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In 1999, a film called Never Been Kissed starring Drew Barrymore was released in theatres. Barrymore’s character is 25-year-old Josie Geller, a former high school loser “Josie Grossy” and current insecure copy editor for the Chicago Sun Times. Geller is asked to go undercover at a local high school and finds her big scoop which turns out to be a teacher who falls for her.
Aside, from currently volunteering as the comic writer for the Gazette , what does this have to do with me, or you, well you’d be surprised.
For starters, I saw it when it was originally released in theatres. Yep! I was already entering high school when it came out. In 2022, I returned to Western University – Alan Shepard was my president for the second time in a different university. But I didn’t come back to do an undercover piece about underage drinking – I simply came to change careers.
As a successful undercover, not many people at Western found out I am 15ish years older than them. But just like Josie Geller, I decided to write an article about what I have learned from my time undercover at college – the one you are reading right now.
I must say, I am super impressed by anyone choosing to attend university now – the costs of living were so much lower when I first attended college. My single student room in houses in London was only about $400 each month and everything was always included, even the Internet. The only costs I had to pay were tuition, books, supplies and food. I fully feel for students today, especially those who work to support their education.
There is a difference in the way professors teach now compared to the early 2000s – and I am not simply saying that because now they are all my age instead of my parents’ age. It’s way smoother to get accommodations now.
Educators are also much more accepting of disabilities, both mental and physical ones, and use inclusive language that never would have been adopted in university. Continue reading “Now and Then: A mature student’s retrospective and advice”
