Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what you are currently studying?
Paul:
“I’m Paul Roberts, a mature student at Maynooth University, studying a BA in Community Studies.”
I imagine it was a very big decision to come to university as a mature student, adults can have so many things going on in their lives and it can be hard to find time to anything. What was it that led you to choose Maynooth’s evening BA programme?
Paul:
“The reason I chose this course is quite simple. I originally brought a young lad to the university’s open day to help him look at what his college options might be. At the time, I was fed up with my own job but I was really only going there looking for advice for him. While I was there, I met one of the lecturers at the Adult Education stand and I remember asking them if there were any courses for someone like me. My situation is that I had left school with absolutely no qualifications. I am also heavily dyslexic, so education was always something I struggled with and, if I’m honest, something I avoided.”
So, what was your life like before returning to education?
Paul:
“Well, I spent most of my life working in labouring jobs, truck driving, security, and as a nightclub doorman. But when I got to 54, I realized that I’d had enough. I was tired of the same routine and I wanted a change. I realised I needed to face something I’d always run from – education.”
Okay so there is thinking about returning to education and then there is doing a degree! That sounds like a very brave choice to dive straight in like you did. How did you feel about the idea of doing a degree at first?
Paul:
“When the lecturer that I met at the open day suggested doing a degree, I genuinely laughed at first. I didn’t even know how to spell ‘degree.’ But something stuck with me, and I thought about it, and thought about it, then decided to give it a go.”
That was a brave choice, but I honestly thing that lots more people than realize it are capable of doing a degree. Often it is as simple as what happens to you, that another person puts it to them ‘why don’t you do a degree?’ I have lost count of the number of times I have suggested this to people only for them to tell me that I am the first person who ever said that to them – that still surprises me to this day.
What was it like starting at university as a mature student?
Paul:
“Starting the course was a massive challenge. Walking into the university on the first night, I felt like I didn’t belong there. But that quickly changed when I met the other mature students. We were all in the same boat—nervous, unsure, but willing to try. That made a huge difference.”
It can’t have been all plain sailing though, how have you managed balancing college with the rest of your life?
Paul:
“Balancing college with work and family life hasn’t been easy, but once you get into it, you find your rhythm. I’ve made great friends, met incredible people, and learned so much—not just academically, but about myself as well.”
What support have you received during the course?
Paul:
“The lecturers have been brilliant. They’re supportive, approachable, and genuinely want you to succeed. If you ask for help, they’re there. They guide you in the right direction and give you the tools to do your best.”
And the question that I always like to ask people – how has the course changed the way you see the world?
Paul:
“This course has really opened my eyes to how communities work and what can be done to improve them. It’s changed how I see things.”
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