English 1010.71

I am a 37-year-old student on campus. And, I have to admit that I feel a little like a fish out of water surrounded by students close to 20 years younger than I am. This is my first time back in school for almost a decade. Though I am bright, and usually very confident, I have never mastered the skills it takes to be a good student. So, I find myself in constant need of guidance. It has definitely been a humbling experience going to individuals a decade or more my juniors for that guidance. I am also feeling awkward socially for the same reason. The school is very actively working to engage students socially. But all the extra-curricular activities appear to be just for younger students. Personally, I feel the needs of my age group are being ignored, maybe even avoided. This needs to be addressed because there are probably a larger percentage of ‘older’ adults at UVU than at other universities. Not making us feel welcome would be a big mistake. We are a source of knowledge and experience that lends itself to helping younger students academically, as well as with life’s struggles. We are also a percentage of revenue for the school that I know they want to encourage to continue. Not seeing us as a priority group would mean the school would be missing out on a lot of opportunities.