My dad used to play Honkey Tonks before I was born.  He loved Ray Price, Buck Owens, Marty Robbins and the like.  I grew up listening to Country and Western music on the radio in his truck and at get-togethers where he and his friends would play.

My mother listened to ‘50’s Rock and Roll.  She loved Fats Domino.  She loved “Walkin’ to New Orleans”.  I would play all of her old 45’s and albums every time I got the chance.

The one thing musically that they had in common was their hatred of the music I listened to as a teen-ager and young adult, Heavy Metal and Hard Rock.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that I don’t listen to as much Heavy Metal as I used to.  I’ve realized that most of what I called Hard Rock is now considered Classic Rock.  I’ve also started listening to a lot more Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings and the like.  When I do find new music that I like, most of it is what is now considered Country.

So what does this have to do with going back to college?  Ok, I’m getting to that.

In most cases, when you go back to college as an adult, even if you take online courses, you will find yourself on a college campus interacting with traditional (read as “young”) students.  This may leave you feeling a little out of place.

Now, I like to think of myself as observant.  What I have noticed about my fellow “adult” students is that they typically fit into one of two categories.  Some try to “fit in” with younger students and some try to avoid them at all costs.  In my opinion, neither strategy works very often.  

Here’s what I’ve seen:  If an adult tries to dress or talk like a teen-ager, they often become the target of ridicule by the very same students with which they are trying to “fit in”.  No one wants to see you dressed like Lady GaGa or Katy Perry anymore than you wanted to see your mom dressed like Madonna or Cindy Lauper.  It doesn’t matter how “in shape” you are.  It doesn’t work.

On the other hand, total avoidance robs you of an opportunity to get a more current perspective and an opportunity to influence the younger generation.  You know, I have to think that my dad would have benefitted if he could have ever learned to appreciate Metallica, but he didn’t.  Occasionally, I would play him parts of songs and ask him what he thought.  Quite often, he would like it until he found out who it was.  Then he wouldn’t.  He missed an opportunity to learn more about me because he avoided my music.  

I think the best approach is to find a middle ground.  Find shared interests that allow you to interact with traditional students without alienating them.  I don’t know how many “youngsters” I’ve introduced to Don Williams and Glen Campbell.  At the same time, I found that I actually enjoyed Skrillex and Tinie Tempah.  I’ve also had the opportunity to know some great people that I otherwise wouldn’t.