In most places around the country it’s that time of year–time for the “spring” catalogs (ha! Jan-March isn’t quite spring) and course listings to come out for you local continuing education institutions!
Continuing Education, Adult Education, Non Credit Courses–these are all various names for the same thing. Classes offered (typically by your University or Community College) 0n a variety of interesting topics, open to the public (for a fee), that folks take for fun.
I really enjoy learning new skills, and I’ve used the continuing ed classes in my area to learn how to make soap, find out about permaculture, learn how to make pasta from scratch, learn more about photography. . . well, you get the idea.
Here are a few of the types of classes available in the catalog you see above:
Beginning Guitar– Six 1 1/2 hour group lessons for $74
Intro to Beekeeping-two 2 hour classes $39
Indian Cooking Seminar–1 evening, $8 material fee and $39 class
Blogging–2 hrs, $29 (I’m almost tempted to take that just to see what she says)
Soapmaking-3 hrs, $39 plus $35 material fee
Introduction to Watercolors–Six 1 1/2 hour lessons, $99
There are plenty more–Homebuyers workshops, meditation, various cooking, crafts, skills & music. Computers and business. Hiking and fly fishing.
I think that learning new skills not only keeps your mind sharp, but it can be both entertainment and life enriching. Look at the skills I’ve added to my life already–soapmaking, pasta making, photography, gardening. All of these things help me on my journey to save money in the long run and to be more self sufficient and live a more sustainable lifestyle. Even my plans for this year (playing the guitar) should bring me enjoyment and help me to entertain my family sitting around a campfire singing and such. Fun. Useful.
So why not take a look at the classes near you and consider learning something new this spring?! If you don’t know where to look, try Googling the name of you closest city/large town with the words “continuing education” “adult education” or “non credit classes” –I bet you will come up with something!
You live in a wonderful place! Just checked locally for me… only a couple of one night cooking courses and another one night public speaking course. Pooey. Thank goodness for the internet to learn new things.
Sometimes parks and recreation departments have classes, too. I just picked up a brochure at one of our parks today. They offer lessons in things like cross-country skiing (it has become obvious that we need this one, after our attempts today), as well as nature classes, and knitting/fiber arts.
You are so right! I have signed up for a beginning harp course ( a good idea to try playing before buying an expensive instrument), a one day jewelry workshop that will let me try metalworking( a skill I may want to incorporate in my reportorie of jewelry creative efforts) and a class on taking free vacations ( who doesn’t like ‘free’ when on a fixed or reduced income!).