The Benefits of Attending College in Your Senior Years
Is it worthwhile to to go back to school after retirement? After all, retirement is a time of opportunity, a milestone that comes with the right to reinvent your life. Certainly, some individuals favor travel or spending more time with their grandkids. However, don’t discount the incredible benefits of going back to school. Read on to learn why you should consider attending a university in your senior years.
Good for your brain
Cognitive decline in older adults has been the subject of considerable study. Time and again, research points to the importance of using your brain to keep learning in your later years. It has been proven that senior citizens who make an effort to keep their minds active by learning new skills and expanding their knowledge are considerably more likely to avoid dementia and a host of other diseases. Staying curious and engaged with the world around you is key to remaining mentally sharp and feeling younger as you age.
Combats loneliness
Retiring from a lengthy career can lead to loneliness. Gone is the daily rhythm of going to the office and working closely with colleagues. Enrolling in a university can open up a whole new world of friendships and networking opportunities. With students of all ages arriving from different communities, there’s no shortage of people to meet. You’ll find faculty and professors welcoming and eager to answer your questions and orient you to the environment. With the range of courses and activities open to you, you’ll very quickly feel that you belong.
Gives you a purpose
If you’re searching for more meaning in your life as an older adult, heading back to school can give you that. When you’ve raised your family and wound down your career, it can sometimes feel like your life doesn’t have enough of a purpose. Taking a university program is a worthy pursuit that can make you feel valued again. While you’re submerging yourself in the experience of higher learning and absorbing all you can, you’ll discover you have as much to offer as you are given.
Broadens your perspective
With the learning you’ll be undertaking and the number of individuals you’ll meet from various backgrounds, going to a postsecondary school can’t help but broaden your perspective. College is a time to interact with a wide variety of people. You’ll be collaborating on joint projects with fellow students, learning from professors, listening to lectures from visiting experts, reading a range of interesting material, and studying different subjects. The result is that you’ll start to appreciate that individuals have distinct life experiences that shape their outlook. In turn, you’ll understand why people think differently and maybe change your own perspective on a few matters.
Builds new skills
There’s no question that going to a university as a senior leads to building new skills. After years in the same profession or working in the same industry, you’re bound to have developed a solid level of expertise in this area. College is your chance to learn about something else. Maybe you’ve always wanted to study social work or gourmet cooking, but have become caught up in your chosen career. This is the time to forge a new path forward with a skillset that interests you. With your expertise in gourmet cooking, for example, you might decide to open up a catering business or you could be happy simply entertaining your friends with delicious meals.
Doesn’t cost much
A real plus to attending college as an older person is that it won’t break the bank. You may remember the financial stress of putting yourself through school as a young adult. Well, many seniors find it quite affordable at this time in their lives. Start by checking out any free or cheap courses you can locate. Throughout the country, there are hundreds of postsecondary institutions that provide programs for seniors at a reduced rate. Note the definition of senior; some consider you in this category as young as 55. Although paying students may be given first priority, it’s still possible to enroll in the courses of your choice for free or at a nominal cost.
Increased longevity
Do you want to know one of the very best reasons for going to a university in your later years? Getting a college degree has been shown to actually increase your lifespan. In fact, statistics show that people who complete an undergraduate degree generally live between 8 and 12 years longer than those who don’t.
In closing
Attending college as a senior is good for your brain, reduces loneliness, broadens your perspective, gives you a purpose, helps to build new skills, is affordable, and increases your longevity. Any one of these is an excellent reason to head back to the classroom.
