“I haven’t read a book since college.” Seven words that are enough to make you squirm when you’re passionate about self-growth, but ones that you’ve probably heard someone say before.
But, even for the most driven among us, that sentence points to one undeniable fact: it’s hard to maintain momentum when it comes to learning once you’ve graduated.
Forty-plus hour work weeks, friends and partners, side interests and hobbies—they all mean that when we start to feel that familiar ache of “I wish I had something more going on,” making time to learn a new skill or find a new passion can feel daunting, to say the least. That’s why today we’re breaking down five different ways you can continue your education, from in-person university classes to free online videos.
The Classic Method
For some of us, particularly those well-suited to academia, the easiest way to pursue education after college is probably through in-person classes. This category includes continuing education programs at nearby universities, courses from education companies, or even just enrolling in a community college or trade school for a class or two.
When it comes to the classic method, there are two types: traditional coursework (marketing, accounting, biology, etc) and creative work (creative writing, ceramics, basket weaving, etc). Typically, you’ll take the former if you’re interested in amping up your resume and the latter if you’re interested in establishing a better work-life balance or pursuing an after-hours passion.
Some of our favorites:
- General Assembly
- Open Campus at the New School
- Lillstreet Art Center
- University of Texas Extension Program
- UCLA Extension Program
The Workshop
Short classes and workshops are a great way to explore new topics when you’re just not sure what you want to learn. Many are actually free! (Usually as a way of encouraging you to sign up for longer, higher-priced classes.) They’re low risk because you’ll be committing only a short amount of time to them.
Some of our favorites:
The Conference
Similar to short classes or workshops, attending a conference on a topic or taking a weekend-long immersion course is a great way to pack a lot into a short period of time. These are also an ideal opportunity to meet more people in an industry or field and do some serious networking. A choice option when you’re interested in changing jobs or careers.
Some of our favorites:
The Online Course
Many universities now offer online courses that are specifically targeted at post-grads. Of course there’s the opportunity to go big and get a master’s degree at a university while you’re working full-time, but there are bite-sized options as well. Video-based online classes are also a much more affordable option than university-based learning. Plus they’re usually set up so that you can go at your own pace.
Some of our favorites:
The Free Videos
We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that there’s a video on pretty much everything out there, so if you’re in an “I want to do something else, but I don’t know what” phase, starting here isn’t a bad idea. This is where you can plug in “how to make macrame” long before you bulk buy jute rope on the Internet.
Some of our favorites:
