The Best of Our Lives Blog

Greetings!

It’s been a while, but I’ve been a bit busy.

Several times in this blog I’ve written about staying active in retired life. As a matter of fact, I actually prefer to refer to this time of life as “retirement age” because I know many folks are happier and healthier if they continue working. I know my wife and I stay so busy I often tease her by saying I’m going back to work so I can get some rest.

Obviously, whatever works for you is best. The point is to stay active, socialize, and don’t spend your time in isolation. These are all keys to a healthier and happier aging process.

As I said, I’ve been especially busy lately and let me explain. Over the last several months I’ve had the opportunity to counsel a couple of college age students who were having difficulty with their college courses. Because teaching study skills is an area in which I have considerable expertise, I was able to help these students. The whole truth is they really helped me. I realized how much I missed not only teaching students, but interacting with and counseling them. When I discussed with my wife how much I enjoyed my interaction with the students, she suggested I offer a study skills workshop I taught for many years. I loved the idea and that’s exactly what I’m going to do this summer.

The back story is one I’ve rarely revealed. After serving four years in the U.S. Air Force, married with our first child, I went back to college. I really struggled trying to work and go to school at the same time. I got a letter from the Dean suggesting I most likely would not be accepted back in the next term unless my grades improved. Frustrated, I sought out my counselor and he shared some study skills techniques and shortcuts he had used. They worked.

The fact is, I got hooked on learning more about study skills techniques and shortcuts. I researched the topic, talked with other students, and even created some of my own ideas for studying. Each class was like going into battle for me. I wanted to learn all I could, get the best grade, and do it in the shortest and easiest way possible. My next letter from the Dean was to inform me I had made the Dean’s List. I finished my last two years of course work in one year and the faculty voted me the outstanding undergraduate student. I was given a teaching assistantship and finished my course work on my Master’s Degree in one year. I was then voted the Outstanding Graduate Student by the faculty. Recruited by a major University, I was hired as a graduate assistant and graduated with my PhD.

Am I bragging? Yep, a little bit. But learning and using those study skills techniques and shortcuts changed my life. When I actually became a faculty member and needed to supplement my income with a growing family, I began to teach study skills workshops during the summer at several colleges and universities. They became very popular and were requested by technical schools and various organizations.  My materials became a best-selling book and I enjoyed every minute of helping students achieve their academic goals.

I know this is an unusual and incredibly self-serving blog, but I wanted my readers to know about my workshops this summer. I will be teaching them in the East Bay Area of San Francisco. If you have college-bound children or grandchildren, or know someone in the area that does, would you please let them know about these workshops. I would be very grateful and I can assure you the students who attend will benefit greatly.

Here is the information:

WWW.STUDENTSUCCESSBOOTCAMP.COM

WWW.TheBestofOurLives.com