'Nobody notices my age', says 75-year-old student

"I thought people would be staring at me and thinking 'what's that old geezer doing in here?'" said a former truck driver who started university at the age of 75.

Bob Lakin began studying philosophy at the University of Winchester in September.

Reflecting on his first year, he said: "Much to my surprise they haven't really taken any real notice of me being old."

It is 60 years since Mr Lakin last took part in education and he admitted "it is really hard".

He was encouraged to enrol at college by his partner and after completing a course at Peter Symonds College he earnt his place at university.

The student said he started to read a lot while he was a lorry driver but realised he was skimming a lot of things without gaining a deep understanding.

"I just thought i really want to know more about this stuff, do it properly," Mr Lakin said.

He referred to the young people that he studies alongside as "digital natives" and compares their time to when he grew up with a phone box in his street and one car in the whole road.

The former police officer and bus driver said the digital side has surprised him.

"Human beings don't change and that's the main thing," he said.

Mr Lakin added that he has realised it does not matter if someone is from Gen Z or anything else.

He said: "The kids are the same frightened people that anyone would be in that situation, including me."

Reflecting on when he was younger he said the 1950s, 60s and 70s were a "more aggressive time" with young people.

Now he says youngsters are more anxious to be "non-judgmental and kind" which has worked to his advantage.

He recalled a time he went to a university cafe and was asked whether he was a lecturer or a student to which he jokingly replied: "Actually I'm a student, I came when I was 18 but I keep failing the second year."

Despite the acceptance from his peers Mr Lakin did concede that he had not gone to any of the social events and avoided freshers' week.

"I probably wouldn't have gotten any further if I had done that," he joked.

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