I’ve fallen head over heels for someone just under 30 years older than me. I am at University still. It crept up on us, we were friends for a long time before, so no, it didn’t come from a bad place. I haven’t told anyone and neither has he, to respect my parent’s reaction and repercussions. Do I wait until I leave Uni to tell people, when I am a fully fledged ‘do-what-I-like’ adult? I have never felt so free and trapped at the same time.
LemonVibe 
I think you are at very different points in your life and that you will have to deal with the sugar daddy/ gold digger reputation you both will get from people who don’t and do know you. I wish you luck, but honestly I think the differences you have at being at very different points in your life will be something that you may or may not be able to over come.
I’ll speak as a woman who almost exclusively “dates” younger. I’ve dated as much as 23 yrs younger. It’s a lot of fun and both parties can get something from the age difference that you can’t from a more traditional dating age range.
But notice I put dating in quotes. Both me and my partners realize there’s no true long term potential. In particular, my young men will grow and change much more than I will at this point in my life.
Of course, anything is possible and this may be a relationship that goes the distance. I think the odds are very much against it though. My advice is to enjoy what you’re currently getting out of it with the knowledge that it most likely will end. As do many dating relationships.
As for what others think? One of the positives of getting older for me is to not really care as much about that. 😉