By Lillee Bellia When put into writing, the concept of learning something new every day sounds like a daunting task. Do you need to crack open an encyclopedia and complete lengthy research? Should you re-enroll in school? These seem like the most common steps needed to accurately educate ourselves. ...

By Lillee Bellia

When put into writing, the concept of learning something new every day sounds like a daunting task. Do you need to crack open an encyclopedia and complete lengthy research? Should you re-enroll in school? These seem like the most common steps needed to accurately educate ourselves. However, learning doesn’t have to be such a formal endeavor. With the combination of curiosity and a desire to find answers, you can teach yourself almost anything!

As a college student with strong career aspirations and an even stronger hunger to learn, I have challenged myself to learn as much about my interests as possible. Since I can only speak on behalf of myself, I will share 3 ways that I open my mind to new concepts and ideas every single day.

YouTube
YouTube is often seen as a platform of silly videos intended to make people laugh; however, it is also a community full of “How-to” videos and professionals who share career advice. I’ve completed many searches to find creators who are working in my desired industry and providing insight into how they have earned their place in the workforce. Watching people speak about their own personal stories tends to put my mind at ease because everyone has gone through their own struggles and setbacks. Some YouTubers that inspire and motivate me include Devon Lee Carlson and Latasha James, both of which are entrepreneurs with their own businesses. Devon’s family founded Wildflower Cases, a company that creates phone cases and partners with influencers across various social media platforms. Her videos offer a personal look into her life, and I find it very interesting to see how she balances her own life while also running a business. Latasha is a freelance social media manager who makes videos and training sessions to share her journey and offer tips for effectively maintaining a social media presence. Both of these women motivate me to keep on the right track and try out my own ideas.

LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a suitable place to store your experiences and create a living resume for yourself, but it also provides you with the opportunity to communicate with successful people. I have sent many messages to people who work at companies that I am interested in, along with people who hold a position that I would love to learn more about. Almost every message that I’ve sent has resulted in the person accepting my connection request, and a handful have messaged me back and answered my questions. Cold-messaging seems frightening at first, but I’ve learned that it doesn’t hurt to reach out. People are generally flattered when you come to them for advice and are usually willing to help out and offer their wisdom. I’ve found that reaching out to people who attended the same university that I am currently attending are more willing to respond and chat.

Podcasts
Listening to podcasts is a great way to fill your commute to work with valuable information in an entertaining way. There are thousands of podcasts to choose from, and like YouTube, most of them are informative and career-oriented. I tend to listen to podcasts centered around entrepreneurship, women in business, and creating & sustaining a brand image. These are all areas that I want to learn more about and incorporate into my own long-term goals, so I enjoy listening while I’m in the car. I am currently hooked on the Girlboss Radio podcast with Sophia Amoruso, founder of Nasty Gal. Each episode features a female entrepreneur who tells her story, and shares any advice that she can offer. I recently listened to an episode with the founders of The Skimm and loved hearing about their journey leaving what they had thought were their “dream jobs” to start a company that they knew was the future.

I think a lot of people are scarred by the days of reading 100+ pages in textbooks that they have absolutely no interest in, and consequently forgetting everything that they just “learned.” Learning does not have to be boring, and it definitely does not have to be painful. Think of your own interests and seek out entertaining and effective ways of getting your questions answered. I promise that it can be fun!