“You are never too old to study” – A mature student’s experience at Wrexham University

“In July 2017, there was a special event on the forecourt of Wrexham Museum, with stalls from various local organisations and groups. I was on my volunteering duties at Wrexham Museum at the time, and I decided to walk around and view the different stalls. I saw that Wrexham University had a stall advertising some of their courses, which caught my eye. There was a poster there asking ‘’Would you like to attend a Taster Day at the University in August?’’ I had a chat with the lady behind the stall who was one of the course leaders, and I told her that I would be interested, but I am too old to study. In response, she stated ‘’you are never too old to study.’’ For reference, I was then 67 years of age.

I gave my details to the course leader, and she said that she would be in touch to provide me with additional details about the Taster Day. I attended the special day in August 2017, together with quite a few people, where details of the course were given. We were provided with a detailed outline of the subjects and topics which were going to be covered during the course, which strongly appealed to me. Hence, I told the lecturers involved in the Taster Day session that I would like to start the 3-year course of studies, which would commence in September 2017. Prior to beginning the course, I met the lecturers to register and enrol, and I took my certificates for subjects which I had passed in my exams at Ruabon School. They both told me that there would be no problem, and that the course would begin at the end of September 2017. We parted farewell and they said that they looked forward to seeing me in my first lesson.

I hadn’t studied for 50 years since leaving Ruabon School in 1967, and I was looking forward to attending Wrexham University. I had retired from working at Halifax Building Society in 2010, where I worked for 40 years. This was going to be a great change in my life - I’m going to Wrexham University… at the age of 67!

During my time at University, I formed part of a wonderful class of just under 20 students who ranged in age, from a young lady of 18 years of age, who had recently left college after studying her A-levels, to a lady of 80 years of age. Despite our differing ages, we all got on very well with each other and often shared ideas. We also had two wonderful tutors, who provided fantastic support throughout the course. Over the course of three years studying at the University, we covered many subjects and topics. We had class tests, exams, writing assignments, e.g. 2,000 words, and in my final year we had a dissertation of 9,000 words. I hadn’t sat an exam since I was a pupil at Ruabon Grammar School in the 1960s!

In 2019, as part of my studies at Wrexham University, I completed a ‘Work Placement’ at Llangollen Museum, where I had to spend 40 hours over 8 weeks, together with my fellow student. Llangollen Museum is a fascinating and very interesting Museum, and after completing my placement, I had to write an assignment of 6,000 words about the Museum and my placement there, which I obtained good marks in. After completing my placement, I was invited to become a volunteer at the Museum, by Gillian Smith, Manager, and she told me that I would be a great asset there. I have been a volunteer here for almost 4 years now, and I really enjoy it. At the Museum, we have many visitors from all over the world, and I enjoy chatting with them, and answering any questions they may ask. I am now a Trustee of Museum and also a Director! Without my studying at Wrexham University, this would never have happened, and hence I am grateful that I was given the opportunity to study at such a fantastic, inclusive university back in 2017. Overall, I really enjoyed my studies at the university, with my wonderful tutors, and all my friends in my class.

If you are a mature student who is thinking about going to Wrexham University, my advice would be to do it! You are never too old to learn, and you never know what opportunities await you.”

Want to learn more about studying at Wrexham University? Why not come to our next Open Day or attend a Taster/Discovery Day? Explore our undergraduate and/or postgraduate degree options to reveal the opportunities that are waiting to be explored by you!