Not everything you learn has to lead to a promotion, a degree, or a new line on your résumé.
Sometimes you take a class because mushrooms are fascinating. Because you’ve always wanted to paint. Because making something with your hands sounds better than another night scrolling on your phone.
Your interest is reason enough. That idea is behind the adult personal enrichment and community education classes offered through Eastern Iowa Community Colleges (EICC). Classes are available across the college’s service area, including Clinton, Maquoketa, DeWitt, Davenport, Bettendorf, and Muscatine.
“We hear from people who want opportunities to learn something new without committing to a degree or a long program,” said Cori Regenold, EICC’s Community Education Program Manager. “They want to make something, explore an interest, or finally try something they’ve been thinking about for a while. These classes give them a place to do it,” she said.
Make room for something you enjoy
Adult life gets full quickly. Work, family, errands, appointments, and everything else that needs your attention tend to claim the calendar first.
Something you simply want to do is easier to put off.
There’s evidence that making time for creative interests can have value. A 2024 study of more than 7,000 adults found that people who participated in arts and crafts reported higher life satisfaction, happiness, and a greater sense that life was worthwhile. The study found an association, not proof that creative activities caused those outcomes. You don’t have to turn that into another self-improvement assignment, though.
Paint because you want to paint. Read because the book sounds interesting. Make something because you’re curious to see if you can.
Start with curiosity
Personal enrichment gives you room to be new at something.
Life and leisure classes like All About Fungi starts indoors with the basics then moves outside for a guided exploration. Lit Happens: Graphic Novel Book Club looks at how graphic novels explore ideas such as identity, belonging, growing up, and difficult choices.
Across EICC, the mix extends well beyond those two examples. Current offerings include art and crafts, nature, cooking, books, language, technology, wellness, and other interest-based subjects.
Regenold said the variety is intentional. “People are interested in different things,
so I don’t want the schedule to feel like it was built for only one kind of learner,”
she said.
“We’re mixing art, nature, books, hands-on classes, and other topics so people can look through the options and find something that catches their attention,” Regenold added.
You don’t need to already be good at the thing that catches your eye. Being interested gives you somewhere to start.
Show up for the class. Meet people who did, too.
A shared interest gives people an easy reason to connect.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifies social connection as important to health and well-being and recommends joining groups around shared interests as one way to strengthen it.
A class makes that connection pretty simple. Everyone in the room decided fungi, painting, cooking, books, or another subject was interesting enough to give it some time.
You already have something to talk about. And you don’t have to sign up hoping to make a new friend for the experience to matter. Sometimes it’s just good to get out, do something different, and spend time around people who wanted to try it, too.
There will always be things you need to learn. Make some room for the things you want to learn, too. See what sounds interesting. Pick a class. Show up.