(school) Happy New Year
With my daughter all grown up and now two Summers out of education, September should no longer have that new-pencil-case feeling… But it still does. I always think of this time of year as the Women’s New Year. The first of January may be technically the date the calendar flips over, but early Autumn – with its crisp, misty mornings and the comfort of proper shoes, not sweaty sandals, and a nice tailored wool jacket instead of wrinkled linen – seems so much more full of promise.
Autumn is my favourite season – a time for signing up for new evening classes, developing new interests, and feasting on nature’s bounty of apples, plums and blackberries. And there’s plenty to whet your appetite in this issue, from picking up unexpected new skills in our special Curiosity Shop feature, to being inspired by three well-known faces to find your midlife mojo, as well as breathing new life into your home and your wardrobe, guided by our Good Housekeeping experts.
Last September, I resumed my academic education after a gap of – ahem – quite a few years by signing up for a Master’s degree at Birkbeck, University of London. It’s only one evening a week – plus ‘homework’ at the weekends – but the chance to be a student again, sitting up late with instant coffee discussing ideas, seems like a mid-life bonus. Truly education can be wasted on the young.
If you are pondering going ‘back to school’, I urge you to investigate all opportunities that present themselves locally – or, of course, via the wonderful Open University. There is only one drawback… I now find myself restricted – yet again – to only going away during the school holidays. But compared with the advantages, it’s a small price to pay!
See you next month,
I know it shouldn’t, but September still has that new-pencilcase feeling for me