Lifelong Learning

I had drinks tonight with one of my friends who has gone back to school this year to study environmental science. I'm always so impressed by people who continue to pursue their dreams throughout their lives.

We talked a lot about how different it is going to school as a “mature” student. (I did my MBA part-time a decade after I'd graduated the first time.) Our life experiences really change the attitude we bring to any new studies we undertake.

For example, my friend is taking an introductory biology course as a foundation for her program. When I started university, I was studying life sciences, and I found biology labs really boring—I could never figure out what was so exciting about all the cell activity going on under the microscope. But now I think I would be fascinated by it, partly because of the work I'm doing with squirrels with the Wildlife Center and what I'm learning about the various illnesses they suffer from. It would be really cool to see what's actually going on in their little bodies!

I'd also love to hear about any educational adventures you've embraced, perhaps a little later in life. What made you decide to go back to school? What did you like about it this time around, and what was still annoying? Do you have any plans to do any further studies, either for career purposes or simply personal interest?

Blog of the Day

If learning more about writing is one of your dreams, check out The Renegade Writer blog, which is run by two very successful freelancers: Diana Burrell and Linda Formichelli. Not only have they written two excellent books on the business of writing—The Renegade Writer and The Renegade Writer's Query Letters that Rocked—they also offer several e-courses there as well, including magazine writing basics, food writing, and travel writing.