Interesting Things to Learn: A Comprehensive Guide to Expanding Your Horizons

Are you experiencing that familiar feeling of boredom, where you feel like there's absolutely nothing to do? Believe it or not, this is the perfect opportunity to learn something new! This article explores a wide range of interesting skills and topics you can delve into, from practical life skills to creative hobbies and mind-expanding knowledge.

Practical Skills for Everyday Life

1. Home Improvement and DIY

Basic Car Maintenance: Learning how to change a tire is a valuable skill that can save you time and money, and provide a sense of self-reliance. Howdini’s tutorial on how to get back on track after a flat tire is a must-watch. You’ll not only learn how to mount a spare, but how to do it safely and without risking injury from passing traffic. This skill can be particularly useful in emergency situations.
Simple Home Repairs: Fixing a hole in drywall might not be the most glamorous skill, but it's certainly a satisfying and essential one. Instead of hiring a handyman, utilize resources like Lowe's videos to guide you through repairs for everything from small nail holes to larger dents.
Organization: Learning how to organize and what to organize can totally change your home! There’s an art to organizing that actually takes some time and patience to learn. Many people believe that organizing is easy to learn, just a lot of work. I’d argue that it’s exactly the opposite. Hard to learn yet easy to do… ONCE you know how to do it properly and efficiently! Add organizing to your list of things to learn next time you’re bored!

2. Financial Literacy

Budgeting: Understanding how to create and stick to a budget is a crucial life skill. It allows you to manage your finances effectively, save for the future, and avoid unnecessary debt. There’s so much information available for free or for a reasonable sum that going to school for many skills seems like a waste of time and money.
Upcycling: Learning how to repurpose old items into new and useful things is not only environmentally friendly but also a great way to save money and unleash your creativity.

3. Culinary Arts

Cooking: Mastering a few basic dishes is essential for everyone. Knowing how to cook allows you to prepare healthy and delicious meals for yourself and your loved ones, saving money on dining out. MasterClass is a great way to learn how to cook (among other things). They offer classes for super cheap from professionals and big names. For example, Gordon Ramsey offers a class all on cooking! Cooking shows, videos, and even a good old recipe book can also teach you all you need to know.
Coffee Making: Learning to make your own coffee at home is a fun and rewarding experience that can save you money and allow you to customize your drinks to your liking. Learning to make my own coffee at home has actually changed the game. This is a win all around. Definitely add coffee to the list of things to learn when you’re bored!
Baking Bread: Baking bread from scratch is a satisfying skill that allows you to create delicious and wholesome food for yourself and your family.
Produce Selection: Learning how to pick out good produce ensures that you're buying the freshest and most flavorful ingredients for your meals. Do you tap on a watermelon to see if it’s ripe? Smell it?

Creative and Artistic Pursuits

1. Visual Arts

Photography: Photography is such an art. I used to think it was simple… you just take a picture, how hard can it be, right? I took a photography class in college and I was SHOCKED at how much goes into it. But it is so much fun to learn! Definitely a great skill to have!
Painting and Drawing: Painting or drawing is a great option for a skill to learn when bored. It is fun, kills time, and is an incredible outlet! My sister actually took up painting recently in her free time and she is already SO GOOD! She just started with a small canvas, some watercolor paints, and some online tutorials. It’s crazy how fast she learned. Learning how to paint or draw is a great option for a skill to learn when bored. It is fun, kills time, and is an incredible outlet!
Calligraphy: If you’ve mastered cursive and want to take your writing skills to the next level, or if you just want to be able to enhance your next handwritten invitation, this how-to on modern calligraphy gives you a broad scope of the basics. Start by practicing all of letters individually to get used to making a thin upstroke and thick downstroke-and while you’re at it, you’ll be able to hone in on your favorite lettering style.
Graphic Design: Always wanted to learn graphic design? It’s another great side gig and a way to make extra money from home! There are lots of classes online, starting with the basics all the way to the expert level.

