Thursday, January 9, 2014

Learning after College

2014 is my first full year without school.  No classes to attend, papers to write, or test to study for.  However, that does not mean I should stop learning.  In post-grad life, responsibilities can overshadow our goals and new year resolutions.  Here are a few suggestions for continuing your education during your daily routine.

1. Pick Up a Book

One of my favorite bedtime activities is reading.  Now that I am out of college, it is tempting to pick up fictional novels that are easy to read and help me escape to magical worlds.  While there is nothing wrong with reading these types of books, try to mix it up by borrowing a few biographies or other non-fiction publications.  Here are a few popular reads on Good Reads right now:

       
Night                A Walk in the Woods                Blink
 
2. Watch Documentaries

We all love to plop down in front of our televisions after a long and stressful day at work.  It can be relaxing to laugh at sitcoms and munch on potato chips just like when we were in college.  However, our metabolisms have begun to slow and our brains are craving more substance than How I Met Your Mother.  Rotten Tomatoes recently released a list of the Top 100 Documentary Films and here are three on my watch list. 

     
                              The Invisible War       God Loves Uganda            Waste Land
 
3. Read Online News Articles

There are multiple ways to find news articles online including scrolling through the Google News feed, receiving CNN.com emails, and visiting The New York Times webpage.  Even if you only read one article a day, keeping abreast of current events will help you to cast educated votes, discuss important topics with future employers, and make decisions such as when to buy stock or where to buy produce. 

4. Talk to Older Individuals

Never underestimate the important of learning history through eye witness accounts.  Grandparents, parents, neighbors, or even strangers in the library can tell you stories that will knock your socks off.  For example, my own mother was present at Stevie Wonder's first concert.  You never know what you could learn so do not be afraid to ask questions!