Fit.
In contrast to how a child belongs in the world, adult belonging is never as natural, innocent, or playful. Adult belonging has to be chosen, received, and renewed. It is a lifetime's work. ~John O'Donohue Have you ever wanted to be included? To fit in? Yeah...me, too. Well, I have a simple suggestion for you. It may be a no-brainer, but hang with me, here. Don't go to a private university if you are 40-something or over. When I went for the competitive interview for academic scholarship, I took the (rather cheeky) opportunity to ask my interviewers about the percentage of "older students" currently attending. I was quickly corrected that the term is "returning students," and that there was a small, but important contingent of these older wannabe scholars. In retrospect, that small number of students must be hard to find, as I have seen only 1 or 2 in the 3+ weeks I've been walking around campus. No, they are not in th...