2. Performing Arts

Playing a Musical Instrument: Learning to play an instrument can provide a creative outlet, improve cognitive function, and bring joy to your life. I decided to try again, and this time I’m working on remembering how to play piano with the help of Pianoforall and Hoffman Academy. Want to learn a different instrument like the banjo, violin, ukelele, or other instrument? To learn, you’ll need the instrument of your choice (you might find it on Amazon).
Singing: I had always wanted to get better at singing but have never had the opportunity to take lessons.
Dancing: A new dance is always a fun thing to learn when bored. No matter how awkward or insecure you may be (and you’re not alone), there comes a time when everyone must hit the dance floor. Thankfully, this video from The Wall Street Journal breaks down the art of dancing into three easy steps: finding the basic beat of the music; step-touching with your feet; and trying variations of the step-touch to make it your own. It's an incredibly simple way to make the terrifying task of dancing in front of your friends and relatives a bit less daunting.
Magic Tricks: This video by Troom Troom SELECT shows you how to prepare and perform not just one, but 20 wildly different magic tricks. Each bit is designed for beginner magicians, but they’ll still dazzle your unsuspecting audience.
Juggling: Juggling is one of those skills that looks hard but is pretty easy once you get the hang of it. This video will help you learn to juggle three balls at once, starting from the very basics (learn to toss one ball back and forth with your eyes closed) up until you feel comfortable adding the second and third ball.
Making Balloon Animals: Balloon animals are irresistible. If you want to be a hit at the next children’s birthday party you attend, this video by Balloon Animals on how to make a balloon dog is the place to start. It’s commonly the first animal twisters learn to make, and because it requires three “lock” twists (at the ears and each set of legs), you’ll learn how to make a sturdy animal from the get-go.

3. Writing and Storytelling

Creative Writing: Do creative writing.
Storytelling: Become skilled at storytelling.

4. Crafting

Knitting and Crocheting: Crochet or knit. This how-to takes a look at the very first step necessary to knit anything: casting on. Let the soothing voice of Kristen Mangus of Goodknit Kisses be your guide as you learn to make your first stitch. Once you master that skill, GoodKnit Kisses has hundreds more videos of different techniques and tutorials for you to tackle.
Sewing: I know several people who joke that their dogs are just wild animals that live in their homes. I realized my dogs had always been this way too. They weren’t mean or harmful, but they also didn’t like to sit, stay, come, or fetch… much less do anything more advanced.
Candle Making: Did you know you can make candles in your slow-cooker?! I didn’t until I decided to learn this in my free time. Forget spending hundreds at Bath & Body Works, go grab your slow cooker (this is mine that I SWEAR BY if you need an affordable one!), and get to making some candles!
Cross-stitch: Cross-stitch is a form of sewing and a popular form of counted-thread embroidery in which X-shaped stitches in a tiled, raster-like pattern are used to form a picture. The stitcher counts the threads on a piece of evenweave fabric in each direction so that the stitches are of uniform size and appearance. This form of cross-stitch is also called counted cross-stitch in order to distinguish it from other forms of cross-stitch. Sometimes cross-stitch is done on designs printed on the fabric ; the stitcher simply stitches over the printed pattern.

5. Digital Arts

Videography and Video Editing: Videography is a lot like photography. It looks a LOT easier than it actually is. To add to that even more, editing videos is another art itself. I took a video class to learn how to take and edit videos and I still have lots to learn. This is definitely a good thing to learn when bored because it will take up lots of time! The learning is never truly done. Plus (a major bonus!) you can sell your skills afterward. Videographers and video editors are SO needed in the freelancing space. I am always seeing job postings on Upwork (a site for freelance work) looking for videographers/editors - and they pay really well.
Web Development: Write HTML or other computer code. Create a web page.

Mental and Physical Well-being

1. Mindfulness and Meditation

Meditation: This is another thing that I think is so often overlooked. Meditation actually takes a lot of learning, practice, and skill! To be able to properly meditate, there are specific steps you should follow. Meditation (and all mind-related skills) are great things to learn when bored. Using a meditation app or online class can be one of the best ways to do this. Alo Moves offers some of the best mindfulness and meditation classes I’ve ever taken. You can start a free trial on Alo Moves to get a feel for it. Meditation is so great for mental health, mental clarity, and overall wellness! Definitely a skill worth learning next time you’re bored.
Yoga: Much like meditation, yoga can be a great tool for mental health, physical health, and overall wellness! I personally really love using AloMoves for my yoga classes. It feels way more personal - like you are one-on-one with the instructor. There are also tons of follow-along YouTube tutorials for yoga! My favorite is Yoga With Adriene on YouTube.

