Louis Said:

I'm 21 years old & don't feel like I'm as smart or as mature as I should be for my age. What's wrong with me?

We Answered:

A man is but the product of his thoughts, what he thinks, he becomes.
Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)

The mind is its own place, and in itself
Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven.
John Milton, Paradise Lost, Chapter 1 (1667)

If you break your neck, if you have nothing to eat, if your house is on fire - then you got a problem. Everything else is inconvenience.
Robert Fulghum

If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.
Marcus Aurelius (A.D. 161-180)

Self-pity is easily the most destructive of the nonpharmaceutical narcotics; it is addictive, gives momentary pleasure and separates the victim from reality.
John W. Gardner (1912–2002)

You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann (1872-1945), Desiderata (c. 1920s)

Thelma Said:

Are there many mature age university students out there?

We Answered:

I console myself with the fact that, since I want it more than many of the younger students, I'm going to finish and get better grades! I've eaten Ramen Noodles for a month straight, and I've worked in fast food, so I know why I'm there and what the stakes are.

Hang in there!

Crystal Said:

How should I write a development plan as a mature age worker?

We Answered:

I think your career development plan is to continue providing excellent service to clients, learning new systems/responsibilities as required and transferring knowledge to those who will be there after you retire. Your future career objective is to continue doing what you're doing for several years and leave the company with the least amount of risk you can. Training/coaching others or creating documentation/reference materials will allow the company to continue being successful after you leave and minimize the impact of transition.

You're 10-15 years away from retirement, so I'm not sure if it should be included in your written development plan just yet...

Oscar Said:

Are you a mature age student embarking on a Uni degree later in life?

We Answered:

I'm retired, over 65. Take an occasional class not for any degree but for things of interest. Baking, Visual Basic, Stained Glass, Pottery, C++. Life Long Learning.

Glenn Said:

Should I study engineering ?

We Answered:

You could definitely handle school at 24/25. How is your math background? It may help to practice your math skills, maybe even take a college class if you've been out of school for a bit.

If you're really interested in engineering then go for it. Unless you go into engineering management or become a specialist salaries tend to plateau relatively early. You'll earn a decent middle income and the work is definitely more interesting and varied than in other fields. Highest salaries starting out are in electrical/computer engineering and chemical (at least here in Canada). Civil is very broad and provides a good base to do different jobs. Ditto for mechanical.

I tend to disagree that engineering becomes the biggest part of your life. It definitely is part of your lift, but if it becomes the biggest you will probably end up being a difficult to live with human being. I say this because engineering thinking tends to be very rational and calculated, whereas interactions with people require emotion.

Ralph Said:

At what age do adults mature? Seriously? Read below?

We Answered:

You sound like a great friend. Your friend may never mature. There really is nothing that you can do to help her mature. You can only be her friend and be there for her, when and if, she does mature. In the meantime, go on with your life because you have already crossed the threshold of maturity and you need to meet and get together with new, mature friends. Good luck!