Back

Studying something for fun?

Naomi'sNaomi·May 18, 2022
Posted in:Personal Growth

Starting a thread here -- I find people's learning-related hobbies fascinating...

Are you taking French lessons? Learning guitar for the first time at 35? Reading about the 2008 economic crisis? Taking a college class for fun?

What was your experience like? How is it going?

iynna'sIynna·May 18, 2022
LOVE THIS! I started learning swahili in 2017 but that didn’t go so well haha! I was incentivised by my Kenyan boyfriend at the time but learning online, then breaking up made me lose motivation. I would love to pick it up though but I need a real value prop to do it else I will stop halfway through!
becook'sbecook·May 22, 2022
Maybe you should book a trip somewhere to motivate you again to learn a new language!! :)
iynna'sIynna·May 22, 2022
Absolutely! I am dying to go back to Kenya soon! :) Have you tried to learn a new language and gone to the country for full immersion?
Naomi'sNaomi·May 26, 2022
I love the dive-right-in approach :D
keira'skeira·May 19, 2022
Yep! I'm taking a MOOC on Coursera, about post war abstract expressionist painting. It has theory and practical lessons (painting), and I'm loving it. Although I do find I am taking a lot longer than I would if it were a less flexible format. Also dipping in and out of language learning on DuoLingo (Russian and Italian). I definitely find it hard to stay motivated without any face-to-face sessions or fellow learners though.
Naomi'sNaomi·May 26, 2022
I find this all the time for myself Keira -- I need deadlines... have you ever taken a college class post-college? I always want to but then I get nervous that I'll stress myself out.
keira'skeira·Jul 04, 2022
I never have, but I think I'd like to. The main issue with that for me is timing - universities in Australia (we don't have college) tend not to publish their session times until after you enroll, and also tend to have one or two lectures and a tutorial at random times throughout the week. I think there are often out-of-hours times for work-related courses (like an MBA) but not for undergraduate type courses.
becook'sbecook·May 19, 2022
Currently taking night classes to get a real estate license! I’m actually doing it with my husband and it’s been really fun and interesting.Maybe I’ll sell some houses this fall!
iynna'sIynna·May 21, 2022
YAAAS!! Which area will you serve?
becook'sbecook·May 22, 2022
New Jersey! But I might expand into PA after I get my license!
iynna'sIynna·May 22, 2022
I am in PA! If I decide to buy a house there, I will go with you 🤗
madisonpollardshore'smadisonpollardshore·May 19, 2022
I have to be constantly learning something, otherwise my brain starts to slow down.My current learnings are:- French and German (going ok-ish, as French is so similar to Spanish, which I already know.- Leatherworking (going very slowly as I've only just managed to clear sufficient workspace in my apartment)- Javascript and Python (Temporarily on hold, as it looks like I might be doing some work-supported learning on this)Previously I had Roller Derby on the list, but I was just too injury-prone, and chronic illness doesn't work well with it.
Catherin3'sKatham·May 22, 2022
Oh me too! I find myself constantly trying new things. Otherwise I get bored.
Rochelle'sRosh·May 19, 2022
Glad to see someone mention this . I am a strong believer in learning new skills (not work related).. took up kick boxing two months ago. Haven’t been as regular at class as I’d like. Also started learning Spanish (Duolingo) this year and I am loving it.
Aileen'sAileen·May 19, 2022
I’ve taken up yoga in the past couple of years. I’m also doing a masters in history of family for fun. Loving it.
iynna'sIynna·May 21, 2022
Power to you Aileen! Love the masters for fun:)Also we miss you at our Community members chats :(
Aileen'sAileen·May 21, 2022
I miss the chats too. I haven’t seen any information on them. 🥺
iynna'sIynna·May 22, 2022
Oh no really! We had one today! :-(
Aileen'sAileen·May 22, 2022
If I’d known I’d have tried to drop in. Though I was at a conference on “Black ‘47” (the worst year of the great Irish famine) so it might have been tight. I hope the chat was at least as excellent as the conference. Let me know when the next one is and I’ll mark my diary.
iynna'sIynna·May 22, 2022
Yes we post it on every new member thread and as a separate post! The chat was amazing - we tried something new and had a member of the community be co host ! I will certainly keep you posted on next one!
neurd'sneurd·May 20, 2022
I'm learning to throw pottery! I spend so much time in my brain or at my computer, I wanted to build something with my hands. It's super satisfying!
Naomi'sNaomi·May 26, 2022
omg!! at a studio!!? I love this idea.
neurd'sneurd·May 26, 2022
Yeah! There are a few in my city, and some even let you book out the wheels for an event :)
katyapavlopoulos'skatyapavlopoulos·May 20, 2022
