by Heather Hurd

Created on: February 05, 2009   Last Updated: February 17, 2009

As a married student at a state university, I realized how different the college experience is when you are a returning or adult degree seeker. I went to college straight out of high school, failed some classes, and took a break. When I returned to school at 25, I was surprised by how different the experience was from my first time around.

As a young college student, you worry about tests, midterms, and your social life. As a returning student, you worry about grades, relationships with teachers, and whether or not your full-time job is paying you enough for the commute to campus. Instead of coming home to my parents and spending my evenings studying or partying, I came home to my husband and an evening of cooking, cleaning, and going to bed early. My days were scheduled from getting out of bed to getting back into it, with time sectioned out for working, eating, studying, driving, and even sleep.

My first lunch eaten on campus was spent in the large campus dining hall, laptop open to display my off-site connection to my office. I browsed my work emails, waded through the most recent art history reading assignment, and ate my faux Chinese food while thinking wistfully of the homemade chicken piccata my husband was having for lunch at his office. The conversations around me consisted mostly of relationship troubles, diet tips, party anecdotes, and grooming habits and I found myself with no way to relate. Even in my upper level courses, I found very few students who were as dedicated as I was to study and excellent grades.

My closest relationships became those I had with teachers, who I sought out for their ability to maximize my efforts. Thanks to my hard work, I received several honors upon graduation. That fact, however, earned me no friends within the general campus community. Instead of social concerns, I spent my time leading discussion groups, taking charge of projects, and planning weekends in order to spend the most quality time possible with my long-suffering husband.

Though my experience was not the fun filled, wild adventure that some may remember from their college years, I was extremely proud when I finally crossed the stage to receive my degree.
Unlike the degree I may have taken home if I had remained in school during my first efforts, I knew that this one was a product of maturity, a major chosen to reflect my strengths, and a determination to make the absolute best of my time as a student.

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