my forties, I am not shy about new education, but it's daunting all the same. 

No, my friends were not laughing about my age per se, maybe more about the fact that I am in my forties but I still wrestle with my friends six-year-old son just before we part company.  No mercy, he gets put on the ground even though his giggling is infectious, he either taps out to his mother - he never does - or he giggles his way until I let him up for his hug before he goes home.

Mature is relative.  I am glad to announce that I am a student of the Open University.  I am in my forties and I cannot wait to learn more.