Free Online Classes at "Open Culture"

By Michael H. on May 9, 2012

photo from flickr.com, uploaded by http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewcornell/4683034709/

Having just finished my third year in college, I know it’s incredibly tempting to spend your summer lounging around and wasting time. You’ve earned it, right? After 8 grueling months going from classroom to classroom, rest and relaxation sounds great.

After a couple weeks, you’ll find out that everyone else is usually busy. They are taking classes, working, traveling, etc. If you haven’t made any plans, you’ll probably end up sitting around being bored.

I offer an alternative.

We are part of the digital generation. My computer is chalked full of do-it-yourself guides that I found fascinating, but will probably never actually need to implement. Each day we have the opportunity to learn something new. So, with all the free time you’ll have this summer, why not take an online course?

OpenCulture.com offers over 400 free online courses through a variety of mediums, including iTunes, YouTube, Vimeo, and more.

Classes range from archaeology to business to engineering to environment & natural resources. So many courses are offered that you are bound to find something you’re interested in. The bonus is that it costs nothing but your time, so you can check out as many courses as you like even if the course doesn’t pertain to the degree you’re studying.

With the amount of information available to us, there is no reason anyone should lounge around all summer. For some, learning is tedious, and you may find yourself looking into another means of spending your time. For those interested, you have nothing to lose.

You will be able to enter your next semester with even more knowledge, and possibly check out a course or lecture that turns you into a whiz in one of your classes next semester. Who prefers to struggle in a class when it could have been a breeze?

I wish you luck in finding your path this summer. Before you decide that the path of learning is not for you, just remember:

There is no end to education. It is not that you read a book, pass an examination, and finish with education. The whole of life, from the moment you are born to the moment you die, is a process of learning.
-Jiddu Krishnamurti

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