"Non traditional" students, doing hours of Math on a Friday afternoon. The youngest has gotten through 094 and 095, and now it's 098. He's already defying the odds a bit 'cause he didn't have to repeat any of 'em. One of the older guys, new this semester, in 094, sees the stuff on his paper. He asks what he's doing and notes that it's more advanced than what they're doing. "It's 098." I explain the course sequence. Then the kicker: "I started where you are."
"I started in 072."
"So did I."

So the (relative) youngster was getting admired for his academic prowess ... and the older students were seeing that yes, you *could* get there from here. I have a feeling that moment did more than all the help with the math problems that day.