Age is no barrier to academic achievement.
That was the message from mature student, Alison Noble, yesterday, as she encouraged other people to consider a university education with the words: “You’re never too old to learn”.
The 47-year-old from Fraserburgh previously worked for a local publication for more than two decades, but always wished she had gained a degree.
Finally, Mrs Noble began her course in Anthropology, and she has now collected her qualification at an emotional graduation ceremony.
She said: “While I was initially nervous about going to university as a mature student, four years later, I have absolutely loved every minute.
“I never thought I’d be here today, I never thought I was bright enough, so it was really something to prove to myself that I was good enough to do this.
“Throughout my degree course, my confidence has grown and I have flourished as a person and now, today, I do feel quite emotional.
“That isn’t only because I feel I have achieved something I never thought I would be able to, but because I will be saying goodbye to all my friends that I have made here.”
Mrs Noble added that, despite having reservations about studying with students who were far younger than herself, the group she had spent the last four years with had been “super”.
And she said: “Today is quite sad because we have been through everything together and we are a close group, so we all get on really well.
“I was concerned before I began. As a mature student, I didn’t know how I would fit in.
“A lot of the people I was studying with were 20 or more years younger, but they all embraced me and it has been a super experience.
“I have now applied to do a Masters in Research and Social Anthropology at Aberdeen, so I am keeping my fingers crossed for that.
“And I am now very much of the belief that you are never too old to learn.”