Retire and Go Back to School!

Retire and Go Back to School!

The most productive and revitalizing thing many retirees might consider doing is going back to school.  But this time around school doesn’t have to be about tests and papers! This time you take classes because they are interesting and you learn for the sheer joy of learning.

Retirees lucky enough to live in states that allow them to audit classes without paying fees or tuition have a real advantage.  Of course, requirements vary from school to school and state to state, but certainly it is worth checking out. (Audit classes usually do not award credits.) 

No need to worry about feeling out of place, either. Many colleges and universities are populated by people of all ages, either those seeking a degree or those returning for career-related classes. Older people are valued for the added dimension and experience they contribute to a class. 

Some universities also offer mini-classes during the interim sessions, allowing a one-week opportunity to go back to school. A large mid-western university offered this exact experience for the first time this year and was delighted with the response. More than twice as many people enrolled than they had anticipated and it was a tremendous success. The classes were led by top professors and covered a variety of topics, everything from museum studies to existentialism to ecology. Even though the days were full, there were plenty of opportunities for interaction and stimulating conversation with new people.

In addition to interim programs, retirees might choose from shorter classes throughout the year. Most universities offer courses that range from one to four class meetings and these are usually priced at less than $50.  These classes cover almost any interest:  gardening, art and crafts, genealogy, cooking, history, and foreign language.  Check your nearest university’s website and look for the Continuing Ed or Outreach link. 

Open to any age group but focusing on retirees, the Osher Foundation offers wonderful programs at a very reasonable price. This is a national foundation that facilitates quality programs at various locations including libraries, museums and even retirement communities.  Local Osher Chapters offer a great variety of topics presented by local professors, experts or practicing artists. Their programs often include choices of religious studies, the arts, history and more. They also offer day trips to local points of interest and price all these quite modestly. Offerings depend on the local chapter. It is a great beginning point.

One could, of course, enroll in credit classes. The challenge may re-ignite an old interest or point to an entirely new field. The rigor may appeal to many retirees. This time, there isn’t the pressure to finish a degree quickly and get a job so it is a much more enjoyable activity.  No need to feel intimidated, either.  Years of simply living make older students better informed and more knowledgeable than they may realize. A local university just awarded a degree to a woman in her mid-90s. 

Being involved in a college activity allows retirees to remain connected to the younger generations and the great ideas they are pursuing. An academic setting provides many opportunities to find interests and activities one may have never had the chance to pursue before and is a fine place to meet and interact with new people.

Think about it: all the passages of youth were marked by school-related steps, from kindergarten to high school graduation and beyond. School is where friendships were made, new ideas and interests were discovered and new goals were set. This time, too, it may just provide the focus and rhythm you need.