Learning to Study - Advantages of Mature Aged Students

Thinking about further study? Not sure whether it is aas we do. Modern trends have converted the
good idea? Read on!gratification from delaying into the continual agony of
The advantages gained by mature aged students arerepaying worrying debts. Sat verbum sapienti.
in two very important areas: to the student and toFortunately, younger people eventually do come
society. You need to keep using your brain or youraround to understanding the realities of Life: the First
mental capacities will degenerate faster as you slideLaw of Truthful Accounting (nothing for nothing) is a
into oblivion blissfully unaware of the possibilities youuniversal law. Once that is understood at a basic level,
could have been. Society needs your experience beingadults become mature students and a few years later,
put to good use - often problems are solved bylike you - mature aged students.
people with new perspectives. Old dogs do learn newThe two previous reasons (being smarter and delaying
tricks especially when they are hungry.gratification) combine to lend strength to whatever
As a mature aged student we see and take a lotreason we have for doing the study: whether just for
more notice of what is going on around us than thethe sheer pleasure of learning, for promotion at work,
average John or Mary. Hard as it is, we enjoy theeven for just maintaining professional registration; we
swim upstream to mate and cannot bear floatingare determined to learn more to our own advantage
downstream with flotsam and dead fish. We realizeand for benefits which might accrue to others.
that further study, increasing knowledge, gaining skills isIt has often been said that parents live through their
the way to survive and enjoy life. The hip pocketchildren but the reverse is just as much true. Children
nerve does twinge a bit now and then, but missingand grandchildren like to boast at school; my mum is
opportunities hurts the more as time goes by. Knowingstudying law wins more brownie points than my mum
this and acting on it is the most empoweringhas long blonde hair; my granddad is learning genie Ollie
advantage there could be: something that mature agedgee sounds much better than my granddad smokes a
students understand.clay pipe as he watches the ball game.
As a mature student, one has other advantages overTo conclude on a lighter note. Remember that people
younger, less mature people. Older people areten years or more, younger than you, think that you
generally smarter than younger people are: smarter inare old! In modern Western cultures, age generally has
the sense of knowledge arrived at through experience;little respect given to it: respect in the sense of
you know the truth of learning by experience. All of theknowledge to be passed on. Yet cultures, which can
best people in sport, in industry, in commerce haveaccurately track their historical roots back several
reached that level by learning through experience.thousand years, still show considerable respect, even
Mature aged students are willing to take advice fromreverence, for the aged. My mother is still running
acknowledged experts and put that new (to them)around (well, not actually running because she had both
knowledge into practice. To obtain that knowledgehip joints replaced a few years back when she was
they actually do what it takes. These students apply88) knows a lot more than me: she says worse things
the Rule of Three: know what they want, understandhappen at sea. My wife and I and our children once
the cost and willingly pay the price.spent a few weeks on a cruise ship and nothing bad
Few younger people understand delayed gratificationhappened so mother knows something I do not (still!).