Retirement life can be challenging. Especially for someone always on the go and is used to jam-packed schedules and busy days. The biggest problem retirees face is the dreaded disease of boredom. It can eat your spirit away and can even get you depressed. But as a retiree, you have the one resource that youngsters don’t have, in plenty. Time. It is how you choose to utilize all that free time that defines who you are. And what better way than to learn new skills like cooking, coding or even a new language! All you need is a computer and an internet connection. The world is your oyster. The world is changing quickly, and as a senior citizen, you can sit back and let it be, or you could try and keep up with it. So, restart your education with these 11 best online courses you can master.
Table of Contents
1. Blogging Masterclass by Udemy
Senior citizens are repositories of knowledge and experiences. So why don’t you put down all those stories on a blog of your own? Apart from your grandchildren, the world will always be intrigued to listen to your stories. Maybe you had an exciting profession with strange and funny anecdotes. Or maybe you are adept in astronomy, or science or even cooking! Whatever it is, blogging helps you to convey and express your ideas to the world in your style. Udemy helps you to learn to start writing a blog from scratch. If you are already a blogger, this course will help you to hone those skills. For 189.99 USD, you get lifetime access to all of their lessons and a certificate of completion after successful completion of the course. The course can be accessed on your mobile phone, computer, and even your TV. It helps you develop the mindset of a successful blogger and also helps you establish a system in which you never turn out of ideas.
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2. Udemy Game Designing Course
Gone are the days when grandparents frowned upon video games and looked down upon their grandkids playing video games. Gaming is a multimillion-dollar industry, and gaming is considered a successful profession. So, what if you could doll out your creativity and experience into making a video game of your own! Video games challenge us and keep us occupied. And there is no limit to how creative you can get while making a game. This Udemy class will help you to learn the basics of creating 2D and 3D gaming applications. Within a few months, you’ll be slaying monsters and finding buried treasure. For 199 USD, you can learn to develop games on various platforms or improve or adapt your version of a game you already liked. The course gives you an expert understanding of the Unity gaming game engine and also teaches you digital painting in photoshop and a lot more.
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3. Chineses for Beginners by Peking University
Mandarin is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. And China is probably the largest growing economy in the world now. Mandarin-speaking professionals are wanted all over the world now due to the growing popularity of the language in business, technology and other sectors. This online course from the infamous Peking University will teach you the basics of the language and will help you master the four skills. Learning Chinese is a little bit tougher than other languages, but the interactive and audio-based class focuses more on conversational Chinese and makes the process fun and engaging.
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4. Miracles of Human Language: An Introduction to Linguistics by the University of Lieiden
If committing yourself to learn one single language isn’t your thing, then welcome to the world of linguistics. There are thousands of languages around the world, some evolved from one another. It is fascinating how humanity started with sign languages and noises and now deal with the most complicated grammar and metaphors and whatnot. This free Coursera course will take you through the beautiful world of linguistics. You’ll also learn the science of language in the brain and in everyday society. The course features interviews with many well-known linguists like Noam Chomsky and Adele Goldberg and with speakers of different languages all over the world. You’ll also understand how to understand and analyse your native tongue.
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5. Epidemics, Pandemics and Outbreaks by the University of Pittsburgh
The Corona Virus is causing destruction and death all over the globe. Millions of people are dying, and humanity has been once again exposed to the horrors of a Pandemic. The last pandemic we had before corona was the H1N1 which wasn’t as destructive as the current one. So, as a society, we don’t know much about the catastrophic situation we are going through now. This course takes you through the science of pandemics and shows you the story of previous pandemics before the coronavirus and how humanity survived them. How do Viruses Spread? How do we prevent another pandemic from happening? All your questions will be answered in this free course by Coursera. The course focuses on public health laws and policies that provide the framework for the effective prevention of pandemics.
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6. Astronomy: Exploring Time and Space by the University of Arizona
Astronomy is one of the most exciting and fascinating subjects you can learn. Humans are still toddlers when it comes to astronomy. We still have a lot more to learn and understand about our universe. This course teaches you all the basics of what we already know. The self-paced format of the course and the engaging and fun modules make this course popular among all age groups. The syllabus covers a wide range of topics from history to astronomy to astronomy and astrobiology. The syllabus is designed so that it covers what we already know while still keeping the student up to date with the latest discoveries.
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7. Ancient Masterpieces of World Literature by Harvard University
There is something about ancient literature that is still very much fascinating and charming. Even with the advent of much more complicated modern styles of storytelling and poem writing, the sheer simplicity and attention to detail of ancient literature make it still relevant today. Classics like the Odyssey and the Mahabharata are still read and analysed by scholars all over the world. This course lets you explore the magical world of Kalidasa, Homer and Plato. The course is taught by two professors from arguably the most prestigious university in the world, Harvard University. The course explains how cultures of ancient civilizations defined themselves through literature and how that literature has helped us understand the workings of society back then. The course is split into two parts for more accessible learning.
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8. Climate Change and Health: By Yale University
Climate change is the most catastrophic and consistent problem humanity has been facing. Everyone is familiar with how climate change affects the environment but did you know how much it can affect your health? In this course, you’ll learn how climate change is happening and how it affects human health and life expectancy. The course teaches you about the science of climate change as well as how you can contribute to bringing about a change. As part of your coursework, you will design an activity that increases a community’s resilience to the health effects of climate change. The three-month course also gives you a certificate after you complete the course. The course is also taught by professors from the infamous ivy league school, Yale University.
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9. Introduction to Classical Music by Yale University
Classical music is as fascinating as nature. The power it has on the human mind is mind-blowing. If you are someone who is musically inclined, then classical music is probably your way to ecstasy! Using a minimalistic but enjoyable teaching approach, this course introduces you to the wonders of classical music. From pop music to jazz to hip hop, music, as we know it now, has been inspired by classical music. How did Beethoven make the most beautiful of symphonies despite being deaf? How can a 12-note music notation system lead to so many different permutations and combinations? All your questions about classical music will be answered through this course.
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10. Guitar for Beginners: Berkely College of Music
You are never old enough to learn a new instrument. And the guitar is probably the most charming and accessible of all instruments. This course from the infamous Berklee College of music teaches you all the basics of the most popular string instrument in history. The guitar isn’t an easy instrument to master. But it isn’t insanely tough either. This online guitar class will focus on the essential details: a guitar’s six strings, the twelve half steps of your guitar, music notation, chords, scales, and more. With a little bit of patience and commitment, your grandchildren will soon be jamming to your tunes! This course will also make you qualified to be taking up much more advanced courses. The syllabus teaches you all the major and minor chords and reads and plays a lead sheet and many more things.
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11. Cancer and Nutrition by Wageningen University
Cancer is the most feared and the most common disease in the world. Even after fighting the disease for decades, scientists still do not have a proper cure for the disease. The drastic change in our lifestyle and the type of food we consume has resulted in the rampant popping up of this disease everywhere. There are many lifestyle changes that one can embrace in order to prevent this dreaded disease. In this course, you’ll learn about the relation between nutrition and cancer. The course makes you aware of how a poor diet can increase your risk of getting the disease. It also dwells into the science of cancer and how it spreads in the body. You can implement all the tips you obtain from this course in your life and also pass them on to your kids and grandkids. The course contains five modules that you can finish at your own pace.
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The post-retirement period is a very make or break period of your life. You have the one resource that young people lack. Time. And if you choose to utilize it well, you can still keep learning and growing while you enjoy your days off. So dig into one of these 11 online courses and have fun learning!
