I'll be 30 years old in 6 years and according to how i had pictured everything, i'd be in my own house, dream job in Aviation/aerospace, steady relationship..etc... It seems my dreams are taking longer to materialize. Due to financial difficulties i went to college 3 years later than i should have....and for the past year i've been in varsity. The first year was ok because i managed to pay all necessary bills and transport. Things got really bad when the 1st semester of year 2 started (this september), i had no money, and was severely stressed. My family had promised to help me out...i've tried to raise money with very little success in the past 2 months. Anyway, since the semester is coming to an end, i'm forced to defer and re-start the 2nd year next september. I wanted to be mad, hurt and even hate myself and my family for not coming through for me but something in me just feels like this is a good thing (by ''this'', i mean deferring)....they call it intuition i guess. I'm not hurt or feel like the walls are closing in, however i am extremely worried about how the future will turn out....instead of finishing at 23 like most people i went to high school with, i'll be finishing at age 27. Isn't that too old to START looking for employment. Won't that limit my chances of being where i want to be? I already have 2 years when i wasn't learning nor working after high school. Are my worries justified or i'm just being unreasonable? Part of me was embarrassed for being the old guy in that class (yep, that's what some of those shallow college kids call you when you are just 3years older than them) but now, embarrasment is one word that's quickly fading from my vocabulary.....i've been embarrassed so much i'm almost numb to it! Sorry for the incoherent post...it's 1am this side..so i'm half asleep
The only place i know for a fact, that this will be an issue in your situation is... McDonalds. You have your life in order, finishing your education, ability to pursue a professional career, etc... Why are you even obsessing over such small stuff?
Not necessarily. It could very well depend on where you live but from what I have seen, people in their 30s or older can still get a job at McDonalds. Anyways.... I wouldn't worry too much about where you are at the moment and where you would like to be in six years down the road because the most important thing is that you are working towards your goals/dreams. That is all that matters. If it takes you a bit longer to get there, that's okay. As you go through life, and if things take a little longer to materialize, it gives you an opportunity to keep exploring opportunities and alternatives. In doing so, it allows you not only to confirm your goals but also to create new ones that might be related to your original goals or that might be entirely new ones. Starting employment at 27 isn't too old at all. Even if you start later, it doesn't matter. If you think about it, usually someone will have at least one or two career changes throughout their working life. In some ways, every time one changes their career, they have to start over again. Sure, they might not start from the very entry level position when they change their career field because they already have some experiences and skills that allows them to enter a higher position, but it is still a start to a new career, and they have to find the right job/employment in order to start it. In others words, you will find people in their 30s, 40s, and in their 50s, looking at starting new employment. In addition, a lot of people will leave the workforce for a period of time, and will look for employment again. I wouldn't even worry about being older than most other college students in your class. These days, a lot of 'mature students' take classes. The chances are that you will sit beside someone who just retired and is taking a college class for their own further education. You are going to be okay, and be able to pursue your goals and dreams.
Try not to worry too much about where you could be. It may not seem like it, but there are lots of people who aren't in college straight out of high school. I took a class with a guy my sophomore year that was 26. Another class with a woman who was in her late twenties and had a kid. My mom went back to school at the age of 45 looking for a career change. The important thing is you're pursuing your dream and that in itself is admirable.
I know it sounds so small and nothing to worry about but i have this fear of ending up like 99% of my family, with very limited prospects. I'm in southern Africa, by the way
Well, if you make yourself into the best engineer graduating your year, you will have prospects. People will always need stuff built for them, and if they want it done right they need engineers. Also, you will have more life experience than most of your classmates. More maturity (I would think, you sound mature.) Better people skills. So, I wouldn't be hung up on your age. When I look for an employee, skills, imagination, and the ability to stay on task and organized are most important (in my field of software development.)