I started learning Greek on Duolingo just because I've always been fascinated with Greek culture, mythology, music, cultural texts... 660 day streak today actually! I'm also learning guitar in my free time and I *intend to* (haven't started yet) to revisit physics for fun -- I was never a physics person at all, and as I get older I realize it's because the teachers I had never tried to explain physics well. If you think about the subject, like why the sky is blue or how magnets work, it seems like it should be fascinating, so why was I bored out of my mind? Hoping to remedy this now that I'm an adult ❤️
Naomi'sNaomi·May 26, 2022
I feel that about physics so much -- I think there are plenty of teachers who just don't really get excited about the material sometimes and that can rub off on the kids. I would think taking physics as an adult would be a fun brain challenge too -- keep ya sharp :)
Catherin3'sKatham·May 22, 2022
I'm currently learning Italian and exploring the writing world. I love learning and trying new things. The only downside is when I choose too many things at the same time.
Naomi'sNaomi·May 26, 2022
I TOTALLY IDENTIFY WITH THIS!!! If you find a solution, please tell me haha. I never know how to channel my focus on a hobby (even when it's for fun which is weird). I feel like I need some psych hacks to get myself to keep trying at something.
Catherin3'sKatham·May 26, 2022
Haha it's so hard right?What has helped me has been to join activities or groups that add some structure or deadlines. For example:- I wanted to write so I joined a cohort-based course that forced me to do that. After it ended, I am working with a friend as accountability partners for writing something every week.- I wanted to create visuals, so I joined a "challenge" on drawing something for 30 days. I made like 25 visuals.- I wanted to improve my fitness, so I signed up for 2 events that would force me to train haha :)
maraimmasoud'smaraimmasoud·May 23, 2022
I am learning French and doing some courses on dress making and fashion design.
Naomi'sNaomi·May 26, 2022
!!! how did you pick dress making? have you always been into sewing? my sister is big into medieval fashion and made her own dress for a renaissance fair and I was always impressed by her confidence to just say "heck I'm gonna make it myself"
maraimmasoud'smaraimmasoud·May 27, 2022
I turned into dress making since I find myself complaining one of the these threes whenever I decicd to buy something: style, color, fabric. I learned to sew during the pandemic. I am still beginner, but I like that I can adjust whatever I am buying at home.
Naomi'sNaomi·Jun 01, 2022
this would be such a good skill to have -- I have to get a dress altered this month and I wish I knew the ins and outs of that stuff!
Naomi'sNaomi·May 26, 2022
okay this thread got so much more love than I could ever have dreamed of and it makes me SO happy to hear about everyone's hobbies!
elptacek'sboboTjones·Jun 06, 2022
Japanese (Drops and Benkyo apps, Pimsleur audio). Linear algebra (combination of Strang's MIT lectures, 3Blue1Brown, plus some other assorted resources).
Naomi'sNaomi·Jun 14, 2022
Oh that's super cool Erin! Why Linear algebra? (besides the fact that it's definitely a fun puzzle)
elptacek'sboboTjones·Jun 27, 2022
I have no particular goal other than to learn linear algebra.
Naomi'sNaomi·Jun 29, 2022
that's so freaking cool.
Mirna'sMirna·Jun 15, 2022
handstands :) anything with horses (as long as it's nice to the horse :D) :) history. about other countries and cultures. But in the end, I spend most of my time reading positive psychology books and materials, and books about training/education - it is my work as well, but also biggest passion in terms of learning. I would love to pick up a new language, but my brain does feel a bit overstretched at the moment :D
Naomi'sNaomi·Jun 16, 2022
how are the handstands coming? also yeah I know for myself one of the biggest struggles is focus -- I feel like I try to do too many things and then don't end up learning any one topic to the extent I wanted to hahaha. I have recently been making quarterly learning goals for work but started doing it for hobbies too -- so useful. Is there anything you do to keep your brain not so overstretched?
Mirna'sMirna·Jul 04, 2022
For brain overstretch, for me the best cure is nature :) and silence and being alone.Also journaling and meditation. But nature, movement, silence do come first.Handstands are a bit on hold :/ as my trainer moved away to place that is quite a commute for me so I am contemplating next steps how to go about it :/
Naomi'sNaomi·Jul 08, 2022
NOOOOOO!!!! not the handstands!!!I feel like we so undervalue nature's place in our lives -- we're meant to LIVE IN it after all -- it's so interesting that it feels almost revolutionary to say we need time in nature because we've drifted so far away from that life. totally agree :)
FAQ∙Who's Hiring∙Posts∙Resources∙Terms∙Privacy∙Sitemap∙© 2024 Elpha