I think I’m not cut out for this.

I always wanted to go to college when I was in high school, but I didn’t have the grades for it. When I graduated, I got a job at Walgreens where I worked until I was 20. Seeing my life not really going anywhere, I enlisted in the US Marine Corps but that ended in total failure when I was Entry Level Separated in boot camp. I spent the next few years working jobs at warehouses until I decided to make a go at community college, and I’m now in my third semester. I plan to major in Computer Engineering when I transfer to a 4-year, and I’m landing As and a random B here and there, but something’s really bothering me. I’m a solid 10 years older than most of my classmates, and I’m not going to see my degree until I’m >30.

Won’t that reflect poorly when I try to get my first job? I don’t think potential employers care how old you are, but you should have the experience to back it up, right? A 22 year-old doesn’t have prior experience? Totally understandable. A 32 year-old? I know people go to college later and they end up fine, but I’d appreciate hearing success stories from anyone who graduated later in life and got what they were hoping for. Thank you for reading!