For many people, college is something they start at 18. Maybe 22. Possibly 30 or 40 if you’re making a career pivot. It’s rare to hear about retired folks in school.
Recently, TikToker @nurse_marxx had a patient who was in her late seventies and was planning to go back to school to get a degree.
When @nurse_marxx asked what made her want to continue her education so late in life, the lady explained that her husband had died a couple of years ago, and she had 10 years to use his military benefits.
Rather than let them expire, she decided to take advantage of them. If she went back to school full-time, she would receive $800 for room and board, along with $1,400 in extra support each month, on top of having all her classes paid for.
She will be going to school for sociology. She will be tackling plenty of homework, research, writing, and exams—that’s for sure!
Times are tough right now, and in an economy where rising costs have affected nearly everyone, including retirees on fixed incomes, the extra financial cushion makes a difference.
Going back to school is not just about personal growth. It is also a strategic way to ease the cost of living.
Several TikTok users described starting college later in life and how amazing their journeys have been.
“I just started college at 60. My husband passed away a few years ago, and now I’m doing things I put off while raising children and caring for my critically ill husband. Not for a career, but for myself,” commented one user.
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“I’ve tutored a man in his sixties. He said he did what he was supposed to do. He worked, married, and raised a family. Now, it was his turn to do something for himself. He was always early to class and studied hard,” shared another.
“When I was an RA in an upperclassmen dorm, we had an 80-year-old lady move in. It was her last year, and she was getting radiation treatment for cancer, and lived an hour away normally. She fell and broke her ankle, and our dorm was more wheelchair-accessible than her house,” added a third.
“I’m 57. Started college two years ago. My son is in college. With two students in our household, we now qualify for grants. Why wouldn’t I go? I worked my butt off starting at age 16 and was a single mom. I’m just getting some of those tax dollars I paid in over the years back,” wrote someone else.
Overall, these stories challenge the idea that college belongs to the young. Classroom learning does not have an expiration date. Whether motivated by finances, unfinished dreams, or even simple curiosity, you can start the next chapter at any time.
By Emily Chan
Emily Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in... More about Emily Chan
