Education For Freedom

Returning to learning later in life…

This oft used English idiom never made much sense to me, partly because I’m fortunate to know people who continue to evolve, seeking out new challenges no matter their age, and partly because it implies things stay the same. Yet, as I age, I feel increasingly confident that change is the only constant! So as a decidedly mid-life (or perhaps late-mid-life) human, it seemed entirely possible to undertake a master’s in psychology! So, what have I learned following my return to education; is it possible for an ‘old dog’ to learn ‘new tricks’?

I’ve learned that effective communication with your tutor is key and that building a relationship before the pressure hits and deadlines loom is vital. I’ve learned to share when things are difficult and have accepted it’s not possible to do everything. However, a supportive tutor, who understands your context, can make the journey much smoother. I’ve also found that learning new skills, such as analysing statistics with SPSS, getting to grips with NVivo, or simply navigating the learning platform, is stimulating in the way many new experiences are. It’s liberating being a novice and the mindset this promotes is enlivening and refreshing. Despite your years of experience you get to start again, but without expectations, and this freedom allows you to work from a place of curiosity. This is not only motivating but helps you to shift perspective and see things with fresh eyes – making you feel a bit more like a ‘young dog’ again!