The Hub September 2016 | Page 29

worried, make your first course an Introduction to the Internet offered by many community centres. A good solid support network is crucial. Be open with your family about what you’re doing, and why, and ask for their help. If you’re juggling kids, work, home life and school all at the same time, you’re going to need a few solid cheerleaders to help you out. Practical challenges aside, I found, as I moved from my twenties into my thirties, that a flexible attitude towards my often-younger classmates became a significant goal. When you’re 35, paying a mortgage and volunteering for your kids’ school, impatience with students living the dorm life or driving mom’s car can flare quickly. However, with a changed attitude, I learned to appreciate my classmates’ youthful energy, detach from the ones who were apathetic about their studies and mind my own business when it came to their weekend antics. In the long run, I learned as much from those young people as I did my professors. And there’s the biggest reward to continuing to pursue education in various forms - you often learn way more than you bargained for. Looking to Learn? These links might help! St. Clair College Canterbury Eldercollege University of Windsor Life After Fifty City of Windsor Lifelong Learning Women’s Enterprise Skills Training CompuCampus Athabasca University