It’s not your first time ’round the playground, but it’s been a while.
It’s been so long that no one had an iPad in their backpack. In fact, no one had a backpack. Trapper Keeper, anyone? Or a schoolbag?
Regardless of your school supplies or recess remembrances, going back to school has its share of anxieties. No matter what the age.
With nearly every college, university, trade school and community center offering some kind of “lifelong learning” opportunities (classes for seniors), how about a little back-to-school advice/pep talk for advanced students?
Susan Anderson-Benson, program manager at the Selim Center at St. Thomas University, offered seven tips for back-to-school for older students. (Selim is a lifelong learning program for ages 40-plus, but it also has classes and programs for all ages, Anderson-Benson said.)
- Be open to the adventure of taking a class.
- Try something new — a new skill or a new subject area.
- Try something you don’t think you’d be interested in.
- Don’t be afraid to go solo. Perhaps your spouse has died or you’re not used to doing things on your own. “You’ll meet new people, if that’s what you want to get out of it,” Anderson-Benson said.
- On the flipside, go with a friend. A child, a neighbor, a spouse. “It can be fun to have a buddy in class,” she said.
- Don’t let age deter you. Selim has students as old as 99, Anderson-Benson said.
- Don’t be shy on a college campus. “You gotta be bold. You’ve got to get out there.” Students are usually friendly, Anderson-Benson said.
Selim offers a changing schedule of classes in music, history, literature and more, as well as lectures and events. For more information, go to stthomas.edu/selimcenter or call 651-962-5188.
At the University of Minnesota, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute offers classes, social activities, travel opportunities and more. For info: 612-624-7847 or olli.umn.edu.
For more information on lifelong learning programs in Minnesota and throughout the U.S., check out roadscholar.org/about/lifelong-learning-institutes/.