Adult Phase 30 - 39

The challenges of being a learner at your age

At the ripe old age of 33, I have many challenges as a learner. Being a full time mom to 8 children and part time mom to 3 children is one of the challenges I face as a learner, because so much of my time is devoted to the well being of my children. My education is always the last thing I work on at the end of my day. I have an extremely hard time juggling between my children and my education. Another challenge is working. I work part time as an Academic Instructor so by the time I get off from there and then deal with my children, I am exhausted. There is very little time in there devoted to my poor husband who is currently working nights. We see each other on Fridays and Saturdays. The next challenge I face is extracurricular activities my children are involved in. We play sports with our church so we don’t do a lot of traveling, but beings their ages are so scattered, we have practice 2-3 days per week. I know that most learners at my age do not face the same challenges I do, but most do have some of these challenges. Finding the time for work, family, and academics can be pretty stressful at this age.

The joys of being a learner at your age

One of the joys of being a learner at this age is the experience that has been acquired. When you are fresh out of high school you do not have the life experience to go along with what you are learning in your college courses. Being in the age bracket, most have worked in their educational fields and have a better understanding of what it is they are learning. They are taking experiences they have already dealt with in their lives and are able to pull it out and use it while learning.

Your hopes for the next decade as a learner

My number one hope for the next decade as a learner is to be well versed in adult education. I would eventually like to be a program director over an adult education facility so I want to learn as much as I possibly can over the next decade to fulfill this dream.

Your advice for people who are entering your decade as a learner

The only advice I can share with people entering my decade as a learner is to find a balance between family, work, and your education. You only get as much as you put into your education. It may be hard at times and you may feel like giving up, but in the end it will be well worth the hard work.