Resumen Los motivos que llevan a las personas en edad adulta a cursar estudios universitarios son múltiples. Sin embargo, a todos ellos es común el enorme esfuerzo que deben realizar para conseguirlo, así como, la estigmatización personal y social que hay que superar para poder estudiar. La decisión de estudiar a cierta edad, con sus limitaciones y dificultades, no es obstáculo cuando una persona siente la necesidad de realizarse. En este relato biográfico se presenta la experiencia de una mujer de 46 años de edad que ha roto todas las barreras y se ha lanzado a cursar estudios universitarios. En su narración describe el equilibrio que ella ha encontrado entre las fuentes de conflicto y recompensa, así como los recursos emocionales que ha utilizado para afrontar la situación y el apoyo que ha recibido por parte de su familia.
Abstract (Necessity of Accomplishment. The story of a nursing assistant who wanted to be a nurse) The reasons that take to the people in adult age university study are multiple. Nevertheless, to all of them the enormous effort is common that must realise to obtain it, as well as, the personal and social stigmatisation that there is to surpass for being able to study. The decision to study to certain age, with its limitations and difficulties, is not obstacle when a person feels the necessity to be realised. In this biographical story the experience of a woman of 46 years of age appears that are broken all the barriers and it has been sent university study. In his narration it describes the emotional balance that it has found in between the sources of conflict and reward, as well as resources that has used to confront the situation and the support that has received on the part of its family.