My return to school

[vickko]

I attended my first day of class yesterday, after 26 years.

It was wonderful.

I meet another young lady who was doing the same. She helped me find a building; she never finished her degree 20 years ago, and is returning to finish it this time. Glad to see that I'm not the only oldster on campus.

But the best was to see "the kids" - all so young, all so full of dreams, all so alive.

...Vick

[Walt34]

DW has experienced the same. She will finish her BA next May, and has already picked out the huge frame for the diploma.

[Donzo]

Good for you! I have been considering going to our local community college and take some courses. My BS degree was biochemistry - I would like to take some finance, anthropology, American literature and psychology....and this time not worry about the grade!
One problem - my 17 yo daughter is going to this CC and suprisingly is not excited at the thought of bumping in to Dad on campus

[DangerMouse]

What are you studying? It is good to hear that the other lady was going back to finish.

I did not finish my degree until my late 30s and it was one of the best things I ever did.

[vickko]

1. Intensive Chinese (Mandarin). Had the first class today; will have exams, homework, the whole nine yards. Teacher is very enthusiastic; should be fun. Ni Hao !!!

2. Cosmology (4th yr physics), as an audit course. Did the basic math and physics 28 years ago; would be fatal if I tried it today, so by auditing the course, I will be spared the humiliation of failing.

...Vick

[friar1610]

I'm past the point of wanting to take real college courses. But I've been attending a program called "Elder Education Enrichment" for a year or so now. (I call it "old farts school"). It's a one hour lecture on Monday and Friday afternoons, generally taught by a college professor. They break them down into series of anywhere from 3 - 6 weeks with a common theme (food, Islam, the former Soviet Republics, the Medieval Era, etc.). Some series have the same lecturer for the whole time; others have a different lecturer each week, but sticking to the common theme. They charge $5 a lecture or $40 for the whole "term". You get to hear some great lectures and engage in a really good Q&A afterwards. No homework; no term papers; no attendance taken.

Many of the college profs have commented that they love doing these lectures because everyone is attentive, they don't wear backwards baseball hats and they ask really good questions.