Studying is an aspirational life choice

THE concept of equating a new year with a ‘new you’ might seem a tad jaded as we continue to face-down the mid-January blues. But one aspect of life that is always responsive to new challenges is the domain of education. All too often at the start of a new year the emphasis is on transforming and reshaping the physical and aesthetic contours of our lives, which is all well and good except there’s also the inner self to consider.

A new year offers a chance to embark on an educational journey and the opportunity to enhance self-development, confidence, and even job prospects. All too often the thought of pursuing a course of study is beset with self-doubt and procrastination. However, knowing you (and you alone) are the only one capable of breaking down those mental obstacles in the way of educational discovery is reason enough to make 2018 the year you finally get started on a course of study.

Once upon a time the concept of ‘learning’ was purely a functional one aimed at establishing specific outcomes surrounding employment. This is still the case, except education is now part of a much wider network of discovery. In short: there are now as many people pursuing educational courses for self-development, recreation, hobbies and mindfulness than there are studying solely to increase their chances of securing employment. This is a much truer reflection of how we, as a society, should view education – functional and aspirational. It’s time to enrol.