Summit-area residents looking for low-commitment learning have a new option one train stop away: Drew University in Madison is opening registration for 11 short courses starting Sept. 17 as part of its fall 2026 Empty Nester Semester.

The program launched its inaugural run in spring 2026 with 50 registered participants and returns for a 10-week on-campus series running through early December. All classes meet midweek and last two to three hours, according to NJ1015.com.

"What we want to do is engage body and mind and really set up our old age as we are moving into those decades," said Angelina Brown, the program's long life learning coordinator. "It's a program that gets you off the couch."

The fall lineup spans the quirky and the cerebral. Offerings include a 1950s-themed online mixology class where participants mix drinks at home, a community "Thriller" dance class scheduled for Oct. 22 at 7 p.m., a haunted books and ghost tour led by a mortician, Shakespeare's "Hamlet" paired with a trip to The Shakespeare Theater, astronomy, mahjong, autumn landscape painting, artificial intelligence and a healing movement class called 5Rhythms. Two of the 11 courses are offered online.

The spring semester's ghost tour, taught by Drew archivist Candace Reilly, gave participants access to the university's supernatural holdings, including antique books on demonology and a 1500s witch-hunting text called "Malleus Maleficarum." Attendees explored haunted spots on campus, told ghost stories, drank warm apple cider and ate cinnamon donuts.

The program is open to all adult learners. Most participants range from 50 to 65, though some are in their 40s, 70s and 80s, according to Daily Voice. Anyone experiencing a career transition, newfound personal time or a search for enrichment is welcome.

Drew's 163-acre Madison campus sits on NJ Transit's Midtown Direct line. The commute from Summit is one stop.

Registration is open at drew.edu/emptynester.