I think it's safe to say, the internet, like any powerful tool, has the potential for both good and bad. Here at the SDC we probably write about the latter more often than the former: online scams, ID theft, privacy concerns, and so on. But there is an upside to the internet too: it is, after all, a vast repository of information and a great way to connect with others.
In this article, we're going to focus on the positive side of the internet and look at 8 useful skills you can teach yourself using only the resources available online. These are all skills that we think will be useful in your personal life, both for impressing your friends and just good old fashioned self-improvement. And best of all, they're all 100% free!
1. Learn a new language
The internet is a great resource for language learning, with a huge range of free resources available. Our personal recommendation is
Duolingo, which offers a fun and effective way to learn a new language on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. There's a paid version, but honestly we've never bothered - the amount of content available on the free version is truly staggering, and will keep you busy for months. As an English speaker, there are close to 40 different languages you can learn, from Spanish all the way to Swahili (yes, really!)
Duolingo is a fun and addictive way to learn dozens of new languages for free
2. Pick up a musical instrument
Playing a musical instrument is a great way to relax, relieve stress, and just have fun. If you've always wanted to learn an instrument but never had the time or money to take lessons, the internet is a great place to start. There are a number of websites that offer free online lessons for a variety of instruments, including guitar, piano, and even more obscure instruments like the ukulele.
The gold standard for learning guitar is actually a website run by an Aussie bloke,
Justin Sandercoe. Although there are some premium only offerings, Justin offers nearly 1300 lessons through his website and YouTube completely free of charge. There’s also free access to things like chord trainers, digital metronomes, and so on.
3. Improve your photography skills
With the advent of digital cameras and smartphones, just about everyone has access to a high-quality camera these days. But taking a great photo is more than just having a good camera. It's also about composition, lighting, and timing.
There are plenty of great resources online that can help you improve your photography skills. One such example is this 2.5 hour course provided on YouTube, completely free of charge, by Australian Geographic Photographer Chris Bray:
4. Cook as well as a Michelin starred chef
Okay, we might have been overselling it a little with the whole Michelin starred thing, but if you want to hone your cooking skills, the internet is a great place to start. There are dozens of websites and blogs devoted to teaching home cooks how to make restaurant-quality dishes. For example, this
free course provided by Rouxbe will teach you everything from improving your knife handling skills to introducing the ‘Map of Cooking’, a framework for thinking about cooking food, modelled after the thought process of real professional chefs.
5. Hone your knitting skills
If you're a keen knitter, or even if you've never picked up a pair of needles before, the internet is a great place to learn more about this relaxing and therapeutic hobby. There are loads of great knitting resources online, including pattern databases, how-to guides, and forums where you can chat with other knitters from all over the world.
Wool and the gang provides over
150 free How-To videos on knitting, crocheting, macrame, and embroidery, as well as dozens of free patterns to use.
6. Become fluent in sign language
This is a skill that could come in handy in a number of situations, whether you're communicating with a deaf friend or family member, or you're trying to communicate in a noisy environment. Note that sign language is not universal - it differs between countries. For example, Australian sign language (known as Auslan) has differences to American sign language.
Check out Defnav’s
free Auslan taster to get started with numbers, letters, and some basic phrases.
7. Grow your own organic food
If you're interested in eating healthier and being more environmentally friendly when it comes to food, then why not grow your own? You can find plenty of resources online to help you get started.
You'll have to put in some effort to get your garden started, but once it's up and running, it can be a fun and rewarding hobby. And you'll be able to enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor - literally!
There are a huge number of free resources available, but our favourite is a YouTube channel called ‘Self Sufficient Me’. He’s an Aussie, so all the advice he’ll be providing will be relevant, but - more importantly - he’s also got a cracking sense of humour:
8. Touch type / learn to type faster
If you spend any significant amount of time typing on a computer, then touch typing is a skill definitely worth learning. Touch typing simply means typing without looking at the keyboard, and it can be a huge time-saver, not to mention make you look much more professional when typing in front of others. And if you can already touch type (or sort of can, like us), there’s always room for improvement.
There are a number of typing tutorial websites available for free on the internet, such as
TypingClub. These websites will take you through a series of exercises to help you learn where all the keys are on the keyboard and how to type without looking.
After you’ve got the basics down, we recommend having a go at
Type racer for a bit of competitive fun.
Well, there you go! 8 useful skills you can teach yourself for free using the internet. We hope you find them useful. This is just the tip of the iceberg though. If you'd like a follow up article with additional skills (everything from meditation to chess), let us know.
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