Returning to study after a while may seem impossible, but it is not so difficult nor does it require so much sacrifice. Unfinished business or future plans
It may be because we left before finishing and did not obtain our
eTitle university degree, because we did not study what we wanted, but what we were forced to do, or it may be because returning to study will allow us to aim for a better position or get the desired job. The truth is that the reasons don't matter because resuming studies is always a good idea. If the first time we studied, classes seemed like a torture and exams were unbearable, we will see that things have improved a lot. We are not saying that everything is perfect, as exams are still quite unbearable, but now classes are much more bearable and even fun. Learning new things, attending classes or conferences, reading authors we did not know or delving into topics that interest us becomes something exciting from which, as adults with a clear goal, we extract much more substance and enjoy much more than when studying was more of an imposition than a choice.
Balancing
When we return to study, it is for a reason, but it is normal that we can no longer do nothing else. Time has passed and we have other obligations and priorities. Sometimes we endure an absorbing job or several, sometimes there are family burdens... The fear of not being able to juggle everything, of becoming overwhelmed, of giving up, can make us hesitate, but if we decide to return to study (that is undoubtedly the most difficult step in which we will have to overcome all our fears and our tendency to stay as we are just in case), we will see that it is not as complicated or as hard as we remember; that degrees are quite affordable and that with some small modifications in our routine we will have time for everything.
How to learn to study again?
One of the handicaps we may encounter when returning to study after a long break is having forgotten how to study (or believing that we have forgotten), and while young people have all their techniques fresh (and their brains), older people find themselves with a slightly diminished capacity to memorize and a slight lack of resources when it comes to hitting the books. Knowing that this situation can occur should lead us not to throw in the towel; fear will be overcome as soon as we see the good results of the first exams. What we have to do is make up for the lack of habit with interest, participation in class, taking good
notes, reviewing a little every day, and applying the most useful study techniques for each one. And how do we know which ones they are? Well, by following our blog to receive weekly tips to make studying something simple and efficient and by trying to see which ones we learn best with. The main thing is that we find the time to attend class and another time to study, but if we cannot do it daily, at least we should dedicate more hours on weekends and, unless we have enrolled in a very difficult degree, by going to class and reviewing three hours a week, we will pass everything with good grades.
Everything is more valuable
If we have decided to return to study, it is because we have a clear goal. That is why we are going to see learning as a gain, whether it be knowledge or adding value to our resume and thus aiming for a better position or, most likely, both. The mindset is different now, and these goals will serve as motivation for us to be able to summon the necessary energy to balance our lives with studies. In addition, returning to study has very useful advantages that will also make things easier for us, such as greater general culture, more mental maturity, life and work experience, and, above all, calm hormones. Soon we will see that studying is an exciting and enjoyable activity, that the pleasure of learning new things or seeing that we work to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves will make us much more focused than the first time and that we will feel very fulfilled. We must understand that when we return to study after a long time without doing so, the biggest problem we will encounter is ourselves and our
fear of failure, but if we overcome that, we will not find any insurmountable difficulties along the way.
