So, a few months ago I realized that I really wasn’t harnessing the immense power that the internet has, there I was, sat at the computer with a vast amount of capabilities in front of me and all I could think of to do was play retro Sega games, check my Instagram and watch videos of people falling off heir skateboards.
It was at this moment that I made a decision to use the power which the internet has and utilize it to learn something new, two things actually. My choices were that I would learn how to play the guitar and that I would learn all about the Ancient Egyptians, a topic which I have always been fascinated by. If you want to do what I did and learn something new then here are some great ways to do so.
Timing
How much time you will have each day will depend on your own schedule but I would advise that you set a certain of portion of time aside each day and stick to it if you want to get the most out of learning.
Expectations
If it has been a while since you studied then you are going to need to lower your expectations in the first month or two. When you are young, your brain is like a sponge and you can soak up knowledge in no time at all, as the years tick on this can become a little more difficult so bear that in mind when you begin.
Resources
Once you have made the decision for what you will learn about you should spend a good few hours on search engines discovering the best places to get your resources. Wikipedia serves its purpose pretty well but you should never solely rely on this as a factual resource. In fact you should cross reference facts across many different sites to get to the bottom of it.
I like to use the fantastic Great Courses material designed by Thomas Rollins teaching expert and educator who put together this fantastic study material for a wide range of subjects.
YouTube is a wonderful tool as well if you are looking to pick up a new skill or watch documentaries, my guitar playing has improved greatly in a few short months and that is thanks to the step-by-step guides on the video site. I was also able to find some great footage from inside the pyramids and a mock-autopsy of Tutankhamen on YouTube, this is a great place for reference.
Self Discipline
The final part of learning something new online is to ensure that you are disciplined with yourself around your learning. There is nobody there to tell you what or when to study and for this reason you need to be able to have the commitment and the self-learning abilities to work hard and learn as much as you can all by yourself. Just think of it like this, you are doing this for yourself and if you fail to study or decide to relax instead of learn then the only person that damages is you.
