Lifelong learning can broaden your thinking and extend your professional options, even if you completed formal education many years ago. If you have a limited budget, you can still expand your knowledge and skills through community and online resources. There are so many benefits to answering ‘why you should never stop learning’.
Educational Opportunities in Your Community
1. Visit your local library. Borrowing books is a good enough reason to make a trip
to your local library, but they now offer much more. Search the downloadable
media for audiobooks and test-preparation guides for graduate school exams
and civil service tests. Browse the event calendar for free lectures and courses.
2. Give yourself a museum membership. Museum memberships are a great
bargain compared to the ticket prices for sporting events or movies. Being a
member will usually give you access to special events and classes for the whole
family.
3. Take advantage of education benefits at work. Check your employee manual
for tuition discounts and other benefits your employer may offer. Ask if you can
organise a lunchtime speaker series. Many local professionals will welcome the
opportunity to share their expertise on financial management or Italian
cuisine.
4. Do an internship. In a tough job market, internships are one way to get the
training you need to succeed. Target organisations where you can contribute while learning new skills.
5. Volunteer your services. Volunteer work goes far beyond stuffing envelopes.
Sign up to assist with a project outside your usual line of work. Most
communities have nonprofit clearinghouses with a wide variety of choices, or
contact a favourite charity you already support.
6. Let your kids instruct you. Ask your kids to teach you what they’re learning in
school. It’s a great way to help them master their coursework while you pick up
a new language or review geometry.
7. Teach a class. Try teaching a class on a subject where you have some expertise
at your local church or community centre. Preparing for classes and interacting
with students is an effective way to deepen your own knowledge.
8. Retire to a university town. University towns are becoming increasingly
attractive to those who are retiring with smaller savings than they expected. You
get access to all kinds of educational resources with a lower cost of living than
in many major cities.
9. Search for financial aid. If your goals require that you go back to school, there
are options for defraying the costs. Talk with the university you select about scholarships, loans, grants, and veteran benefits that may be available to you.
Educational Opportunities In The Digital World
1. Take free university courses. Hundreds of respected universities and colleges
offer free online courses. You can download audio and video courses from Oxford
or Ivy League schools on every subject imaginable, from poetry to physics.
2. Switch to smarter YouTube channels. Tear yourself away from the videos of
kittens petting puppies to visit organisations like the Aspen Institute that airs
nonpartisan seminars on critical world issues or the Nobel Prize, where past and
present Nobel Laureates discuss cultural and scientific advancements.
3. Turn on the subtitles. Foreign movies are a fun way to help you learn a new
language or brush up if you’re getting rusty. Use the subtitles while you watch
to learn correct pronunciation and expand your vocabulary. Some television
stations also air subtitled foreign news programs where you can learn about
world events while you improve your language skills.
Enjoy the thrills of discovery as well as the satisfaction of intellectual growth. Lifelong learning promotes greater self-worth and confidence. Age is certainly no barrier to learning new skills and is believed to help keep the brain active and healthy.
Many educational programs are free or low-cost, requiring only dedication to learn, providing endless opportunities. So get learning and enjoy!