Want to feel happier and a bit less (ho-hum) bored? Sign up for a single college class. There is something about going back to school again that puts people directly in touch with their childhood. Maybe it is the physical aspect of sitting at a desk and listening to an instructor speak, while simultaneously trying to take notes and pay close attention. Or perhaps it is an expression of freedom kicking into the psyche, for this type of learning is a chosen activity, as in: something not forced upon the brain. In any case, senior citizens who take the plunge and return to school, even for a single, non-credit bearing class, are coming out the door happier for the experience.
Take Jane Corruth, for example, who always enjoyed writing children’s stories. Now that she is a grandmother, she has found more free time to perfect her craft, and she recently attended The Villages Lifelong Learning College class, “Advanced Writing for Children,” taught by Dr. Brenda Weaver, to upgrade her knowledge.
“I hope to get the ability to write with the words that will entice people to read,” said Jane. “I’ve written for pre-school children and I enjoy the younger ones. I’d like to complete a chapter book.”
Writing for young children is an extremely competitive challenge, and something that takes practice, since there are so many different aspects of children’s writing that can be improved upon. Dr. Weaver encouraged students to face this challenge, and offered them some ideas to simplify their effort.
“One thing you can do to get your juices flowing is to take a mundane action and see if you can choose the right language to make it come alive,” she said. She later gave them a handout explaining some of the literary techniques, such as alliteration, hyperbole, and onomatopoeia that good children’s authors often use to ramp up the child’s interest in their passages.
Adult classes can be taken without fear of tests or credits attached.
Other senior class offerings fall into the purely-for-fun category, smacking of creative indulgence. In one Florida senior community, the enrichment classes are more artistic and creative offerings, learning that is intended to be as fun as it is informative. Most are held for limited times, like six or eight weeks in duration throughout the year for an affordable fee. Who wouldn’t want to try a class entitled, “Bark Like a Dog, Cluck Like a Chicken (or What is Hypnosis Anyway?)" or “Acrylic Painting for Beginners?"
Retirement should include some time to dabble in the pursuit of happiness.
Happy people tend to keep the mind active and the body physically fit. As Franklin Roosevelt once said, “Happiness is in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.” Going back to college is one way to bridge the gap.
Sources:
- College, The Villages Lifelong Learning, Winter/Spring Course Catalog, 2011.
- National Pen Company, Personal Motivational Planner, Shelbyville, TN, 2008.
- Weaver, Dr. Brenda M., Ph.D., Advanced Writing for Children, The Villages Charter Campus, The Villages, FL., 3/21/11.
- Carruth, Jane, student, Advanced Writing for Children, The Villages, FL., 2/28/2011.
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