While the go-to way for many students to enjoy the internet is memes, social media,and gaming, there are more beneficial uses for the web than simply enjoyment. Whether it’s before a general knowledge test or a specific end-of-year exam that requires some know-how that the provided textbooks don’t explain, a bit of extra proficiency can go a long way.
Learning something interesting can provide students with a break from the monotony of compulsory subjects at school. After all, if you’re interested in the topic, chances are you’ll remember whatever you learn much better and could apply your newfound knowledge in real-world situations more easily.
Online Courses
While it’s not recommended that you enroll in anything intensive while studying, there are tons of online courses that allow you to learn at your own pace without any obligations. This way, you can learn about something interesting in your own time, without the added pressure of having to do more examinations and projects.
Popular learning hubs such as Khan Academy provide a comprehensive list of subjects including astronomy, physics, and mathematics. If coding is your thing, check out Codeacademy’s list of free interactive courses that cover most languages in fair detail.
Learn A Language
There are few skills and abilities out there as impressive as being able to fluently speak another language. Not only does it look cool, but it has the potential to open up many doors for you in your personal life and future career. There are apps, YouTube channels, and entire websites dedicated to teaching certain languages. OpenCulture, EdX and Coursera offer free courses while Tutor and Verblingprovide tutors to teach you face-to-face.
Read Facts
You may be wondering what benefits you get from reading facts, apart from the occasional conversation starter. For one, it has the potential for you to further research what you just read up on to gain context and understanding of the fact, further expanding your knowledge.
Wtf Fun Facts has a virtually endless list of interesting facts to read up on, providing a great starting point for you to expand upon and further your knowledge.
Doing Your Own Research
Perhaps there is something you’ve always wanted to know more about. With the internet at your fingertips, you can easily find out everything there is to know about your desired topic and become a master in no time. Wikipedia is a decent starting point that usually cites other websites for you to do further research on.
Learning Through Media
While endlessly scrolling through your Facebook feed may not get you very far, there are ways to utilize media to expand your knowledge. Find an interesting YouTube channel, download an eReader app and read some books. Podcasts and audiobooks are also excellent sources of information, usually narrated by interesting hosts.
Conclusion
It should be clear by now that the internet is truly a treasure trove of information that no textbook can compare to. Just be sure to head outside and do some physical exercise as well. The benefits it has on your mental wellbeing are not to be ignored!
