I'm old

[ecobag2]

Ok so here's a fun one.

I'm 35. I've led an interesting life that has landed me back in college classes - though I wish I could go full time, for the time being - I have to take one class per semester and figure out a plan for getting a career change figured out and a course of action set up. I'm starting to think online or mostly online classes might be the way to go.

That said... I started taking a math course this semester and it didn't work out. I emailed with a dean back and forth and he eventually said something like "look - you have to attend class."

My work schedule had me missing a lot of class (at least 1/3 of classes) and I decided that it wasn't going to work out and that I should drop. I have another W on my transcript. Great.

So I realize .. shit, I don't have any classes I'm taking so now I have to pick something up that's going to a. kind of work w/ my employment schedule and b. I don't have to show up. Enter INTRO TO PHILOSOPHY - far cry from math class.

Here's my problem: math is numbers - you get the right ones and you go "2xy-7" and the prof goes - right ... that's it. I just sat in a small classroom discussion today discussing why the "god by design" is refutable and what we thought of blah blah blah ... the prof is fucking 25 or so... the class on average is a freshman class.. 17 and 18 year olds. This is not give a number - this is where you bring up analogies from your life experience to support arguments and it becomes painfully apparent that one of these things is not like the other.

Case in point:

Prof: someone give an example of an analogy - like let's say two movies
Me: well how about Top Gun and Iron Eagles... You'd say Iron Eagles is Top Gun but it sucks. Or there's less famous actors or whatever...

Dead Silence.

And the only reason why I made the reference is because the prof referred to Ghostbusters at one point. Dickhead - nice man purse.

So I think everyone, including myself is uncomfortable. Now I'm starting to think it's hilarious. But I know there's a strong feeling of "adult learners like to dominate discussions because younger students conisdered naive etc . etc...." and I'm trying to avoid that whole situation. I 'd like it ot be just about the material... which I don't know anything about.

I'm pretty excited b/c I got through a few college philosophy classes w/o learning anything when I was their age. I'd like to know what's a given at this point. I've heard the design thing about God for years now but never gave thought to what's considered a good refutation, if refutable at all, till today.

I took quite awhile to type this and if for no other reason than that I'm hitting post.

There's a couple minutes you'll never get back.:dry:

[drjoek]

Youth is wasted on the young.

[CofyCrakCocaine]

much like philosophy class in my day, I have no idea what your point is.

but Toshiro Mifune was talking one time about when he was acting in Seven Samurai and his first comment when reflecting was "I was 35 at the time... so young"

[lleeder]

I'm turning 30 this year and before this thread I truly felt like I had no hope. If you can go back so can I. Thanks for the motiviation.

[CofyCrakCocaine]

in seriousness, it's never too late to go back to school unless you're poor, homeless, or really, really, really stupid. Columbia has an entire school devoted to educating non-traditional students (i.e. older people who have day jobs and children and twenty years left before senility) called General Studies school. It was founded for WWII vets who wanted to get their degrees after the war.

There's a general conflict of pride and ego when it comes to attitudes about school and what age you should be for it. That's just in your head, and coming out the ass. Nothing to feel sorry for or ashamed about. Hell, my grandfather attends a couple seminars and he's in his 90's.

So get out there and shake a leg, gramps.

[ecobag2]

I'm turning 30 this year and before this thread I truly felt like I had no hope. If you can go back so can I. Thanks for the motiviation.

Make sure you post your uncomfortable moments for us.

I can't wait to see how this seeming disaster of a discussion session works out.

The lecture part is great is going to be easy. Auditorium - plenty of seats and places to just fade into the background.

Crackhead - my post is about being surrounded by what seems to be a bunch of judgemental snots. And how the prof. seems to be snotty too. And how uncomfortable everyone seems. It's actually pretty fucking great. And I agree - 35 is nothing - I'm in great shape mentally and physically - I'm much better off than when i was 23 or so.

