Some people drop education right after high school. Some muster up the courage to get into a university whereas some have more thirst for knowledge for which they move towards higher degrees. Nonetheless, there has never been a person who got more than 8 degrees, except the 70-year old Italian Luciano Baietti.
Belonging to the town of Velletri in Italy, Baeitti is a retired school headmaster who holds the world record for earning the most university degrees. He holds a total of 15 bachelors and masters degrees from different universities across Italy, and he is prepared to get another one.
Luciano Baetti is an average human with a job, hobbies and a family. After retirement, he spends his days working in his garden. By the night-time, Luciano becomes a student. After waking up at 3 a.m every morning, he spends 3 hours studying for his courses. He believes that studying keeps his mind active and helps broaden his knowledge of the world. Besides, who wouldn’t love being a Guinness Record holder?
It was not the world record that motivated him to study more. In fact, he had already made the record in 2002 after getting his 8th degree, but that did not stop him there. He already had degrees in physical education, sociology, law, literature, political science, philosophy, and motor skills to which he has added seven more in the last 15 years. The list of his degrees now includes criminology and military strategies. Most of his degrees have been obtained from La Sapienza University, in Rome. He has also graduated from an online university in Naples and a distance-learning university in Turin.
Luciano believes the books are his freedom.
“Thanks to books, I feel free, dammit.”
He said the word ‘free’ and ‘book’ have the same root in Italian, as ‘libro’ means ‘book’ and ‘libero’ means ‘free.’ The man’s inspiration is the 19th-century essaying Louis-Francois Bertin – a man he describes as a man of culture and knowledge.
Louis is no bookworm who has no life outside of his degrees. He is a family man who keeps a balance between work, education, family, and hobbies. He spends only 3 hours of his day studying which is enough for him to not only pass his exams but complete his thesis too. The next degree that Luciano is planning to get is in food science.
“Each time I set myself a new challenge, to see how far my body and my brain can go,” says the enthusiastic old man.
Why study at 3 a.m? Here is what Luciano believes,
“At that time the brain is more open to assimilating knowledge, and it also allows me to keep a normal family life.”
The determination and thirst for knowledge in a 70-year old man may not inspire you to get university degrees, but it surely will motivate you to work harder in life.
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