You’re Going to Be Older Anyway… So Go Ahead and Get That College Degree

by Kimberly Gallagher Craving change, but think you’re too old to go back to school?  Pshaw!  Based on today’s medical projections, average Baby Boomers will live into their seventies and beyond. So if you’re 55 you likely have two to four decades to do something more satisfying than what you do now. Instead of dwelling on how old you’ll be when you get your degree, realize… you’ll be that age anyway. Why not reach that birthday with the degree you want? The reasons for returning to school are many, from boredom, fear of job loss, desire for a promotion that requires a degree, you name it.  These reasons could explain why a Census Bureau survey shows that among groups entering college, the biggest percentage of increase is in students over 30.   In other words… you will not be alone. Don’t worry about feeling rusty compared to some of your fellow students who may be much younger. They do have some advantages, but you have others, like life and work experience. Tips To Help You Master the World of Homework ―First, get and maintain an assignment calendar. ―Don’t get behind, not even a little.   You may have been able to pull all-nighters when you were a teenager. But that isn’t smart at any age if your goal is to learn rather than just get a grade. Learn as you go because the test will be here before you know it, and of course, life doesn’t wait for your tests or term papers. ―Break large projects into small bites.  You can do anything if you break it down.  And the bigger the project, the earlier you need to start. ―If you have trouble concentrating on your assignments, do what one busy re-entry student did. When she couldn’t concentrate on her reading assignments, she started keeping a paper and pen by her side.  Whenever a thought would distract her, she’d write it down briefly (“buy milk,” “pay electric bill”) and return to reading. The simple act of recording it banished the worry from her mind and she was able to concentrate. ― Figure out what your best method of learning is.  Is it listening?   Reading? Some other method? Once you figure it out, don’t fight it.   Go with your strength and you’ll find new ways to learn. If you learn by hearing, tape everything. This is especially helpful if your life includes a long commute.  One student who learned by listening had the misfortune to come down with the flu just before finals. Before taking to her bed, she made herself read the test materials into a tape recorder so she could listen over and over from the comfort of her bed.  She passed with high grades. Another student learned by reading.  Her long commute to school was punctuated with stops for road construction.  She used 5”x7” index cards to write key concepts in large letters for quick reading during stops.  She also taped cards on her kitchen walls and studied while she washed dishes and cooked. ―Are you stumped by computer technology? Many schools have free orientation workshops or offer help from the library personnel.  The software program itself may have a tutorial within it under the “help” section.   Or go to a search engine and type in the name of the program and “tutorial” (as in “Excel tutorial”). Also, Video Professor offers tutorials that you can buy to learn many software programs. Video Professor If all else fails, humble yourself and ask your kids or grandkids for help. Comments (0) >> Write comment Name Email Website Title Comment Write the displayed characters Add Comment

 

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