Gen Xer Shuns College as Teen, Makes Life-Changing Decision 30 Years Later

A man who never went to college after finishing school has now enrolled in his first-ever course at the age of 50.

David Spice lives in Massachusetts, and upon graduating high school in 1993, decided not to go down the college path, wanting first to "enjoy life and explore the world on my own terms," he explained to The News Pulse .

Moving across the country and living in different states, Spice says he may have considered college a few years later, but "life threw me a surprise—I became the father of twins."

Spice became their full-time parent, and his priorities "shifted immediately" to give his children a stable upbringing, and so he built a career at a grocery store, where he remained working for decades.

"Today, my twins are 26 years old, independent, and thriving in their own careers. With their futures on track, I've finally found the space to think about my own."

And, after being placed on medical leave from work for major surgery due to arthritis, a bone spur and a bone chip, for which he is still recovering, "this period of forced downtime gave me the opportunity to reassess my path."

He took to Reddit via his account u/kidspice on May 27, where he showed off his new student ID, alongside photos of the Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) campus, and wrote: "I'm a first time college student at 50 yrs old!"

He wrote in the post that now seems "like the perfect time in my life" to take the plunge—in part because he is eligible to attend community college for free.

Public community college is free for all students in Massachusetts with a high school diploma or equivalent, via the MassEducate program. Students can enrol on either a full-time or part-time basis, as long as they take least six credits per semester in an approved program of study leading to an associate degree or certificate, according to the Massachusetts government website .

Spice, who also receives a stipend from the program, has signed up to a course in computer systems engineering technology, as well as a summer boot camp—and added in the post he had been "smiling all day" since arriving at the campus and picking up his ID.

Reddit users were hugely supportive, awarding the post more than 137,000 upvotes, as one commenter wrote: "Way to go, man!!!! It's never too late!! This is awesome!!! You will rock it!!! Very proud of you!!!!"

Another, who identified themselves as teaching at a college in the UK, said: "I only teach adults, such as you. Our oldest ever student, 89. You are never too old for college, you are never too old to learn. Well done you!"

One playfully joked: "I hope you guys understand your solemn responsibility as adult students to sit in the front row and ask too many questions."

And one offered their congratulations and revealed they did the same thing aged 35, declaring "it's the best decision you'll ever make."

Spice told The News Pulse the experience so far has been "incredible," explaining: "Considering the physical demands of my job and my current physical limitations, this opportunity feels like a lifeline. It's exactly the kind of support I believe public programs should offer: the chance to improve oneself and open new doors.

"My advisor worked closely with me to create a fall semester schedule that will allow me to continue working full-time once I'm medically cleared."

Looking to the future, Spice said his aim is to work in IT, "Perhaps in a help desk role, as a field services rep, or ideally, in a remote position. I want to work smarter, not harder, and move into a career that's better aligned with my skills and physical health."

He acknowledged that he is "nervous," as "it's been a long time since I was in a classroom. But I'm also genuinely excited."

"With a lifetime of work and life experience behind me, I'm ready to take this next step—and grateful for the opportunity to do so."

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