Mature student Marjorie (81) loves learning

Retiree Marjorie (last name witheld), a ‘mature’ student with Open Study College, has recently completed a World War I Level 3 course and having thoroughly enjoyed her studies, she explains she is about to embark on her second distance learning programme studying a World War II Level 3 course “to keep her mind active”.

Marjorie explained: “My husband is ex-Army and if we go anywhere the first place we look for is a military museum; we’ve probably visited 80 per cent of all the military museums in the country, so I’ve always had an interest in this subject matter. With him being in the Army before, my husband has been a great help with this course although we’ve never actually lived through a war because we’re both too young - you know, saying that we’re too young for something sounds great!

“I also just wanted to do something to prove to myself that although I’m 80 my brain isn’t old and tired. I knew it would be no good to do a course featuring exams as I’ve never had much of a memory and now in my old age my memory can be even worse. I just can’t remember the same and OSC provided me with a course that didn’t bog me down with exams to make me feel fed up when I don’t need them. I’m doing this course purely and simply because I want to.”

Education provider, the Open Study College says it has seen a significant 40 per cent increase in students aged 60 and over learning online.

Marjorie added: “My daughter is very much into learning and inspired me to look online when I told her I really wanted to study something but didn’t want to travel or have any set exams. Also, I don’t drive and we live in a little village which means the bus service is almost non-existent.”

Majorie gets great satisfaction when getting good comments back from the tutors.

“The tutor I had was very supportive, which really did make a difference, and they get back to you really quickly which is handy especially when you haven’t studied for so long,” she said.

“This is very rewarding, and I can’t see why anyone else wouldn’t feel the same.”