One of the biggest hurdles people face when embarking on a journey of self-education is deciding what to learn. There are so many possibilities that it’s difficult to narrow down the options.
If you still don’t know what you want to focus your self-studies on, may I suggest you take a bit of time for “general education.” In college, we think of general education as the series of courses one must take to get a broad understanding of academics. Classes like English, math, and history, help students of all disciplines share a common base of knowledge.
In the “world campus,” a general education is anything that helps you explore your own interests and share a common understanding with humanity.
An inspiring essay from William Upski Wimsatt, published in Utne Reader, explores one self-educator’s personal curriculum:
“I…enrolled as a student at the University of Planet Earth, the world’s oldest and largest educational institution. It has billions of professors, tens of millions of books, and unlimited course offerings. Tuition is free, and everybody designs his or her own major.
Here’s my curriculum: Live in a different city every year. Attend a different place of worship every week. Seek out hundreds of mentors to help me find answers to my thousands of questions. Spend the rest of the time in the library and on the Internet. Create lists, make charts, and undertake the most ambitious projects I can think of. Create my own personal bible, almanac, and telephone book. Live in the poorest neighborhoods in order to learn how to get along in the world and to save money, so I can travel to a different continent each year.”
Now, that’s an exciting curriculum. You may not have same adventurous spirit or mobility as Wimsatt. But, you can design a general education curriculum that helps you discover your passions.
Once you’ve completed your general education studies, you’ll be better prepared to choose a focus and begin delving deeper into the subjects you love.
For a list of small steps to help you get started see: Deschooling Yourself.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
That would be extremely challenging not only in learning new things but settling in places you’ve never been before.
I agree, Savant. Sometimes a challenge is the best way to learn.
I think if you rigorously apply the “metacognition” trait from your list in the entry
“Building Intellectual Character” there will be no shortage of things to study.