More and more colleges are making an effort to connect with local residents, offering courses tailored to the working adults in the community. And while many college continuing education programs have a definitely pragmatic, career-oriented slant, occasionally one finds a few unusual offerings among the standard college fare.
Of course business-related computer courses-Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and so on-are ubiquitous, as are the standard business classes like accounting, personnel management, and the like. But how about taking a class on the basics of gardening? Or a Reiki or massage class? Classes that might have popped up in the local high school continuing ed listings are finding their way to college lifelong learning programs more and more.
Do you want to learn how to manage your finances better? How about starting your own business? Many college community education programs are offering classes like these, both at the college campus and online. Noncredit courses augment the traditional for-credit, career-based offerings, broadening the opportunities tremendously.
So the next time you're hankering for a little education but you're craving something a little different, don't forget to check out the lifelong learning offerings at your local college. You might be surprised.
T'ai chi, anyone?Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern New Hampshire. She has written numerous articles for local and regional newspapers and for a number of Internet websites, including Tips and Topics. She expresses her opinions periodically on her blog, http://beyondagendas.blogspot.com.