PITTSFIELD — “I was scared to death,” said Bette Stevens of Pittsfield of her first day at college. “It was totally and completely overwhelming. I thought I must be insane to be doing this.”

That day was two years ago, and Stevens was entering the University of Maine at Orono as a freshman at age 46. A successful career in the business world behind her, Stevens was off in pursuit of a degree in education.

“I feel overwhelmed at the beginning of every semester,” she said, starting her junior year this fall. “It takes a few weeks to get into the routine.”

A dedication to organization, bolstered by her business background, keeps her routine in line. Her 12 hours in class each week translates into 40 hours of study at home.

“But I tend to be a perfectionist,” she said of the many study hours. “I keep remembering my grandmother telling me `anything worth doing is worth doing right.’ ”

She regularly tapes her lectures to replay during her twice-a-week commute from Pittsfield to Orono.

The time she spends preparing her assignments has given her a new appreciation for the young parents in college going home to wash diapers or fix bottles. And being at college, she is no longer fearful that the world is “going to hell in a handbasket.”

“I see these kids have a lot on the ball. It’s a different world we are living in, and they have given me new perspective and new hope for the generation that comes after me,” she said. “Even if I never become a teacher, I am getting a new perspective on life and the world around me.”

As overwhelming as the college experience has been, Stevens’ support system was built in when she returned to school. Her husband, Dan, was in the midst of his junior year as a nontraditional student. It was his encouragement that helped her make the decision. And his support on campus kept her from getting lost or giving up.

With both her and her husband in college, they experienced some criticism from family and friends, some of whom questioned if the effort could be worth it “at their age.” Her children and her grandchildren, however, are thrilled with the prospect of having a teacher in the family. The grandchildren, of course, want Gramma to be their teacher.

Realistically, though, Stevens knows better than to put all of her efforts toward one career. For that reason, and a true love of writing, she is majoring in English and taking as many writing and journalism courses as her schedule allows. The result has been two published articles. With a secondary focus on writing, she is convinced she will achieve one of the 14 steps in Edward Deming’s focus on quality in the working world — “joy in the workplace.”

Her educational experience has awakened new interests in everything, she said. “I had no natural curiosity about science.” But after studying the physical sciences, she said, “It’s a whole new world. Everything is hands-on. It’s suddenly very exciting. Kids have that natural curiosity. I realize how exciting it’s going to be to learn with them and watch their excitement.”

In her two years of study there hasn’t been a course she didn’t like. She credits the program with keeping her interest and testing it early.

She discovered her love of teaching while serving as a volunteer from Cianbro Corp., where she was formerly an executive secretary. She volunteered to help out at Pittsfield’s Vickery School.

As a freshman in the education program at UM, she returned to some of the same classrooms as part of the university’s Professional Preparation Team. In the PPT, students experience classroom work from the beginning of their college career. Education may not be what some students expect or want after working in the classroom, she said.

“Going into a classroom, I feel I was meant to be here. It’s a great feeling,” she said. “But some people may be saying `get me out of here.’ If I had my wish, every adult in America would spend a week in the schools to realize how different our world is today.”

Her advice to anyone returning to school for a second career is to “check it out and make sure it’s what you want to do.”

“Choose your field and get into the real world and take time to see if this is what you really want — even if you have to volunteer,” she said.