As a nineteen year old who just finished high school, practically my entire life has been dedicated to learning and education. I still contribute any academic success I’ve had to my excellent preschool and elementary school teachers, who provided me with a solid foundation of academic subjects, and who always encouraged creativity, growth, to think for myself.

I’m currently studying Outdoor Leadership and Recreation Technology – essentially a fancy phrase for recreation specialist – at a local community college. Lectures and homework have never been my idea of fun, but I certainly respect the time and effort of those who collect and create the information as well as the teachers who present it. However, the field experiences I’ve had through the program have been nothing short of incredible. Hiking up to the side of a mountain and digging a snow pit to test avalanche conditions, ice climbing the side of a waterfall, and listening to recreation service providers talk about how they run their company have been unparalleled in my formal education. Studying in a text book how avalanches occur, or how companies are run certainly has the potential to provide individuals with the information they need to succeed, but going out into the job field and talking to those who actually work in the field is highly beneficial to information retention, and highly underused in lower level education. I’ve always believed that motivation is the key to education, and nothing has motivated me more than going, doing, seeing, talking in the real world.

I don’t just consider myself a learner when I’m at school though. Regardless of what I’m doing, my goal is always to improve, progress, or create. Most of my time not spent playing or prepping for Dungeons and Dragons (or D&D) is spent watched numbers of tabletop campaigns and information on being a game master (or GM) to improve my storytelling and role-play capabilities and information. My time spent not climbing is spent reading articles on improvement, watching goliaths of the climbing world send projects I still have yet to dream of climbing, and researching information on how climbing gyms are set up. My time spent not writing music is spent watching producers come up with new techniques and exploring new music through Soundcloud and Youtube.

The point I’m getting at is this. No matter what you do, what your hobby is, or what you want to learn, if you’re looking to improve, all you have to do is go to one website.

http://www.google.com

No really I’m serious.

Being born in a time where I can’t remember my family NOT owning a computer, I definitely take it for granted. But the amount of information, guides, videos, and research on the internet these days is relatively infinite, and growing by the minute. You don’t need to be a college student, or spend hundreds of dollars to take extravagant classes. You can learn pretty much everything you’re looking for from a comfy sofa, sweats, and a few Google searches. Quilting, backpacking, making hats, playing clawhammer banjo; it’s all there.

If you’re nervous to try something new, read up on it for a while. Get a general idea of the task. Maybe join a few forums and talk to the people who already know how to do the activity. Talk to friends and new people and get them to try it with you. Once you feel ready and confident; Go. Do. Because nothing is as fulfilling as trying something new, whether you succeed or fail.

But until then, open your web browser, open your mind, and enjoy.

“Man’s only limitation, within reason, lies in his development and use of his imagination, and subsequent motivation to action.” ~Mike Schank of Sector 7G