Education does not have to stop after graduating from college. You can still go back to college and study whatever you want to learn and master if you want. But if you do not have means and much spare time to enroll to a university, you can still continue learning after college and find education all around you. The good news is, sometimes it is FREE.
“Intellectual growth should commence at birth and only cease at death” – Albert Einstein
There are a lot of continuing education programs available online where you don’t have to go and sit on-site. You can also choose when to study on your own preferred time.
1. Take online courses.
All you have to do is sign up for an online course to any program that you are interested in to develop your skills. The best thing about this is that most of the online courses are completely FREE and that there are plenty of online learning platforms to choose from.
2. Join book clubs.
Motivate yourself back to reading books by joining a book club. You will also have a chance to discuss with your club members about your thoughts and what you have learned after you have finished reading the book.
3. Attend lectures and readings.
Some museums and bookstores host readings and invites speakers or authors to discuss their books. If you have a favorite speaker or artist, you may visit their websites and social media pages to check for their upcoming lectures or conferences so you can attend on the event.
4. Watch webinars and other educational videos
Watching webinars and other educational videos, such as TED talks which offers 18-minute or less powerful talks and covers almost all topics: science, business, global issues, and more.
5. Go on a field trip.
Who said field trips are exclusive for the kids? Field trips are fun yet educational if you choose the right place. You can tour a museum, aquarium, or any historical landmark in your area. This activity encourages you to learn new about your surroundings, including the culture and heritage. You can even invite some of your friends to learn together and have a fun activity.
6. Learn a foreign language.
One of the best ways to continue learning after college is picking up a new language to learn. Immersing oneself with a new language expands your vocabulary and opens up lots of opportunities in your social life and career. Learning a foreign language sharpens your mind and improves memory.
The good news is that you can learn a new language at the comfort of your home and your own pace with Skill Success. You can browse through here for the vast array of language courses you can choose from.
7. Learn to play an instrument.
If you have yet to play a musical instrument, you’re never late to start learning it. Studies suggest that playing an instrument is good for your memory and sharpens your mind. It is also an excellent activity to relieve the stress you’re enduring.
There are many avenues to learn how to play a musical instrument like guitar, ukulele, piano, etc. You can install an app or take online courses from Skill Success.
8. Practice reading articles in your free time.
Rather than spending your free time scrolling down your socials, why not use this time to read more educational pieces? Reading factual articles helps you stay updated with the latest events. It improves your memory, focus, and writing skills—which all contribute to writing better.
There are many pieces of literature you can read to stay informed. You can read blog articles, magazines, news, and more to keep the information flowing.
9. Listen to podcasts.
If you want experts as your source in any niche you prefer, podcasts are the way to go. Podcasts consist of varying topics from anything under the sun. From career development, philosophy, adulating, to religion—you’ll surely find something that fits your fancy.
Why is continuous learning important?
Challenging yourself with new skills and knowledge will not only make you mind sharp, and enrich your life, but you can use what you have learned to enhance and be advanced in your career.
Here are some reasons why you should not stop learning:
1. Higher pay
Most employers offer bonuses and higher pay brackets to their employees who are continuing their education while they are still working for their company.
2. Upgrade your skills
It is important that you learn new skills of what is in demand in your line of industry to help you broaden your career opportunities.
3. Helps you with your career change
If you do not want to settle on a job that you don’t like, you need to find or move into a new career. Learning new skills that you can use on your next career will help you be prepared to take on new tasks and responsibilities.
4. Keeps resume up to date
You will be more employable if the skills in your resume are relevant and current to the industry you are in.
5. Learn practical life skills
Life skills are just as necessary as your professional knowledge. When you strive to continue learning after college, you also enhance some life skills that make you street-smart. After all, not everything in life is learned through books—you experience them yourself and get guidance from sources other than the school.
Some of the life skills you can learn include personal finance management, tax declaration, job interview skills, job appraisal, and more.
6. Improves your health generally
You may not realize it, but learning keeps you healthy in many aspects, including mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. This is because the more knowledge you hold, the more you understand the world better. Your familiarity makes you act accordingly, which results in a better you.
Say you have learned more about the benefits of Vitamin C in your diet. Knowing this, you are now more inclined to add this to your daily food intake because you want to reap the same benefits you learned.
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7. Sets good examples to others
Although it’s not your responsibility to motivate others, your effort to improve yourself inspires them. It resonates with them that they, too, should make a move and keep learning. Some people won’t tell you directly, but some people aspire to have the same drive as you.
8. Defines what you want to do
Most of the time, you still don’t know what you truly want to do after college. You may only realize this after you got out of college. And a considerable contributor to knowing what you want is what your current interests are. Your interests and recent engagements influence your life trajectory.
9. Helps you identify where you’re good at
When you keep exploring things outside your comfort zone, you get to know yourself better. You may not realize your talent in painting until you gave it a try. The possibilities are endless until you try them out and see for yourself. And you can only unravel these discoveries when you keep on learning new things.
10. Builds character and develops your strengths
Knowledge solidifies your self-esteem. You become more confident as you keep on acquiring new skills, knowledge, and expertise. It helps you build up your character and realize the strengths you never knew were there.
11. Gives you a sense of fulfillment
Learning provides you a sense of fulfillment. While you may not relish every moment of it, you can’t deny the fact that having more knowledge strengthens you as a person and a professional. Having the right knowledge keeps you on the right track in anything you may want to pursue.
12. Keeps you productive
If you like being productive, then learning won’t be a responsibility at all. Learning will never bore you; instead, it will become a habit that’s second-nature to you.
13. Improves your brain—literally
Learning is a form of brain exercise. It helps you prevent developing brain-related concerns like Alzheimer’s disease in the long run. So learning isn’t just healthy for your mind, but also for your brain.
If you are returning to school, it is important that you understand the real reason why you want to go back to studying and plan what additional education you want to take and if it would be relevant to your career path. By doing this, you would feel more satisfied after you finished your additional education.
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