by Melinda Barr

Created on: January 06, 2010

At a time when most people my age are contemplating the freedom fifty-five dream, I am embarking on my final year in school in pursuit of the degree that has eluded me all of my life.  

With the economic downturn we are experiencing, layoffs and cutbacks have made my position redundant in the small community I now call home. My journey thus far has been difficult at best, demeaning at times, with some very scary moments added into the mix. It has also been the most exhilarating experience of my life.

The fact that age is a state of mind is not just a euphemism; it is a true fact of life for me. Am I delusional? Perhaps many would see me that way. After all, why pursue a degree now when I am nearing retirement age faster than the speed of light?

It is not an easy feat to return to school in your fifties, and I only chuckle at those youngsters in their thirties that ponder about being too old to go back to school. When, indeed, are you “too old” to return to school? Unless you have your funeral planned in the next few months, you still have time to complete at least one semester, do you not?

It is a fact that people are living longer lives than ever before. The reasons and statistics for this fact are fodder for a different article altogether, so let’s just accept that concept for now. In addition, with the decline of the economy and the shrinking of our investment portfolios, many of us are accepting we need to work beyond our originally planned retirement age. My theory is that if you have to work, let that work be something you enjoy and something that feeds your self-fulfillment and self-esteem goals.

Going back to school is not always an easy prospect. However, working at a dead-end job is also not a particular dream of mine. Would it be better to suffer an unrewarding job than to attempt to reach your personal goals or dreams? If being forced to work a decade or so beyond what you had originally planned, should you at least strive for the career that boosts your ego, your earning power and satisfies your desires?

Returning to school is a decision more and more people are struggling with.  A career change can be a daunting process to be sure, but one that comes with a very high payoff indeed.

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