I did try a joke in the beginning of class when we were casually sitting there too. I said "I'm going to have to leave early b/c I'm old and I work" ... I heard a girl behind me somewhere go "awwwww...." I don't know what that meant but it was hilarious to me. Sympathy for the old I guess.

[disneyspy]

say something like "are we earthly beings on a spiritual journey or spiritual beings on an earthly journey?"
did god create the universe or was it created at the same time as the universe
is it intelligent design or designed intelligently
my favorite is if god is not of this world then jesus is a human/alien hybrid
good luck with school,i tried to go back this year but i signed up too late,next year im in,i'll be 46

[ecobag2]

say something like "are we earthly beings on a spiritual journey or spiritual beings on an earthly journey?"
did god create the universe or was it created at the same time as the universe
is it intelligent design or designed intelligently
my favorite is if god is not of this world then jesus is a human/alien hybrid
good luck with school,i tried to go back this year but i signed up too late,next year im in,i'll be 46

the nice thing about college is...

I get older but the girls stay the same age.

(I know that's a tired line but I still enjoy it)

[CofyCrakCocaine]

snotty people... you do realize you signed up for philosophy, right?

just tell them their penises dont exist and they'll all curdle like bad milk.

what that exactly means, i don't know. or do I? how can you tell? prove it. can't? can?

[ecobag2]

snotty people... you do realize you signed up for philosophy, right?

just tell them their penises dont exist and they'll all curdle like bad milk.

what that exactly means, i don't know. or do I? how can you tell? prove it. can't? can?

I have to say... I'm wracking my brain (normal brain btw) in the class today for an answer to something and I kept slipping into that last line a lot. I'm glad I'm taking the course b/c I think part of the aim is in developing the philosophical mind ... one that looks at it from a few angles rather than winding up saying ... nothing's anytihing... what's my name man? French toast. (Ron making fun of Dylan)

[Judge Smails]

About three years ago I decided to go back to school for my Masters in English. That experience was not that bad because there were quite a few older people in the program who, like me, were returning to school and juggling jobs and families. The majority, however were right out of college. Luckily, because they were a little older, they were more mature than the freshman you're dealing with. There were no comments or uncomfortable moments but they were all very big on going out to "get some drinks" after class or forming study groups meeting at the local pub. I never went and I think they thought I was stand-offish. I guess they couldn't understand that I woke up at six, worked a full day, rushed to class and now needed to get home in order to read for tomorrow's class. I was barely seeing my wife and kids, so being sociable was not high on my list of priorities. In 2 1/2 years I can't say that I made any friends - just acquaintances. It was hell juggling things but once it was done it was a great feeling of satisfaction.

Now, I teach freshman composition at a local community college. You think you have a hard time dealing with your classmates imagine being a 40 year-old new Associate Professor trying to hold the attention of of 17 and 18 year-old kids. I get the remedial kids who did so badly on their writing samples on their placement exams that they need to pass my class in order to move on to their required courses. So, basically they're paying for my class but they don't even get credit hours for it. Needless to say, they're not happy to be there.

I try to keep the class lively and try and crack jokes to keep them in good spirits. After realizing we have nothing in common I've decided to play that up as a source of comedic material. As part of my class I take them to the library and actually have to teach these dumb fucks how to find things in the library. They get a kick out of me telling them how I didn't have search engines when I was in college and had to use an actual card catalog. They nearly fell out of their chairs when I told them that at my first job in highschool I made $3.35/hr. I tell them "my kids are so crazy" stories and they laugh because they relate more closely with my kids than me. In a weird way I think they respect me more because I don't take myself seriously than they would some of the other more stodgy prof.

One of the sections in our text deals with the events of 9/11 and we're to use that as a springboard for our writing by exploring how America has changed and how their lives have changed. Every year this gets harder and harder to discuss because the kids get younger and younger. During my latest class discussions I asked them where they were during 9/11 only to realize that they were in the 6th grade. It's not like they're that aware of the overarching effects on society. They're more aware of the fact that they got to go home early that day. But then they get very animated and opinionated in our discussions of Michael Vick and the whole animal rights topic vs. southern black culture etc.