2. Personal Development

Self-Improvement: Books and blogs, baby! They have taught me so much and helped me to become a better person. To get you started on learning some self-improvement skills, I have a HUGE list of 30-Day Challenges for Self-Improvement.
People Skills: I took these miserable moments as motivation to learn people skills when I got bored. This may seem intuitive but there are actually tons of tips and tricks you can LEARN to make yourself more of a “people person”. Working on people skills has helped me overcome social anxiety, be a better conversationalist, have better communication in my relationships, work better with team members at work, and (best of all) lessen those DREADFUL awkward breaks in conversations. This is probably not at the top of your ideas for things to learn when bored… I had no idea I could “learn” this either. But it has made such a huge difference for me.
First Aid and CPR: Learn CPR and basic first-aid.

3. Physical Activities

Learning a New Sport: Learn a new sport.
Navigating: Navigate somewhere new.

Intellectual and Knowledge-Based Pursuits

1. Language Learning

Learning a New Language: Learning a new language is a great way to get ready for a trip to a foreign country or just broaden your horizons and stretch your brain. If you want to help your kids learn a new language, check out Talkbox.mom. They promise that you can help your family members learn the language even if you don’t know it! You might already know namaste and konnichiwa, but what about zdravo, ahoj, or annyeong? Let Lingualizer be your guide to cross-cultural greetings in 46 different languages. Whether you’re planning a trip around the world or just want to impress at a party, this two-minute tutorial will help you make friends no matter where you go.

2. Computer and Technology Skills

Computer Shortcuts: Did you know that it is only in this past year that I learned Command + Shift + 3 takes a screenshot on a Mac? What the heck else am I missing out on with these computer shortcuts?! This is actually something I really want to learn when bored. I feel like these should be common knowledge and they’re not… or maybe I’m just getting old?
Coding: There is seriously such a market out there for coders if it interests you. The amount of time that I have spent on tech support with a coder for my blog is insane. If you have any interest in computers, code, etc., this is a great skill to learn when you are bored. Master this and you can get paid MAJOR to help people like me out. (This is another job that is in super high demand on Upwork.

3. Games and Puzzles

Solving a Rubik's Cube: My brother learned how to solve the Rubik’s Cube when we were growing up and could eventually do it in under a minute! I’m certainly not that fast yet, but my oldest three kids and I can finally solve the basic 3×3 Rubik’s cube.
Chess: My grandmother taught me to play chess as a child, and I’ve always enjoyed it. She also never let me win. Beating her was one of the crowning accomplishments of my life, as both of my grandparents were in Mensa, and she was quite the lady!

4. Nature and Science

Nutrition: It is SO important to know about your body’s nutritional needs. To me, it is fascinating to know how different nutrients react and affect your body. Now that’s a good thing to learn about in your free time.
Beekeeping: Have you always wanted to have bees? This course is a great way to learn all about beekeeping. It will give you step-by-step guidance to build confidence to start this new hobby.
Identifying plants and animals: One of the best ways to tell crows and ravens apart is by their calls, but there are other clues.

5. Other skills

Learning faster: Learning faster is a valuable skill everyone can use!
Music theory: Music theory is helpful for learning any instrument, and while I learned it as a kid, I don’t remember enough to teach it well. To learn, you’ll need the course “Music Theory Comprehensive Complete!

Hobbies and Interests

Gardening: Garden.
Doing Your Nails at Home: Doing your nails at home allows you full control over them, lets you be creative, keeps you in the comfort of your own home, saves you TONS of money, and helps you overcome boredom! Whether you are a regular polish, gel polish, or full-on acrylic girl, there is an option for you at home. I started doing my own acrylic nails at home. They turn out just as great and cost a FRACTION of the price. Definitely one of the best skills I’ve learned when bored.
Latte art: Latte art is a method of preparing coffee created by pouring microfoam into a shot of espresso and resulting in a pattern or design on the surface of the latte. It can also be created or embellished by simply "drawing" in the top layer of foam. Latte art is particularly difficult to create consistently, due to the demanding conditions required of both the espresso shot and milk. This, in turn, is limited by the experience of the barista and quality of the espresso machine.
Knot Tying: Square Knot, Clove Hitch, Bowline, Figure 8, Sheet Bend, Two Half Hitches, Carrick Bend, and so many more.

Earning Opportunities

Starting a Blog: Starting a blog is NO EASY TASK! But it sure is fun to learn! My entire blog actually started out of boredom one day… and now it’s a full-on money-making side hustle. I got started by just purchasing my blog domain with Bluehost hosting… and then I took it upon myself to learn everything I could! I started to teach myself by utilizing YouTube, Google, and blogging courses. Definitely recommend learning how to start a blog if you find yourself bored often. Who knows what it may turn into! You may end up making some money from it like me!
Creating a YouTube Channel: Looking to earn some money with an online job? This course helps you learn how to create a YouTube channel.
Freelancing: Videographers and video editors are SO needed in the freelancing space. I am always seeing job postings on Upwork (a site for freelance work) looking for videographers/editors - and they pay really well.

