Retired? Why not be inspired …
From new hobbies and holidays to projects around the house, there are numerous ways to keep yourself busy during retirement.
If you are looking for something that will stretch your mind further than the odd crossword puzzle, why not consider a university degree? Retirement could be the perfect moment to immerse yourself in those subjects that have always interested you, but have never had the time to dedicate to before.
If the thought of studying alongside youngsters who might be nearer in age to your grandchildren than to you is not appealing, you could think about Birkbeck, University of London, which delivers its degree teaching in the evenings. Students have a broad range of ages and backgrounds, bringing different life experiences to the classroom. You can find out about the range of qualifications that Birkbeck offers, from Certificates of Higher Education through to postgraduate degrees, at their open evenings on 6 September, 4pm-7:30pm, at the Royal National Hotel, Bedford Way, London WC1H 0DG or on 20 September, 4pm-7:30pm, at the Old Town Hall, Stratford, E15. Academics and advisers will be on hand to help students choose the right course, and explain tuition fees and student loans (but it may not cost you anything, see below). You can also talk to former Birkbeck students about their experiences.
When she retired, Annabel Hennessy wanted “stimulation not stagnation”, so she enrolled on a BA English at Birkbeck. She says: “I was really attracted to studying with a group of people who were working or had been working, like me. I didn’t want to start again with a class of teenagers and to be the only mature student. At Birkbeck the variety of the students’ backgrounds adds considerably to the value of the course.”
She continues: “Birkbeck is a very friendly place. From start to finish, everyone was very supportive. This was a stimulating and nurturing environment. Everyone was encouraged to participate and everyone’s opinions were respected.”
Birkbeck’s undergraduate degree programmes can be completed over three, four or six years and if this is the first time you are studying at university and you are a UK/EU citizen then you will be able to take out a government loan to cover the cost of all your fees. The loan will only have to be paid back 4.5 years after you start your course and only if your personal income (including pension) is over £21,000. If your income is lower than that then you won’t have to repay the loan at all. The loan repayments are only calculated on your own income, not that of your spouse or partner. You stop owing when you’ve cleared the debt or when 30 years have passed, and the debt won’t be passed onto another family member in the event of your death.
Gerald Nathanson, 78, who has just completed a BA History, says: “I’d always liked history, and read lots of history books, but I’d never studied it academically. I didn’t know what a bibliography or historiography was, or how to contextualise – it was a foreign field to me. Throughout the course all of the tutors were wonderful. They wanted to help you, and they really did help me.
Gerald continues: “I’ve dedicated four years to doing this, but I felt so privileged to be able to do it. I’ve lived the whole College experience. From the moment I walked through the College doors, I was smiling, and people smiled back. The tutors, the IT staff, the librarians, the porters, the canteen staff – I really felt like they were all supporting me and it gave me such a lift.”
Gerald recalls the day he found out that he’d passed his degree. He says: “I couldn’t believe that I’d fulfilled a lifelong ambition. I still can’t believe it. Very few people can truly say that they’ve made their dream come true, but that’s what’s happened to me.”
GERALD NATHANSON
To book a place at Birkbeck’s open evenings on 6 September in central London, or 20 September in Stratford, east London visit www.bbk.ac.uk/openeve
Are you inspired to go to University or study for a degree?
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