Heading out to a new adventure in life today...

[Skidmore]

Mods, bear with me because I need to thank the people on GD for being such good friends. A couple of weeks ago, I posted a thread because I was having some problems trying to figure out where to go next in life. Out of work, coming out of a year of health problems, and having to now work on a job search after having not been in the position of being unemployed for a couple of decades. And then realizing that being in my fifties made this a whole different ball game. Well, you listened and shared some of your experiences with me. I am so grateful for that gift.

In about half an hour I'm headed out to begin my first class in the a paralegal program. It will be a good credential to have with my masters because it is one that has begun to be desirable for some of careers in research locally. So, I have decided to retool. I'm more than a little nervous. I haven't been in a classroom competing for grades for a good long time and we all know that studying requires a different kind of discipline that doing a job. Well, I'm off and I probably wouldn't have followed through on this path if it hadn't been for such encouraging feedback in the thread and in the PMs I received. Thank you all. I love this place.

[JeffR]

1. Good luck, Skidmore!

:toast:

[shadowknows69]

3. Best of luck Skidmore

n/t

[Mr Rabble]

2. Good luck.

Dont compete for grades.

Learn the material and the craft. You only need to pass.

Do the best work you can do and learn.

[XanaDUer]

4. Good luck!

It takes balls to start over again.

:hi:

[magellan]

5. Best of luck, Skidmore

Pulling for you 100%!

[livetohike]

6. That sounds like a great decision Skidmore

Good luck and don't worry about being an older student.....I went back for an MBA when I was 46 years old :-).

[area51]

7. The best of luck, Skidmore.

:thumbsup:

[blogslut]

8. good thoughts

:)

[EFerrari]

9. Go, Skidmore!

:bounce:

[lonestarnot]

10. Good on you Skidmore! Goodluck! Study, study, study!

[enlightenment]

11. Skidmore, I not only returned to school in my late 30s,

I'm just now finishing up my PhD as I approach 50. One of the biggest issues you will probably find you have is a decided lack of tolerance for the shenanigans of the traditional students (grin and bear it).

I now teach college, and I always have a few older students in my classroom -- they are, almost without exception, the very best; motivated and rigorous, with strong analytical and critical thinking skills. Their life experiences are a definite benefit.

Best of luck; keep your chin high!
e.

[man4allcats]

12. Go for it, Skidmore!

I am also retooling. I got laid off from biotech some time ago. I am in my late fifties and am not getting any replies to my resume. I finally decided, what the heck?! Look in the want ads! Where are there plenty of jobs? I noticed that people with CDLs (Commercial Drivers Licenses) can always find work. There are more jobs for people with over-the-road class A licenses, but there are quite a few local jobs (including bus driver jobs of all types) for people with class B commercial licenses. I passed the written test for a class B license. I am now in training with a local school district (like you, today was my first day) as a school bus driver. Once I pass my road test with the State, I will be fully qualified. It may not have the glamour of gene cloning, but what the hell?! If evolutionary biology has taught us nothing else, it has taught us that the key to survival is the ability to adapt. Besides, the pre-K kids are so cute! I cannot transport them yet because I am not yet fully qualified, but I did get to observe today on a route run by another driver. I think I will like this job whether transporting pre-K's or older students. I am also planning to do some family portrait and pet photography as a sideline in the very near future. When I got laid off from research, I thought it was the worst thing that ever happened to me. It might have been the best.

Good Luck and Best Wishes to you! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[spuddonna]

13. Good luck!

My hubby is 38 and is a Jr in a 4 yr program. He had to start over from scratch, and they wouldn't take his credits from the first time around! (They were 'over a decade old' - no good!) He said the hardest part was the first few months. Getting your brain back in the gear of learning is not easy. Hang in there! :)

Talk to the teachers, ask them questions if you can after class, even if it's just to clarify something you understand already. It builds amazing bridges and can help you get work as an intern at local companies.

I wish you all the best and hope that this is a wonderful new adventure for you! :applause: