There is this common conception that the brain stops developing after the age of 25. Like many common conceptions, it is not necessarily false, but it is not really true either — the brain reaches its apex at 25, but that does not mean it stops developing. It does however signify a figurative brake being pressed hard. By then it might be too late for you to pick up that obscure language you wanted to learn but were too lazy to, or to pick up that pencil and learn how to sketch properly. You might be able to do it, but it will become unnecessarily arduous, and you will only have yourself to blame for because you decided to waste away your early life playing daily beer pong or engaging in pointless activism.
If you find that partying or activism is something that you like indulging in and truly enjoy, then good for you. In a way, you have your life in check and might even set yourself up for a good future. If, on the other hand, you find yourself wasting away in bed, thinking about what you want to do, but never actually getting around to doing it, then you might be setting yourself up for a path straight to a corporate 9 to 5 job; It won’t be like The Office either so don’t get too excited about that prospect.
Without getting too deep into Biology and Neuroscience because I have very primitive knowledge in those fields, the brain, before the age of 25, has a unique feature called neuroplasticity. This feature allows the brain to change and adapt to new experiences as the human host encounters them. Specifically, the brain structure changes as host learns, practices and engages with intellectually stimulating activities. Neuroplasticity does not disappear after the age of 25, but its effectiveness does decrease significantly.
All of this is to say that whether you are a freshman or a senior, you are essentially living through your peak, and if you do not take advantage of that, the window of opportunity will only get smaller and smaller. Envision that you are standing atop a mountain peak with the most beautiful view — slowly but surely, this peak is crumbling right in front of your eyes. You won’t die because you can easily back away and descend from the mountain, but once you do, you will never get to see that beautiful view from that angle ever again.
Recognizing this biological cut-off period does not mean that you should force yourself to pick up a new language as soon as possible or learn how to do advanced math as quickly as possible. Recognizing it means that you should veer towards a path that you want, focusing on goals that you want to achieve. It could be something as simple as learning how to read Latin to something as complex as learning how to code in C++.
Despite everything I said, it is still not the end if you find yourself wanting to start developing an new skill at the age of 30. You might not learn as efficiently, but you will still be able to adopting those new skills as long as you want to do so. If Priscilla Sitienei, a 90-year old midwife from Kenya did not give up on wanting to learn a completely new language, then there is no excuse for you to not do the same. It did not stop Van Gogh from picking up art, or this 50-year old couple from picking up beekeeping either. It will only ever be too late when you start treating it as such.
But enough optimism, don’t think of yourself as the exception to the rule, because you are most likely not. If you truly want to develop your hobbies and/or new skills, then there is no better time than in college. Most importantly, do what you want and not what you think you might need in the future. Once you figure that out, it all rests on your ability to pounce on this window of opportunity before it closes shut.
