Octogenarian completes dual bachelor's degree programs through self-study

Feng Yinan, an 88-year-old woman from Nantong, Jiangsu province, has demonstrated that age is no barrier to pursuing knowledge, having completed nearly 100 exams in 16 years to earn two bachelor's degrees.

According to a report by Yangtse Evening Post, before her retirement in 1997, Feng worked at the Nantong Water Conservancy Bureau after graduating from a hydraulic engineering school in Nanjing.

She first started her self-study experience in 1988, where she completed a course in survey and later signed up for a business administration course. However, she had to pause her studies due to health concerns.

In 2009, when she was 72, Feng restarted her academic journey.

Through relentless efforts, at the age of 81, she obtained a technical secondary school self-study degree in agricultural economics management from Nanjing Agricultural University. Later, at 84, she earned a bachelor's degree in law through self-study from Nanjing University. Most recently, at 88, Feng achieved yet another bachelor's self-study degree in engineering management from Nanjing Tech University.

"Participating in self-study examinations and constantly improving myself, not only gave me the opportunity to fulfill my dream, but also allowed me to keep pace with the times," Feng said. To focus on her studies, she gave up elderly recreational activities and hardly socialized or took breaks, even during holidays.

During her self-study journey, Feng faced both physical and mental challenges. She struggled with declining vision and memory loss caused by acute cerebral infarction. Each time she walked into the examination rooms, her gray hair and cane made her stand out among the younger crowd.

But Feng didn't let these things bother her.

She devised innovative methods to overcome her physical limitations, such as organizing complex knowledge points into rhymes and creating catchy stories for daily recitation.

Her perseverance not only brought her academic achievements but also earned her widespread acclaim online, with many admiring her courage to rise above the challenges of aging.

Now, Feng has decided to put an end to her studies for health reasons. Yet, she has found herself a new interest – learning to play piano on her smartphone.