In this hilarious and heartfelt episode, Burso sits down with his mate Fitzy — a former Blackhawk mechanic turned first-year Marine Science student at Deakin University. At nearly 45 years old, Fitzy is navigating a new world of lectures, labs, and lingering imposter syndrome while surrounded by classmates half his age.
Fitzy shares the unorthodox path that led him to university. Unlike most fresh-faced students who arrive straight from Year 12 with an ATAR, Fitzy had to apply via a written submission, leveraging his Defence experience and mechanical training. “I didn’t finish high school,” he says. “I had to show them I could still learn — promise I’d study and not just talk about octopuses the whole time.”
The episode answers questions many older listeners might be quietly wondering:
- Am I too old to go to uni?
- What’s it really like studying alongside 18-year-olds?
- How does a veteran even get accepted without an ATAR?
- Can life experience give you an edge in academic or fieldwork?
- How do you even use a microscope if you’ve never touched one before?
Between the laughs, there are moments of real vulnerability. Fitzy admits he’s overwhelmed at times — especially in content-heavy subjects like biology and chemistry — but he’s determined. He talks about using YouTube channels like The Amoeba Sisters to simplify concepts, and relying on note-taking strategies like pausing recorded lectures to catch up. “Every word they say feels like a new language,” he says, “but it’s fascinating stuff.”
There are plenty of anecdotes to enjoy, from Fitzy waiting awkwardly to be assigned a group because he felt too old to add himself, to him realizing half his classmates didn’t know how to use email. He even jokes about being the creepy old guy sitting alone in class — to which Burso quips, “That makes you more of a creep, Fitzy, if you sit there saying nothing!”
One highlight? Fitzy’s snorkelling field trip in Queenscliff, where he observed sponges and seals for the first time. “Some of the students had never even snorkelled before,” he says. “I was like, finally, something I can do!”
Burso, ever the instigator, suggests that Fitzy’s moment to shine won’t come until post-uni — when his life experience, independence, and ability to “survive without partying” make him the ideal candidate for high-stakes fieldwork or research expeditions, possibly even in Antarctica.
Whether you’re a veteran thinking about a career pivot, a mature-age student, or just someone curious about what it takes to reinvent yourself, this episode delivers laughs, lessons, and loads of inspiration.
Matty Morris of https://www.zerolimitspodcast.com/ helps us out with a banger of a tune. If you want to hear about some real intense moments from Veterans and First Responders. Check out Zero Limits Podcast.
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