Published: 24 January 2023
(Tamarcus Brown via Unsplash)
It’s normal for a lot of us to take a break from studying after completing our first degree. You may want to travel the world, start your career, or start a family. Whatever your reasons for not going straight from undergrad to postgrad, there are probably a lot of other people who have made the same decision for a similar reason.
It is also normal to want to return to your studies. You may be apprehensive and have questions and doubts about whether it’s right for you, especially now that you’re older and more mature. However, returning to education after a gap can be incredible for you both personally and professionally. Here are some reasons why returning to university might be the right decision for you.
You can bring your experiences into your studies
Most people start their undergraduate studies when they are young. They’re usually fresh out of school with no real-life experience other than that accrued during education. Returning to university after a study gap, whether it was working, travelling, or something else, can give you a different perspective. You can approach problems differently and draw from your lived experiences when it comes to completing tasks and applying knowledge.
It will be beneficial to your career
With the job market and the world of work ever-changing and evolving, getting a second degree will do your career prospects no harm at all. You’ll acquire new skills and academic experience and having another qualification/certification will help you to stand out from the crowd.
It will be good for your social life
It’s no secret that the older you get, the more difficult it becomes to make friends. Returning to university will see you surrounded by people with similar interests who are in a similar situation, allowing you to bond and get to know each other and potentially form lasting friendships. Also, another social benefit of going back to studying that could become a professional benefit is the networking opportunities that will arise. The more people you meet, the more connections you will make that could potentially help you out somewhere down the line.
It can improve your self-esteem
A lot of people aren’t happy with where they are in their careers and struggle with issues revolving around self-esteem, motivation, and purpose. Returning to your studies can help create a better sense of direction and give you something to work towards and a goal to achieve. This new-found drive and sense of self-worth can also trickle into other aspects of your life and be incredibly beneficial to your mental wellbeing and life as a whole.
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