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Trina had never heard about GetSetUp until she got the first email about it from her local YMCA.

“I just moved to this area in August and when I got here I wanted to join things. The Y is one of the first things I joined as many things were closed since I moved mid-covid. I realized the Central Ohio YMCA has a very active community and is doing all kinds of outreach. I saw GetSetUp and thought this is really good! My initial draw was the technology stuff.  I think it is for most seniors who didn’t grow up in that age when it was second nature.”

Trina retired in August of 2020 after having worked for 45 years in higher education. She had lots of changes in addition to retiring going on in her life. Her husband has recently passed due to illness, and she moved closer to her kids. All these things in the middle of a pandemic, so Trina was looking for things to do now that she had a lot more time on her hands.

Her first class with GetSetUp was iPhone Basics - All You Need to Know.

“I have done some classes twice. I find unless you do these things frequently you have to go back to relearn. They have been really good. I’ve liked them because I don’t feel too much out of the loop. There is real acceptance of all levels of competence in the class and that is very clear.”

She has taken a number of the technology classes twice to master her skills on her iPhone and iPad. She thinks this helps her ask more pointed questions to her kids about technology instead of asking the same questions.

“When I ask after a session I at least have an idea of what to do. In the tech area, I was behind the eight ball. I was in an executive position so people around me did tech. I was able to be really successful in my job without a high degree of technical knowledge. It’s nice to have a breadth of opportunities now to explore since I need those technical skills on my own.”

She also took classes to hear about travel experiences, selling things on Facebook, and a class on gratitude. While she hasn’t hopped into the social hours yet she thinks they could be of interest in the future.

“I  did the Google Maps class and it was fascinating! I had no idea that Google Maps can do that much. It opened my eyes.”

Trina particularly likes the notion of Guides as a name for the GetSetUp instructors.

“I think that’s masterful. I like that idea cause that’s really what they do. Plus they clearly want to know who is in classes and that is a nice feature. You feel that people are there to help you.”

Structure in new life phases

Trina particularly likes to have a structure and schedule of activities to do throughout her week.

“I left a very demanding job. I like being engaged, thinking, and learning. Suddenly, in the course of a few days, my demanding schedule was gone. So having a schedule of things to do is good. You don’t want it to be overwhelming but if I want I can choose to do 10 classes a day and I like that flexible option.”

Leaving an intense job isn’t the only shift for Trina recently. She’s also navigating being half of a couple for the first time in decades. To navigate this phase she joined a grief group and signed up for a conversation series to meet new people.

“I always figured I would be learning. I like having an inventory of things and GetSetUp has been a godsend because I can do many things. I like the breadth of activities.”

She is keeping busy in many different formats. One way is by taking classes on GetSetUp at the local senior center and swimming classes at the YMCA. She’s also found herself trying art classes, quilting, and making cork Christmas ornaments. Plus thanks to technology she has been able to reconnect weekly with college friends via Zoom. This was something they had always put off before, but thanks to life changes they were able to make regular connections a priority.

Our learners are exploring different life paths and using new skills like Zoom to reconnect with old friends. Join one of GetSetUps 175 classes to learn a new skill that can help your personal growth!

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