Okay, actually this is one I did, and I have a more complete version several months ago, but this seems to be needed again. It was written in August of last year, hence the first line.
Children will soon be back in school, but it is a good time to remember that adulthood is no time to quit learning. There are many options for advancing your career or enriching your life.
Even if you are not planning on pursuing a degree, you may still be interested in local college classes. Portland Community College is one option, with a wide range of non-credit classes listed under Community Education: http://www.pcc.edu/pcc/pro/comed/
As the courses are not for credit, there are not tests or grades or pressure, so the classes can be an enjoyable way to explore a future hobby or career, without making too big of a commitment. You can learn a foreign language, improve your writing skills, or try out vegetarian cooking.
Pretty much any craft store will have either its own classes or information about classes for that type of craft. This applies to large stores like Michaels and Craft Warehouse, as well as specialty store like Sharon’s Attic (for quilts) or Planet Bead (for beading). It is the same concept as Home Depot’s in-store clinics. The point is to illustrate that if you want to do something and don’t know how, chances are there are multiple options for learning it.
So far the focus has been more on hobbies. Maybe you simply want to be better-informed. Reading is a wonderful way to do this, and can be completely free through your local library services. You can form a club with friends or participate with Relief Society, and bookstores will often have in-store and online groups. You can also ask a librarian, or check out the Everybody Reads project, where one book is selected each year for an entire city to read. Workshops and speakers are often scheduled to enhance the experience, and you may find strangers all over the city reading the same book:
http://www.multcolib.org/books/lists/everybodyreads.html
You can also use local classes to serve others. Master Recyclers and Master Gardeners receive intensive training on their subjects and then volunteer to teach others in the community.
http://www.masterrecycler.org/
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/washington/index.php
However, if you wish to learn, serve others, and increase your own emergency preparedness, you may wish to consider CERT training.
CERT stands for Community Emergency Response Team, and is based on the principle that with an area-wide disaster professional responders will be overwhelmed, so having civilians with basic training and organization can save lives. You will receive training in disaster medicine, light search and rescue, fire suppression, and organization and disaster psychology. Eligibility is determined by the city boundaries and school districts of where you live and work:
http://www.hillsborocert.org/
http://www.beavertonoregon.gov/index.aspx?nid=569
Volunteering is also a great way to make connections if you are considering going back to school. You can get a feel for something, along with experience, before committing to a full academic program. To search by area of interest and location, try http://www.volunteermatch.org/. Then, when you are ready to go back to school, see http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/. Prospects for aid improve after you turn 23.
All you have to do is decide on an interest. Once that has been done the options are endless.
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