Summer is over and kids are back in school. Next week, I will be back in school as well and so will a number of my friends. I love seeing that! It’s never too late to start or go back to school.
There are many reasons to pursue additional education, including, of course, the potential for a better paying job. It’s not the only reason, however. Life-long learning is good for your pocketbook, but it’s also good for your social, emotional and physical health.
Dallin Oaks, a former Utah Supreme Court justice and leader in the LDS church tweeted Tuesday “Seek learning for the sake of learning. Pursue learning for the purpose of understanding the major issues of the day.”
Life-long learning can take many forms - read a book, take a class at a community center, use Khan Academy to take a large variety of online classes for free, ask an expert to teach or mentor you, pursue a formal degree or a wide variety of other options.
For those who are pursuing degrees as “non-traditional” students, I have some tips from having jumped back into formal schooling three years ago after a 30-year break.
First, let me be the first to be a cheerleader for you. You can do it! You will find that your life experience will serve you well as you work on your formal education, whether that is an undergraduate degree or an advanced degree. Go, you!
Next, be prepared for a learning curve when getting back into school mode. I completely missed more than one assignment because I forgot to check the syllabus online. Oops.
Give yourself permission to start slowly. Adding one more thing to an already busy schedule usually takes a bit of getting used to. Taking one or two classes at first can help ease that transition, plus you can try out different types of classes if you haven’t chosen a major. (It’s pretty likely that what you were interested in right out of high school has changed now that you have some life experience under your belt.)
Pick your school wisely – consider what budget your family can afford, whether it makes sense for you to take out student loans and whether you can take classes online or must attend in person.
Prepare for sticker shock when you go to buy textbooks. I recommend that you strongly consider renting them. Most of them you will not need after graduation and you will save a lot by renting. Check out Chegg.com or Amazon for textbook rentals.
Strongly consider online classes. While not for everyone, online classes can be a great option. You can choose the best time of day to work on your classes and fit them in around the other things in your schedule. All you need is a computer and an Internet connection. And just as an aside — if you tried online classes a decade ago and were not impressed, rest assured that vast improvements have been made.
Create and stick to a regular school schedule. School work will now become part of your regular routine, along with the many other things in your schedule. If your assignment is due on Wednesday night at midnight, don’t wait until Wednesday night at 10 pm to start working on it! (Trust me on this one.) Also make sure that every assignment, big or small, makes it onto your calendar.
Make a study area in your home and work there consistently. Keep your books, your computer and other necessary school supplies within easy reach. Remove distractions as much as possible. Shut off your social media while you’re doing school work. It’s way too easy to go down the Facebook rabbit hole.
Enroll your family and friends in your education. Don’t be shy in asking for support. Having a support team can make a huge difference in your success. I am lucky enough to have a husband who is my biggest cheerleader. My kids are a close second — they think it’s great that mom has homework or has to study for a test, just like they do. We cheer each other on.
So, if back-to-school finds you back in school, yay you! Here’s to a great year.
Holly Richardson will be back in school next week. Her kids want her to take a picture holding a sign saying “18th grade.” She might just do that.