If you feel motivated then go for it. I was a techie in SEALS (earth atmospheric and life sciences - me being earth science) at UoW before I took the COVID-early-retirement 'carrot' last year. When I left a bloke about my age was doing a PhD. He had done earth science as an undergrad and then had a successful career in another field before retiring early to do the thesis as his 'swan song' (his term). Then there is
Elizabeth Kirkby who was awarded her doctorate at 93. She is now 102 and active in the Labour History circles, where my partner knows her.
Howard Worner had a full career in one area and then came out of retirement to lead a research institute in a different field. When I started my PhD there was an elderly lady at ANU who had an honorary (unpaid) position, a little bit of lab space and she was one of the Australian experts in her little field.
The truth is that mature age students tend to do better then school-leavers. I'm a case in point. I went to uni after school because I was bright but with no goal in mind. I graduated in staying up late but failed all subject. At age 33 I went back. We had just returned from years of 'working holiday' around Aust. and I wanted to fight the good fight in land management or pollution control. That isn't what happened but when I abandoned that goal it was because I had a new one. By then I had learned to be responsible, focused and organised - skills that most school leavers struggle with - and didn't have to support an active social life. The result was near-straight HDs, Honours (First Class) and the Uni Medal.
So, no pressure
, but you can achieve greatness! Or just enjoy yourself
. Just one thing seems a bit odd to me. Far be it from me to tell you what rocks your boat but I wouldn't want to take up maths at my age. It certainly wouldn't be playing to my strengths. When I started uni the second time I enrolled in a physics bridging course to refresh my high-school physics, in which I had done quite well (top 10% NSW), but quickly found that it wasn't for me anymore. I did a major in physical geography (and another in chemistry) and found that I was good at essays. I was happy to put in the hours researching, reading, digesting, writing; and I started early so that the 'digesting' part was done well. I had the slow steady focus that comes with maturity. However, even though I knew my subjects inside out, I just couldn't work at the pace I saw others going at in exams. I used 2hrs 50min of the allotted 3hrs for most exams and had to rely on quality rather than quantity in my exam essays.
So, think about it and let us know what you decide.
David