As I reflect on the end of my experience in the UCSD Life Course Scholars program, I recognize it to be one of the most valuable and unforgettable experiences in my major. I have really enjoyed all aspects of the class, from the course material, to the structure of the class, to my professors and my peers. I think the class attracts caring, empathetic, and driven individuals, and I have been lucky to meet some of these lovely people.
When I tell my friends I am taking a class about old people, I often get a quizzical response, prompting an enthusiastic explanation of why this topic (and these people) is so important. I think that this is part of the beauty of the class, because slowly in our own lives, we are able to make a difference in terms of attitudes about aging. In fact, changing people's minds on this topic is, in my experience, not very difficult to accomplish at all. It is usually just that people have never thought of the importance of healthy aging before, unless they have been very close to an elderly person throughout their lives. I hope that as professionals in planning, public health, and more, we can help society make a similar shift toward anti-agism and healthy aging in general.
Given that the second quarter of this course was during the wonderful COVID-19 pandemic, it was a disappointment to not have been able to go out into the field as we had done the previous quarter, given the value of simply meeting people in real life and talking with them. However, some interesting results came out of this as well, such as each of us being able to discuss our own neighborhoods (rather than neighborhoods in San Diego) for our Neighborhood Age Friendliness assessments, and learning how to adapt our individual projects given the ever-changing situation. Ultimately, despite our circumstances, I think LCS was both valuable and enjoyable, and I feel lucky to have been a part of it.
When I tell my friends I am taking a class about old people, I often get a quizzical response, prompting an enthusiastic explanation of why this topic (and these people) is so important. I think that this is part of the beauty of the class, because slowly in our own lives, we are able to make a difference in terms of attitudes about aging. In fact, changing people's minds on this topic is, in my experience, not very difficult to accomplish at all. It is usually just that people have never thought of the importance of healthy aging before, unless they have been very close to an elderly person throughout their lives. I hope that as professionals in planning, public health, and more, we can help society make a similar shift toward anti-agism and healthy aging in general.
Given that the second quarter of this course was during the wonderful COVID-19 pandemic, it was a disappointment to not have been able to go out into the field as we had done the previous quarter, given the value of simply meeting people in real life and talking with them. However, some interesting results came out of this as well, such as each of us being able to discuss our own neighborhoods (rather than neighborhoods in San Diego) for our Neighborhood Age Friendliness assessments, and learning how to adapt our individual projects given the ever-changing situation. Ultimately, despite our circumstances, I think LCS was both valuable and enjoyable, and I feel lucky to have been a part of it.