By Tope Olotu
Going back to school in your 40s sucks—but I did it!
I recently completed my Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics, and I am incredibly proud of myself.
There, I said it.
This has been a long road.
Pursuing a postgraduate degree in a field I am deeply passionate about while building an excellent project and program management career in another field. I faced prerequisite courses, internship search, several internship site rejections, internship trips, demanding day jobs, relocation, endless deadlines, late-night assignments, family responsibilities, and everything in between.
Apparently, regular adulting was not keeping me busy enough, so I added graduate-school adulting!
This journey began with months of prerequisite courses in anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and other foundational sciences. Those courses prepared me for two rigorous years of graduate study and more than 1,000 hours of supervised practice across clinical nutrition, community nutrition, and food-service management settings.
Those hours took me into hospitals, outpatient clinics, schools, community programs, food-service operations, and unfamiliar cities. I learned about nutrition therapy, health education, patient care, program development, food systems, and the many social and cultural factors that shape people’s health.
This degree was a bucket-list project and a passion project. It stretched me, stressed me, challenged me, and sometimes made me wonder what I had gotten myself into.
But it was worth it.
It is deeply fulfilling to see this dream become a reality.
From the Bucket List to the Day Plan
In a Facebook post celebrating me, my husband wrote:
“Be encouraged to start working on your dream today. Get it out of the bucket list and into the day plan!”
I could not have said it better.
Dreams do not move simply because we want them badly. At some point, we must give them a date, make a plan, complete the application, take the first course, submit the assignment, show up for the placement, and keep moving—even when life is already full.
Sometimes the right time does not arrive wrapped in convenience. Sometimes we begin while managing careers, raising children, navigating transitions, and carrying responsibilities that cannot be placed on hold.
Starting later does not make the dream less valid.
Taking longer does not make the accomplishment less meaningful.
And being stretched by the journey does not mean you chose the wrong path.
“Be encouraged to start working on your dream today. Get it out of the bucket list and into the day plan!” – Bayo Olotu
I Could Not Have Done It Alone
I feel incredibly blessed to be doing life with the kindest and most amazing man on earth. My husband has been my friend for more than two decades, and we have shared over 18 wonderful years of marriage.
I could not have completed this master’s degree without his unwavering support through every stage of the journey—from the day I obtained the application form and began completing my prerequisite science courses to the many late nights I spent working on assignments.
He supported me through the weeks I spent away from home in different cities, completing hundreds of hours of supervised clinical, community, and food-service experiences. He carried extra responsibilities, encouraged me when I was exhausted, and continued to believe in the dream even when the road felt overwhelming.
I am equally grateful for our superstar children, who inspire me and teach me something new every day. Throughout this journey, they were patient, understanding, and remarkably resilient. They learned to take care of themselves and support one another whenever I was away from home or tucked inside my office trying to meet another deadline.
Their maturity, encouragement, and willingness to make sacrifices alongside me gave me the strength to keep going.
This degree may have my name on it, but it carries the love and sacrifices of my entire family.
I am also deeply grateful for the friends who encouraged me, checked in on me, celebrated every milestone, and reminded me to keep going when the journey became difficult. Your prayers, kindness, reassurance, and support meant more than you may ever know.
I am especially grateful for my dear friend, Bose Dele-Ijagbulu, who sent me a countdown calendar when I needed encouragement the most. At first, I flipped it month by month. Then the months became weeks, and eventually, the weeks became days. That simple gift became a powerful reminder that the finish line was getting closer and that I only needed to keep going. Thank you, Bose, for believing in me and helping me count down to a dream fulfilled.
It truly takes a village—and I am incredibly thankful for mine.
The Next Chapter
This journey strengthens the work I am building through Teal Nutrition, Tiraka Health Projects, and the many other exciting partnerships that continue to evolve.
I am looking forward to using my education, professional experience, and passion to develop practical, evidence-informed, and culturally responsive nutrition solutions for individuals, workplaces, organizations, and communities.
I am excited about the lives that will be positively impacted. I am grateful for every lesson, every opportunity, and every person who helped me reach this point.
Yes, graduate school as an adult in my 40s was very hard.
But I did it.
One dream has moved from my bucket list into my lived experience—and I am super excited about what comes next.
Now let’s pause for TEA.
TEA—Thought, Encouragement, Affirmation
Thought: Your age does not disqualify your dream, and your responsibilities do not erase your purpose.
Encouragement: Start where you are, use what you have, and move that dream from your bucket list into your day plan. It might take you twice as long, but if you keep at it, you can do it.
Affirmation: I am not too old, too late, or too busy to pursue the dreams God has placed in my heart.
“Starting later does not make the dream less valid, and taking longer does not make the accomplishment less meaningful.”
About Me
I am a certified project management professional, a community advocate, and a compassionate nutritionist.
I share thoughts, encouragement, and affirmations through my TeaWithTope posts. I also created Teal Nutrition, developing nutrition solutions for individuals, workplaces, and communities. Through ITOSugar, I share diabetes education resources that speaks your language.
I am very active in my community, collaborating with others to educate and empower children, youth, young adults, women, and families through the non-profit initiatives I co-founded, including a Christian youth club, Aspire Hub, and an international social enterprise Tiraka, with branches in the United States, Canada, the UK, and Nigeria.
About TEAwithTope: Thoughts.
Encouragements.
Affirmations.
I share bite-sized reflections, personal thoughts, encouraging words, and affirmations rooted in truth through #TEAwithTope, where I invite you to pause and breathe, just like you would over a calming cup of tea.
