FarawayFromCars

My thought: do you want to reach your golden years and look back at your life and think of all the shoulda, woulda, couldas? I'd say go for it. And an education of any kind is never wasted.

ElegantlyWasted

"Can I go back to school this fall and actually do it?"

Yes you can. The big thing is that it does take time. By testing ourselves sober we gain confidence and with a little practice and patience situations that caused us anxiety/fear and to self
medicate will become more than manageable. You may be a little scatter brained for awhile, but you'll get through it. Study how to study, maybe get a book on memorization and you'll do fine in school. I graduated with honors simply because I knew some great memorization strategies that allowed me to cram for finals the night before (wasn't that great at kicking stuff into long term memory, but it worked) It will also help rewire your brain as it continues to heal. IMHO... Go for it!

cat1961

Searching - you can do anything your heart desires and if it's to continue your education, then that should be your goal.

I'm 49 and am really starting over - no household goods except my laptop and dresser, barely have a job, don't have a car, and have to find a place to live in a month. With that said I have a full plate but it's going to get easier for me after the w/d's wear off!

aasharon90

Hi Im Sharon and Im an Alcoholic.

By the grace of my HP and people
like you here in SR I havent found
it necessary to pick up a drink of
alcohol since 8-11-90.

For that and you I am truely grateful.

Let's see, how old was I? lol

I felt old at that time.

Today some many one days
sober down the road, I feel
like im in my 20's.

Don't think i want to grow up. lol

Im having to much fun and
enjoying life to the best of
my ability.

I didnt get happy over night.
Yet each day was better than
the day before and it continues
as long as I incorperate my
recovery program into my every-
day affairs.

There's a big wide wonderful
world awaiting for you to dis-
cover sober free.

Go For It..!

spen71

Not really relavent to the thread but you have to wait 6 months to go to court for drink driving (DUI to you)

Peter G

Here's what I think...

First off, IMO the thing that happens as we age is we tend to lose resiliency. While the thought or opportunity for change and improvement comes up for us "old folk" just as often as for young people, our heads are so much more filled with a lifetime of problems and responsibility, and we often give way to these other issues as opposed to embracing positive change. "Youngins" just have far less distractions/responsibilities to deal with on a regular basis.

Secondly, people with some time under their belt are cynical and jaded. Life, which is known to kick people's a$$es on the regular, has already kicked our aged butts a few times. So when possibility arises, we misguidedly use our past bad experiences as barometers for potential future success. We often end up saying "meh, it won't work, here's why..." or "pfft, I'm too old for that", and what we are really saying is "I'm afraid of more disappointment so count me out".

Also, people our age (I'm 43 btw) spend a lot of time in retro mode, i.e. looking back at the things we can be proud of, or looking back at things we are ashamed of. Someone half my age looks forward because for them there simply is no "back" to reference. Us old cats (lol!) have a tendency towards a defeatist attitude about anything new, just because we are looking at it with a predisposition that youth can mercifully avoid. And for an alcoholic looking back, saying we can be "jaded" is a serious understatement.

If you ask me, starting over at our age puts us at a much greater statistical advantage over someone doing it for the first time in life - for the very reasons I just mentioned above and more. In the first place we have an education on "reality" to draw from which tempers our optimism. Secondly we know our talents, limitations, ethics, and morals a lot better than we did 20 years ago. Last, we see starting over as a heap more important than just "starting", since our time is more limited to get it right.

So is it too late? HELL NO!

My 0.02 cents anyway

searching

Thanks all for some great ideas and support. Sorry it's been a while since I have been on but I've been busy with job interviews and figuring out what to do about school. I had a great job interview the other day at a job that I thought would just be a part time thing while I went to school. Thing is if I get the job it's going to be a greater opportunity than I first thought. Lots of training and full time potential with a great company in the tech field. Im still having the same thoughts with it as I was with school, can I do it? It's in sales and thats something I havent done in years and I have to say Im really nervous about it. But with all the great info I've gotten IF i get the job Im going to use the strength you have given me on here to move forward. I would still like to go back to school if I get this job if I can find the time. Im going on 4 months sober now and as much as with everyone else I find myself thinking how great a few beers would be Im sticking with the program as things are better for me without it. Thanks for all the positive support and info it's ment so much to me!

CarolD

A word of caution....be wary of those sales jobs that
pay commissions only.
My friend took one and because of the economy
never sold a darn thing. As he had come from a
sales background ....he assumed it would benefit him.

All my best...

searching

thanks Carol, I would be leary but its not commision only it actually has a pretty high hourly wage. I lost what I had considered a dream job to my last relapse and this one pays more than it did with just the hourly wage the commission only kicks in if I make my sales quota which the people I talked to said I could do by just showing up. It's selling cell phones for At&t, which I love tech type stuff and had no idea they paid so well. Love them or hate them iphones pretty much sell themselves. The thing Im worried about is in my fragile state I can handle the dealing with people all day long. I hope I can cause my friend that works there says its a great job. As I said Im still apprehensive about a selling career for the rest of my days and am still looking at ways to take classes. Plus Im not even sure I will get this job. Thanks for the concern though!