By Alexandra de Vries
It’s that time of year! Summer is almost here in the northern hemisphere and students all around me are graduating from high school, college and university. I’m now old enough to see the children of my friends and colleagues graduate from university. However, I can speak from personal experience that going back to school to get another degree later in life can be just as rewarding as the first time around.
I had been working as a translator and interpreter for about 15 years when I first heard that there even was such a thing as a professional Master’s in my field of conference interpretation. To be honest, the thought of going back to school had never crossed my mind, but when a colleague told me she had been accepted into a one-year professional master’s at Glendon College at York University in Toronto, I began to ponder the possibilities.
Working as a conference interpreter since the early 2000s without any formal training, I basically learned ‘on the job’, putting in the hours and observing experienced colleagues. The idea of taking the time to focus on my profession, exchanging ideas with peers and practicing new skills seemed quite enticing. After years of hard work and building my freelance business, this would also be the closest I could get to taking a break, while justifying that I was still doing something useful. So in 2014 I decided to set my sights on starting school in the fall of 2016. I needed about two years to get all my ducks in a row and save money. As a mature student, nobody but me would be paying my bills and tuition. I also would need to cut back on my translation work during the year so I could focus on my studies. Looking back six years later, what did I get out of the experience?
● Time to reflect on my profession
Returning to school gave me the perfect opportunity to challenge myself with new skills and new ideas. I now had peers who also were passionate about languages and brought very diverse life and professional experiences. I was also pleasantly surprised to discover that I was far from the only ‘mature’ student in my year.
● Professional Development
Even with years of experience, I had never taken much time to think about my skills or learn the techniques and strategies involved in being a successful interpreter. The best thing about the master’s was having teachers and fellow students listen to your interpretations and give you feedback. By deliberately practicing techniques and strategies and learning when to apply them I became a much better professional with a bigger tool kit. Now I really miss that in real life nobody gives you honest, constructive feedback after a job.
● Networking
Another great benefit of returning to university was the opportunity to connect with so many new people. I remember looking around on the first day of the class and asking myself if I would find any real friends in my group of cohorts. It turns out that I formed several amazing friendships that I still nurture six years later. I also gained an international network of connections that I still benefit from almost every week. We refer clients to each other, share professional news, ask questions about new technologies and trends, and vent about the challenges of our work. As a mature student I also developed several nice friendships with my professors. A number of them are now my colleagues and I love running into them when I’m on an assignment or even sharing a booth with them.
● Things get easier with age
The first time I went to university as an 18-year-old straight out of high school I was a very different person with all the typical worries, distractions and the angst of a young adult. The most liberating thing about being an older student is that you know yourself so much better. That includes knowing what you want and what you don’t want! You are not afraid to stand up for yourself and can be a much more efficient student. Having my priorities straight made a huge difference this time around.
● Personal fulfillment
Looking back on my year as a student, I also had a blast! It turns out there is no age limit for embarking on new experiences, getting out of your comfort zone and taking the time to do something for yourself. Even though I can list many reasons why getting the master’s was ‘good for me’, I would do it all over again just for the fun of it.
Returning to university to pursue a master’s degree in conference interpretation at the age of 47 turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. The benefits I gained from this experience far outweighed any initial apprehensions I may have had. So the next time you see a young graduate excited to embark on the next stage of their life, ask yourself if maybe it’s time for you to set some new goals and find a new challenge as well.
