College Redux

A recent article by Lisa Belkin in the New York Times Magazine offered a retirement solution I hadn't thought of--I can go back to live at college! In efforts to stop mass boomer migration and to provide us with something more than pottery classes in the nursing home, communities are being developed on or near college campuses for 'life-long learners.' Some require a link to the school, most do not.

A model development, is the University Commons near the University of Michigan, where residents can select townhouses, villas, or condominiums.They have the benefit of the educational and cultural resources of a univerity setting and the development even offers high-speedinternet access, a university email address, a recital hall, and dinners prepared by students in a local culinary program.

One company, Campus Continuum is developing a nation-wide "network of university-branded residential communities."

What an appealing idea! All of the advantages of college life and none of the downside -- no term papers, no frat houses, no cafeteria food. And it sure beats exiling oneself to the homogenous world of typical retirement communities where the only people under 55 are the golf pro and the nurse who takes your blood pressure.

Those Ivies that rejected you 40 years ago are welcoming you now. Princeton, here I come!