At the beginning of the year I set an intention to broaden my knowledge of different skills and subjects.

I had graduated from university and I was committed to finding new ways to continue being a student.

Some people might see being a student as a transitional period between adolescence and adulthood. That is far from the truth.

There is always something new to learn. Online learning tools make gaining new skills and knowledge much easier.

From January to April 2020, I used Skillshare to study many topics for personal and academic reasons.

It was a lot of fun and it encouraged me to keep studying. To keep the momentum going.

Today, I’m going to share some advice, inspiration and resource ideas for how to be a student for life, even after you graduate. If you’re looking for study tips, resources, and inspiration, stay here and read the rest of this post.

What does it mean to be a student for life (to me, at least)?

It is about having the freedom to explore new passions without the pressure of a grading system. As a student at university, I was preoccupied with studying for the sake of achieving the highest possible grades. I never had the consideration to study topics simply because I enjoyed them. Now, I can.

It is about holding yourself accountable to your goals and putting your education in your own hands. As a university student, I was comfortable doing this. There are no deadlines, assignments, or curriculums that people set for you. You must set them for yourself.

It is about maintaining a curious, studious mindset and being open to new experiences. From my “studying wish list”, it has become clear to me that there is a lot in the world I never thought about before. Not as a high school student or as a university student.

How am I a student for life?

It begins with social media. I follow people on Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr who post richly informative and relevant content. People like study bloggers, writers, and artists. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again.

It is so important to curate the content you see on a daily basis, because content can affect you deeply on a personal level. Support content that inspires and teaches you. If you are going to consume media, let it be informative as well as aesthetic.

I have hobbies and goals that encourage me to research and use findings for something meaningful. Such as my creative writing projects. As a young writer, I know I have more to learn. I am constantly seeking guidance and advice for how to improve my craft.

I also enjoy researching for the blog; the behind-the-scenes stuff and relevant facts for what I write about. This way, I do my best to give you a great reading and/or website experience.

I make the most of free (and paid) online learning tools. Such as Skillshare and other trusted platforms. Value can also be found in smaller places like blogs, podcasts, YouTube channels, and email series. With my current list of resources, I can study subjects that interest me at my own pace, and in small bite-sized pieces.

Reading, writing, listening and watching. Relying on a variety of media also helps me to study in a range of new ways than I did at university.

How you can be a student for life:

What are you most interested in learning about? What do you need to know right now that you don’t know already? Pick 3-5 subjects (or more) that you want to learn. Art, writing, photography, and calligraphy are just a few examples. Write them down on a piece of paper. Create a “wish list” of the skills you want to learn.

What do you want to study first? How often will you study it? 1-2 hours every week? Create a timetable or daily to-do list for study sessions. Plan according to your realistic weekly schedule. This will determine how often you can set aside time for your studies. You might also consider a timeline, a finish date, and also a reward for working well.

What is available to you right now? Where do you feel most confident setting a start point? How much are you willing to spend? Start small and work your way up from there. Round up a list of reliable free resources before committing to anything that costs money.

As an example, I’ve been studying topics like marketing and creative writing on my own for some time. Now that I feel more confident, I am looking into paid certifications and courses to make an investment in my future and career as a writer.

Why do you want to study? What motivated you to begin this journey? It is always good to start with a reflection and set your intentions. Seek and create new ways to stay inspired to keep learning. Follow study bloggers on social media. Curate study playlists to listen to. Most all, talk to people around you. Tell them about what you learn and, most importantly, put what you learn into practice.

Inspiration: a list of subjects i currently/want to study

Personal development, yoga, mindfulness, entrepreneurship, marketing, creative writing, Adobe Photoshop, drawing & illustration, water colour painting, Microsoft Office, art journaling, zine-making, social media, photography, cinematography, podcasting, pottery, weaving, embroidery, astrology, crystals, lunar cycles, tarot cards, art history, cooking, baking, Latin, Ancient Greek, French, Spanish, Italian.

I don’t know when or if I ever will complete everything. But it is enough to know that I have aspirations and I am curious to learn.

inspiration: a list of online learning resources that I use/know of

Skillshare, HubSpot, YouTube, Udemy, Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, Masterclass, Duolingo, Khan Academy, Smarthistory, JSTOR, Oxford Reference, Cambridge Histories, to name a few that I trust.

Take the time to research them. There are also many websites, blogs, podcasts, email courses, and of course, books or reading subscription apps. These also make for great learning materials.

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