Is anyone an older student?

[SKN]

I'm in a bio phd program, and I'm in my early 30's. I decided to do this after working for a while in a non-bio related field. I feel old. Really really old, and kind of starved for some interaction with other people my own age. I moved to a new city and though I don't regret my decision to do this, it's just been really lonely and difficult. Is anyone in a similar situation?

[mandarin.orange]

I'm in my 30s too. There are several us in our 30s and 40s in my program, but a few have kids or demanding work schedules, plus people are really spread out and fragmented in my city...we don't get together often on spur-of-the-moment.

I joined a hiking club and met others that way; one activity was a series of several high-peak hikes where many of the same people kept showing up. They were fun, and organizing camping/hiking gear gave me something to focus on, a way to explore my area, interact with fun people, and an athletic goal. I'm still not at the point with them where we get together outside of scheduled events, but having something on the calendar outside my program was hugely beneficial.

I've been in my program for a year now, and learned to fill my off-time with reading, cooking, trying new recipes and exercise. I have actually come to look forward to returning to town after visits with my family or partner, because I want to re-establish my healthy routine.

Here's a recent thread called " with some good suggestions.

[SKN]

I'm in my 30s too. There are several us in our 30s and 40s in my program, but a few have kids or demanding work schedules, plus people are really spread out and fragmented in my city...we don't get together often on spur-of-the-moment.

I joined a hiking club and met others that way; one activity was a series of several high-peak hikes where many of the same people kept showing up. They were fun, and organizing camping/hiking gear gave me something to focus on, a way to explore my area, interact with fun people, and an athletic goal. I'm still not at the point with them where we get together outside of scheduled events, but having something on the calendar outside my program was hugely beneficial.

I've been in my program for a year now, and learned to fill my off-time with reading, cooking, trying new recipes and exercise. I have actually come to look forward to returning to town after visits with my family or partner, because I want to re-establish my healthy routine.

Here's a recent thread called " with some good suggestions.

Thanks! Everyone in my program is so young, and though they're all really nice, I just feel like we have different interests and the thought of being here for five years with only people 7-10 years younger than me to socialize with makes me a little crazy. I'll have to find some other things to do, at the moment, I'm so busy that adding other things to my schedule would be difficult, but I think I might look into that.

[Zorah]

I'm 54

[prettyuff1]

I am 28.. i am the oldest in my class but most of the member's of my program are in their 30s 40s. I am a PhD in Pharm/Tox... I dont mind it.. it sort of motivate people because i am of the " I need to get trained so i can get working"....

[emmm]

I am also in a bio field after doing something very non-bio related for more than 10 years (and I'm quite a bit older than you are). I am the oldest in my class by about a decade, and no one in my cohort socializes much, but I don't feel old (well, any older than I would feel anyway with my graying hair and increasingly achy body). If anything, I feel younger because of the mental stimulation. However, I have a good network of friends outside my university, which is a great help. You need to find some sort of support/social outlet, even if you can't get it from others in your program. And although people in my cohort may not socialize much, we are friendly, and the program as a whole is very supportive.

[SKN]

I am also in a bio field after doing something very non-bio related for more than 10 years (and I'm quite a bit older than you are). I am the oldest in my class by about a decade, and no one in my cohort socializes much, but I don't feel old (well, any older than I would feel anyway with my graying hair and increasingly achy body). If anything, I feel younger because of the mental stimulation. However, I have a good network of friends outside my university, which is a great help. You need to find some sort of support/social outlet, even if you can't get it from others in your program. And although people in my cohort may not socialize much, we are friendly, and the program as a whole is very supportive.

Yeah, my feelings are definitely a function of the fact that I'm in a new city and my support system outside school is basically non-existent. I'm definitely going to focus on finding something like that.

[raise cain]

I'm in a bio phd program, and I'm in my early 30's. I decided to do this after working for a while in a non-bio related field. I feel old. Really really old, and kind of starved for some interaction with other people my own age. I moved to a new city and though I don't regret my decision to do this, it's just been really lonely and difficult. Is anyone in a similar situation?

Most of the people in my PhD program are early to mid 30s, with some 40+

I can't believe being in your early 30's is considered old now.

I started my PhD in my late 20s & I was one of the youngest in my cohort.

Edited September 28, 2012 by raise cain

[CageFree]

I'm in my mid-30s and there's one other person in my cohort who is around my age... most everyone else is in their late 20s. Because she has kids and I don't, I actually find I have more in common with the younger crowd... I don't have to worry about putting a baby to bed at a certain time, for example.

Personally, I feel that a person is only as old as they feel. My mom is almost 60 and feels like a 45 year old... and people usually think we're sisters rather than mother and daughter.

[TropicalCharlie]

I'm in my 30's and married without kids (my husband is also an 'old grad student'). Like the OP, I moved to a new city as well. I worked for 10 years before deciding to get my MS. I spent the first five years in science, and the latter in admin. I decided that I missed science and had had enough of admin, so here I am, a first year MS student. Most of my cohort is in their mid 20's. Sometimes I feel old but most of the time I don't even think about my age. My cohort doesn't make me feel old. They are all pretty cool and fun to hang out with. I organized a fall foliage excursion that's taking place this weekend and recruited several in my cohort to join me.

Moving to a new place is always a challenge, but part of the fun is using your skills to make new friends and explore new places. I am no extrovert but have learned to put myself out there just a bit, and it has helped a lot. Like others have suggested, joining a club/ intramural sports team is a great way to meet people. Invite some students in your cohort to happy hour or something fun where you can mingle and get to know each other better. Everyone, young or old(er) has something to offer.

[process chemist]

I am 28, and I am the oldest in my cohort, and one of the oldest grad students in my department. The average student in my department is ~21-22 years old. I heard someone talking how another grad student was old, and he is 26?! I socialize with my cohort (going to trivia, going to our favorite dive,etc.), but I do feel like the old guy in the bunch. I do things outside of school (running buddies, social aid organizations, etc) and that helps. I graduated a year late from college, and worked for 5 yrs. in industry before deciding to go to grad school.

[busbus]

I'm 32 - but people assume I'm like 25 or something for whatever reason (haha). It's weird, there's one professor a year older than me and one I am older by a couple years. If only I knew what I wanted to do earlier, I woulda been a professor by now!

[mandarin.orange]

I'm 32 - but people assume I'm like 25 or something for whatever reason (haha). It's weird, there's one professor a year older than me and one I am older by a couple years. If only I knew what I wanted to do earlier, I woulda been a professor by now!

Yep, I have a couple friends from my M.S. program (which I did straight out of undergrad) who are now professors, and one just got tenure.

[SKN]

I'm 32 - but people assume I'm like 25 or something for whatever reason (haha). It's weird, there's one professor a year older than me and one I am older by a couple years. If only I knew what I wanted to do earlier, I woulda been a professor by now!

I know, me too! all the profs are older than me, thank goodness, but yeah, the students, ugh. there are a couple of post docs who are my age but they're post docs. i do wish i'd known sooner, but i also know i just wouldn't have. i just wasn't ready, and that's that.