Learning can often be seen as a chore by many of us. This is a mentality that becomes ingrained in us from an early age. We shy away from learning in our later years, because at a young age we associate learning with long, boring days at school when we’d rather be playing outside. As we grow up, learning doesn’t become any more fun. Usually, we endure learning for the sake of a reward. That could be in the form of a good exam result or a larger paycheck.
Can learning be fun?
There are so many reasons why you could learn a new skill or about a new subject just for the sake of it and actually enjoy it without a specific end goal or reward. Whether you learn at home through distance learning courses, online resources, or at a school or college, here are some reasons why you should start learning new skills for fun!
Learning keeps you feeling excited about life
Keep your mind refreshed and your soul revived by finding out and learning about new exciting topics. You never know when you may stumble upon a new passion, learn about a new place you must visit, or l find an activity that you want to start doing. Learning essentially keeps you young at heart and helps you remain excited about the endless possibilities and opportunities out there!
If you’re unsure what you may be passionate learning about in your free time, then it’s worth doing a little bit of research beforehand to see what hot new topics are out there. You can find a lot of great evening classes in most cities, and if you prefer to learn from the comfort of your own home, there are also lots of distance learning options.
Learning helps you gain skills that you never thought you could have
Usually, when we decide to do a distance learning course or a college course, we do it because we think it’ll help us in our career or because it looks good on our CV. But there is a huge amount of enjoyment in learning a new skill purely for the sake of knowing it. For instance, you could learn how to scuba dive. Even if you’re not a scuba dive instructor, having the skills to dive on your own is something that you’ll come to enjoy even though there is no monetary return from it.
The learning process itself can be so much fun
The actual process of learning can be joyful if the result isn’t tied to a stressful exam or a new job. For instance, you could take a Thai cooking class and thoroughly enjoy the process of learning and tasting as you go. You won’t only enjoy the outcome, but you can also appreciate the journey you go on and the experiences you have during lessons. This is what happens when we learn more about something we are personally passionate about. It just doesn’t feel like a mundane chore. Everybody has a topic that they’d like to learn more about or a skill they’ve secretly dreamed of picking up. You just need to find yours and go for it! You’ll love how much you find joy in discovering more about it.
Learning for fun means you have more to share with others
If you keep your brain stimulated by learning new things in your spare time, you can help to inspire younger generations. We all have a wise person in our lives that we look up to for their mass of knowledge. You can be that person! Even if you aren’t a parent, you can share your newly learnt knowledge or skill set with your friends and family members. They’ll be happy that you’ve done the hard work in learning and are excited to share your knowledge with them.
Learning means that you have more to talk about and can connect with more people
Learning for fun actually makes you a much more interesting and well-rounded person that people will love to chat to. You won’t ever be at a loss for conversational topics, and your reputation as a well informed and understanding person will grow. Try to learn about an eclectic mix of subjects to really expand your knowledge and mindset, be that through distance learning or through a college course.
Learning for fun is also a great way to make new friends. If you embark upon a course, you could meet people that you might not normally have met, and connect through your shared interest. As we get older, there are less and less opportunities to make new friends outside of work. Taking an evening class can be a great way to not only learn something new but to meet new people. If you take a class alone and make a new friend there, you can test each other and motivate each other to study or have study dates. It can make it a lot more fun to learn!
Learning keeps you stimulated
These days so many of us are leading a hectic lifestyle. We often choose to spend our free time relaxing and consuming mindless television or browsing the internet. Learning something new in your free time will help keep your brain sharp and engaged, and you’ll notice that you’ll actually feel more energised as a result.
Lifelong learning can have very positive effects on mental health and cognitive processes, especially if life is starting to feel boring, repetitive and mundane. If you’re ever feeling low and stagnant, learning something new can be the answer to helping you feel more stimulated. To really shake things up, opt for learning something completely outside the box, that you may previously have not considered. If you’re searching for inspiration for something new and different, then start browsing some of the many distance learning courses available online.
Learning with a friend or family member can be a great bonding experience
There are certain skills and subjects that can be more fun to learn about with a friend. For instance, if you decide to learn a new language with someone, it becomes so much easier to practice. You can always encourage a friend that seems to be in a rut to join an evening class with you, or you can motivate each other to keep up with your distance learning classes. When you learn with someone, it can be doubly enjoyable, and it can also bring you closer together. The bonus is that you can both encourage each other and test each other on the subject/skill that you’re learning about. So next time, don’t schedule your usual dinner and drinks with a friend to catch up – enrol in a fun evening class together!
Learning opens your mind to new ideas
By continuing to educate ourselves once school and university are complete, we can pick whatever topic or skill we’d like to learn about. This means that we can learn about pretty much anything under the sun, not something that has been assigned to a curriculum. We can open our minds to all sorts of new concepts and ideas that we may never have come across if we hadn’t decided to learn about them ourselves.
Not only that, if you’re unable to travel much, learning is a great way to help you feel more in touch with the rest of the world. You can learn about cultures and languages and people that you may not have otherwise been exposed to. This can really help to widen your worldview and shape your perspective on life in a positive way. Learning for fun can definitely be an eye-opening experience for any of us!
Remember that it’s never too late to pick up something new. Whether you’re learning to speak Italian at 60, or teaching yourself to cook at 25- you never have to stop exploring and expanding your horizons! Why not start your learning journey today?
Nick Cooper
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