Interesting Facts

A ‘payola’ guitar is an electric guitar with four pickups and four output sockets, so that 1950s session players could get paid four times while playing one solo.
Job satisfaction in the US is at a 35-year-high.
The US Defence Department earns $100m/year operating slot machines used by soldiers on their bases.
1 in 5 people currently have a disability. 100% of people will have some form of disability in their lifetime.
A specialness spiral is when you wait for the perfect time to use something, then end up never using it at all.
Psychedelic cryptography is a way of concealing messages (normally in videos) so that only people who’ve taken LSD can receive the messages.
When Italy banned Chat-GPT, productivity of coders in the country fell by 50% before recovering.
Canadian researchers gave homeless people $7,500 in a bank account that they could spend on anything they wanted. They spent it on food, clothes, and rent. Many moved into stable housing and saved enough to give them some stability.
“Bertie Sheldrake was a South London pickle manufacturer who converted to Islam and became king of a far-flung Islamic republic before returning to London and settling back into obscurity.”
Humans are now roughly as tall as we were 12,000 years ago. 4,000 years ago, the average man was 5’4”.
Some corrupt Mexican police are now using card terminals to make collecting bribes at traffic stops more convenient.
The number of supercentenarians in an area tends to fall dramatically about 100 years after accurate birth records are introduced.
In the 19th Century, champagne was sweetened depending on local tastes.
A “nonattitude” is a weakly held belief, entirely invented in response to a question in an opinion poll.
Three-quarters of the murders in Chicago are caused by arguments, altercations that have gone too far.
Hookworm infestation might be a cure for hay fever.
In August, two Chinese influencers with elderly audiences, Xiucai and Yixiaoqingcheng, held a ‘livestream battle’ where they competed for tips.
Researchers have created a detailed live 3D model of all the people in a room by analysing Wifi signals using consumer-grade antennas.
The top 10% of US motorists use more petrol than the bottom 60%.
New research shows that placebos are effective in reducing feelings of guilt, but they work less well on shame.
People in historically rice-farming areas are less happy and compare themselves socially more than people in wheat-farming areas.
French Champagne is too cheap.
Guardian Centers is a privately owned disaster preparedness training campus, which includes 1.7 km of four lane highway and two city blocks of “dynamic collapsed structures.”
Fake belly buttons are temporary tattoo-style stickers.
Washboard sales went up 57% during the pandemic, inspired by “fears of societal collapse and limited laundry service”, although 40% are sold as percussion instruments.
Only 28 books sold more than 500,000 copies in the US in 2022. Eight of them were by romance novelist Colleen Hoover.
The average US fridge uses 3-5 times more electricity than an entire human being consumes in Nigeria.
31% of all children attending University of Chicago Burn Center for scalding injuries were hurt by instant noodles.
Scotland’s forest cover is nearly back to where it was 1,000 years ago, while England has risen to levels last seen in 1350.
For millennia, the population of North and Central Switzerland suffered mysterious health problems: large neck swellings and congenital abnormalities.
A Locate Rodeo is where people who work for utilities like electricity, water and gas come together to competitively locate underground hazards.
Two street food stalls, in Bangkok and Singapore, have Michelin stars. The third, a Singaporean noodle stall, lost its star in 2021 after expanding into a chain.
For both stone-age people and modern enthusiasts, making flint tools is surprisingly dangerous.
Ukrainian defenders print out giant 1:1 life-size aerial photographs of damaged airfields.
Windows are the enemy of the art dealer.
In Oklo, Gabon, a natural uranium deposit underground achieved criticality, generating heat as a natural nuclear reactor.
Scientists in Singapore have developed a tiny flexible battery, powered by the salt in human tears, designed for smart contact lenses.
Since 1986, Nepal’s timezone has been 5 hours and 45 minutes ahead of GMT.
Ligniloc is a compressed wooden nail that can be fired from a nailgun
In 1909, George Cove was New York’s biggest solar power and battery innovator.
In 1992 there was a bank robbery every 45 minutes in Los Angeles.
Steering a bike is much, much more complicated than it seems.
Infant mortality in Rajasthan fell by 30% between 2016 and 2021 - so over 100,000 more babies in the state celebrate their first birthday each year.