Swapping strategy decks for anatomy flashcards

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“You now have 10 minutes reading time,” says the invigilator as it strikes 1pm on the old school clock above the whiteboard.

No, this isn’t a nightmare. It’s real.

I’m sitting at Desk 20 with my student ID card and a label-free drink bottle, completing my first round of exams as part of a Bachelor of Nursing, at 37 years old.

I never thought I’d be back at university. When I crossed the stage at Robert Blackwood Hall in 2010 with my commerce degree, I assumed I was done. I didn’t see myself as particularly academic, uni had been a means to an end. My parents always said a degree meant more job options, so I got one.

End of story.

And yet, I am reminded of the Jewish teaching that it is never too late to begin anew, and I think about Rabbi Akiva, who famously began learning Torah at 40.

Here I am, 15 years later, as I walk into Holmesglen University with a backpack full of highlighters, gluten-free snacks, and a screenshot of my timetable. My stomach is bursting, with nerves and with curiosity.

The algorithm has clearly noticed my new direction, because for months now, my Instagram feed is full of “starting over” content #changeyourlife #thirtysomething. My feed began flooding with people leaving the corporate grind, rethinking their lives. It made me stop and ask: is this it?

For years, I’d floated the idea of studying nursing with my husband and close friends. I kept picturing my future and couldn’t see myself as a 50-year-old marketing manager. I wanted a career I could do for the long haul, something meaningful, something aligned with who I am. But it felt far-fetched. I’m a mother of three young kids. Giving up permanent work to go back to uni meant stepping into completely uncharted territory.

In this journey, my Jewish identity grounds me.

As Pirkei Avot teaches, ‘According to the effort is the reward’ (5:23). I remind myself that persistence and effort are themselves acts of growth and holiness. Its not too late to start again and I am not too old.

The Mishnah tells us that one who is wise learns from every person. In my career, I have worked in hospitality, events and organising conferences. I have volunteered at interesting places. While some of these things may feel a little random, the idea of being “of service” is my running theme.

Over the last summer holidays, I went with my family to the Woodford Folk Festival, where I volunteered at a cafe. The interactions, the communication the “being of service” filled my cup every day, and it just led me to straight to retraining. It’s like something clicked and I couldn’t turn away from that.

So this year, I started uni. Surrounded by kids fresh out of high school, I felt both 18 and 37. To be honest, it felt like treading water.

University has changed a lot since I started in 2007. Back then, textbooks came from the bookshop, and barely anyone had a laptop. Now everything’s online. When I started this year, I felt a little old, but I wasn’t alone. I gravitated to other mature-age students, the ones asking how to borrow books from the library or why everyone else had stopped writing handwritten notes.

Age eventually fell away, though. We became classmates, sharing homework stress and swapping anatomy flashcards. Some were fascinated by my life, asking about my kids, my home, but always, there was mutual respect.

And the truth is, I feel something inside me has aligned. Maybe it’s because I’m doing something I’ve wanted to do for years. I’m a Virgo, a box-ticker, a list-maker. Using my strengths, being practical, organised, empathetic, in a profession that’s all about helping others makes me feel both emotional and excited. I know it’s idealistic, but I hope I can make a difference. Call me naive, but I hope I can make a difference to the world. When doing marketing, I just didn’t think that was as possible.

Something has unlocked and I am taking this journey one step at a time. I am apprehensive that things may not work out 100% and there will be hiccups – failing an assignment or needing to repeat a subject – but that is part of the process. Sure, I feel out of my depth, but all new things feel scary at the start.

For me, at 37, this isn’t just a career pivot, it’s a conscious return to learning.

In Jewish tradition, study is a lifelong mitzvah. It doesn’t end after school; it’s something sacred that carries through every stage of life. There’s a line in Mishnah Peah 1:1 “Talmud Torah keneged kulam,” the study of Torah is equal to all the commandments.

Learning, in other words, isn’t just valuable it’s the basis of our tradition.

My husband and kids are cheerleading me on the sidelines and I feel as though I am one step closer to being the person I was meant to be. Yoshi, my eldest borrowed a book from the library on the human body with the aim of testing me for a big exam I had coming up. This bizarro role reversal saw my eight-year-old, being tough, and telling me: “no hints Mummy” and making sure he kept testing me on a specific topic until I had it down pat. My twins who are six, know on Wednesdays when I drop them off at school, I also head off to school. At the moment, we are all learning new things at the same time.

For me, this reversal of roles resonates. There is a beautiful idea found in the Shema prayer that parents should teach Torah to their children, (Deuteronomy. 6:7), but sometimes, our children teach us in return, reminding us that learning is truly lifelong and reciprocal.

As I sit exams in a clinical lab coat instead of corporate attire, share flashcards with teenagers, and field quiz questions from my own kids, I feel deeply aligned with this idea. I’m not behind, I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.

So in my opinion, starting again, at 37, isn’t late. It’s faithful to my values, to my calling, and to the person I’m still becoming.

Rebecca J. Hoffmann is a dynamic professional with a rich background in marketing and communications, currently channeling her passion for people into the field of healthcare as a mature-aged nursing student. With a proven track record in leadership roles, including her tenure as Marketing Manager at the United Jewish Education Board (UJEB), Rebecca has consistently demonstrated strategic thinking, creativity, and a commitment to community engagement. Now pursuing a Bachelor of Nursing, she brings a unique blend of empathy, resilience, and real-world experience to her studies, embracing the challenges of career transition with enthusiasm. Rebecca’s journey is a testament to lifelong learning and adaptability, qualities she shares through her reflective writings, such as her contributions to Jewish Women of Words .