Some twenty plus years ago my twin sons, in the third grade at the time, were sitting at the kitchen table one evening doing homework. Having a question about his homework, one started to ask me for help when his brother interrupted him and said, “Don’t ask Dad; ask Mom, she is smart; she went to college.” At the time, I did not pay much attention to the comment, and I gladly took the opportunity of not having to help with homework to go back to whatever it was I was doing. Today, I would want that conversation to go a bit differently.
We are always learning something; sometimes it is so subtle that we do not recognize it, such as when we learn how to work our new smart-phone. At other times it is more noticeable or intentional, like actually …show more content…
Intentional learning has a positive impact on your mental health as well as your overall health. As I have become older, I find it easy not to engage my mind in complicated problem solving or getting into a deep debate about a controversial topic if I do not have to. However, these are the things that make us use our minds, improve our memory, and help our cognitive thinking powers. If we do not use the muscles in our body, they will become weak. The same goes for our brains, and going to college is a great way to force us to exercise our brains daily. As we age, learning new things helps us in many ways. Learning new things is mentally beneficial to us and in some cases helps to ward off depression and isolation. Some fun ways we can do this include traveling, taking a class, or engaging in a stimulating conversation with other people.
People have asked me, “Why, at nearly fifty years old would you subject yourself to the pains and rigors of going back to school?” Several reasons why I decided to return to college to finish my degree are career, business associate’s respect, and just to keep an active healthy mind. However, as of today the most important reasons are not born. Someday, I want my grandchildren to say, “Ask Grandpa, he is smart; he went to
We are always learning something; sometimes it is so subtle that we do not recognize it, such as when we learn how to work our new smart-phone. At other times it is more noticeable or intentional, like actually …show more content…
Intentional learning has a positive impact on your mental health as well as your overall health. As I have become older, I find it easy not to engage my mind in complicated problem solving or getting into a deep debate about a controversial topic if I do not have to. However, these are the things that make us use our minds, improve our memory, and help our cognitive thinking powers. If we do not use the muscles in our body, they will become weak. The same goes for our brains, and going to college is a great way to force us to exercise our brains daily. As we age, learning new things helps us in many ways. Learning new things is mentally beneficial to us and in some cases helps to ward off depression and isolation. Some fun ways we can do this include traveling, taking a class, or engaging in a stimulating conversation with other people.
People have asked me, “Why, at nearly fifty years old would you subject yourself to the pains and rigors of going back to school?” Several reasons why I decided to return to college to finish my degree are career, business associate’s respect, and just to keep an active healthy mind. However, as of today the most important reasons are not born. Someday, I want my grandchildren to say, “Ask Grandpa, he is smart; he went to