Welcome back to Daily Dogmas!

It's never too late to learn something new. It's a phrase we hear often, but what does it really mean? There are many different experiences in life that can make you want to give this advice to others. For me, it was going back to college after being out of high school for eight years.

For you, it could look like:

• Learning a new language when it didn't work out the first time.
• Learning an instrument as an adult with no music prowess.
• Changing careers late in life after settling into a specific industry.

My Experience with Learning Something New

While working at a local casino doing security work, I began to feel stuck. I knew I wanted more out of life than working dead-end jobs or those with limited room for organic advancement. I decided at that point that I wanted to go to school. This led me to think deeply about what I enjoyed, my skills, my strengths, and my weaknesses. After much though, I eventually decided that I wanted to go to school for an associate's degree in accounting.

Those of you who know much about accounting in the United States know that it takes a bachelor's degree, plus some to become a certified public accountant. I went into this college endeavor timidly, choosing an associate's degree to start with. After completing my first term however, I feel that I want to pursue a bachelor's degree. I found that the classes are not overly difficult if you take the time to understand and study course materials and put effort into your assignments, quizzes, and exams. I also found my professors, advisor, and other resources at my college to be extremely helpful.

The most difficult part of college for me was not college itself, but its asynchronous nature, which led to a lot of time management responsibility being placed on me. Thankfully, one of my first two classes had an entire unit near the beginning of the term that covered time and stress management. This unit helped me tremendously, teaching me why time management is important, different time management strategies, and how to manage my stress along with everything.

I urge you in starting or learning something new, if you choose to do so, to make sure you manage your time and stress well. This is key in ensuring you allot enough time to your newfound endeavor and don't burn yourself out in the process. One key thing is balancing your different responsibilities and realizing you are becoming overwhelmed before you actually are.

In conclusion, you can learn something new at any point in your life. And you should. Some key practices to remember are time and stress management.

Think about this: If you are 45 years old, would you rather turn 50 with a bachelor's degree or turn 50 without one? Either way, five years will pass, and you will be 50.

Thanks for reading!

— Indiana Justin