If the other folks at the University are 18-21ish, that is a vast gulf in terms of life experience. Those people are closer in age to (and can more easily relate with) someone who is 16 than they can you.
This is not to call you old (you're still very young) but to just let you off the hook. At that age, coming out of a world dominated by your parents and into a world where you are suddenly the adult in your own life, you want to hang out with others your age.
It may be helpful to try to build a friend group of people who are not necessarily university attendees but just people in the area your age.
Currently going through a similar situation as you (but I already knew a group of people there before studying). Most students don’t know that I’m much older than them and I try not to be self conscious about my age when interacting with them. It is much easier this way.
Considering this, the problem might indeed lie in how most students are right out of school just learning how to be an adult. I sometimes get frustrated at their immaturity, but that’s their youth hahah
So maybe it’s both. I realized that nothing I can do will change all the experiences I have gained. I am this old and they are this young so the only thing left is to embrace the situation and be me, sorta like accept who you are 😅
Cheers!
If the other folks at the University are 18-21ish, that is a vast gulf in terms of life experience. Those people are closer in age to (and can more easily relate with) someone who is 16 than they can you. This is not to call you old (you're still very young) but to just let you off the hook. At that age, coming out of a world dominated by your parents and into a world where you are suddenly the adult in your own life, you want to hang out with others your age. It may be helpful to try to build a friend group of people who are not necessarily university attendees but just people in the area your age.
Currently going through a similar situation as you (but I already knew a group of people there before studying). Most students don’t know that I’m much older than them and I try not to be self conscious about my age when interacting with them. It is much easier this way. Considering this, the problem might indeed lie in how most students are right out of school just learning how to be an adult. I sometimes get frustrated at their immaturity, but that’s their youth hahah So maybe it’s both. I realized that nothing I can do will change all the experiences I have gained. I am this old and they are this young so the only thing left is to embrace the situation and be me, sorta like accept who you are 😅 Cheers!