‘Having a ball’: Woman, 51, living on Winthrop University campus as student

ROCK HILL, S.C. — A Winthrop University student is following her passion and forging a new path.

Sue Farmer showed Channel 9′s Elsa Gillis her dorm room at the Rock Hill university.

“My home away from home,” Farmer said.

From the posters and futon to the ramen noodles, Farmer has decked out her dorm room.

“If you’re doing an all-nighter, and you’re hungry at 10, ramen noodles it is,” Farmer said.

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“It’s a requirement, I think, as a college student,” Gillis said.

“I think it is, in the bylaws somewhere,” Farmer replied.

Farmer isn’t the average college freshman -- she’s going back to school at 51 years old.

“I am having a ball,” she said. “I did luck out and get a single room, but I guess 51 has that advantage.”

She said many of her fellow students have assumed she’s part of the faculty, and are excited when they learn she is a student.

“I get asked a lot if I ask questions, ‘are you faculty?’ ‘No I’m a student,’ and their eyes light up and it’s just awesome,” she said. “Honestly, I’m connecting more with faculty than students but it is only my first year.”

Farmer already has an associate degree in crime scene technology, but ended up working as a mechanical and electrical assembler. After getting hurt on the job, her company couldn’t accommodate her restrictions and let her go.

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“I don’t look at it as a hindrance,” she said. “It was a door open wide for me to be able to be here on campus. I feel blessed to be able to be here”

She’s studying human nutrition -- a passion that she hopes, with a bachelor’s degree, will allow her to help people.

Living on campus was financially the best decision for her she said, and also the most fun.

“Here, you get the full experience of eating in the cafeteria, going to class, coming back to your room -- it’s awesome,” Farmer said.

Farmer became a proud Winthrop eagle and first-generation college student.

“Walking around campus here, I’m still in awe that I’m actually doing this,” Farmer said. “Dominoes are starting to fall into place in mysterious ways.”

While she recognizes not everyone has the opportunity to do this, she has this encouragement for anyone looking to forge a new path.

“Where there’s a will there’s a way. There’s always a way,” Farmer said.

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