After more than two decades dedicated to accounting, Ana Lúcia Pereira, aged 49, decided to return to higher education. She is now a first-year student in the degree program in Sport and Leisure at the School of Sport and Leisure of the Polytechnic University of Viana do Castelo (ESDL-UNIPVC). Several times a week, she travels from Viana do Castelo to Melgaço to attend classes. At home, the word "first-year student" applies to two people, as her daughter also enrolled at UNIPVC this year.
A curious moment occurred before classes began, when, upon requesting her student ID, the attendant thought Ana Lúcia was applying for a card for one of her children. "It was for me," she recalls, amused. The age difference became more apparent upon meeting her course mates, mostly younger, and even some professors. "They could all be my children," she jokes, but assures that integration is going well, describing her classmates as "dear".
Ana Lúcia's interest in sport dates back to secondary school, when she considered it as a career option. However, she chose accounting, the field where she built her career. More than twenty years later, she decided to revisit that interest, motivated not only by personal enjoyment but also by observing children's relationship with physical activity.
"In children, I think there's little stimulation, and that was an area where I could see myself working," she considers. Working with younger children is one of her goals for this new training. She is particularly interested in developing skills such as coordination and balance, and children's ability to learn to know and use their own bodies. "If children acquire these skills, I think they will deal better with their bodies, grow better," she explains, emphasizing the importance of mobility in an era dominated by technology.
Entering the degree program has not meant abandoning accounting; Ana Lúcia continues to work as a student-worker. Although a career change is not an immediate certainty, she admits she will feel "more fulfilled," regardless of her future path. The goal is to learn and acquire skills in a different area, which she believes will enrich her as a person and a professional.
Playing tennis, a sport she started from scratch at a later age, demonstrates her openness to new challenges. "Maybe I don't play well, but I already know how to play a little," she says casually.
Balancing her new academic life with work and family requires different time management. Ana Lúcia lives in Viana do Castelo, travels to Melgaço for classes, and maintains her professional activity. Her daughter, who started a degree in Business Marketing and Communication at ESCE-UNIPVC, shares the first-year student status. Her younger son, aged 10, completes the family unit that is studying this academic year. Family support and organization are essential for managing the new routine.
In three years, Ana Lúcia doesn't know if she will change professions, but she is sure she will feel fulfilled. For her, returning to study is a form of continuous learning. "Knowledge gives us security and decision-making power," she defends. She overcame the fear of others' reactions, considering that "people shouldn't be ashamed if they're going to make a fool of themselves." Despite the challenges, she states with conviction: "I will succeed."
