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"How much longer do you think you'll take to graduate?"
I was asked this half way through my junior year of college and had every plan to graduate the following year. At the very least, graduate before deciding to do something else. While I know this person didn't mean anything harmful by it, I couldn't help but feel embarrassed that I was somehow taking much longer to graduate college than what was deemed "normal". In fact, according to my quick google searches, on average more people graduate between five and six years than those who graduate in four.
But.
Here's the thing.
I shouldn't have felt embarrassed then. I'm not embarrassed that I took a little longer than some of my peers - six years instead of four. I'm not embarrassed that I changed my major and went a different route therefore needing to wait until I was a Sophomore to start Graphic Design classes. I enjoyed going to classes and while I didn't always enjoy writing essays or taking the tests, I have always loved learning something new and something different.
I still do today.
Thankfully, with the Internet it's not required to sign up for college classes to learn something new. This is of course, unless you're looking to add a degree to your wall and in that case, may the force be with you. The fact remains the same, no matter how much I think I know, there's always something new and a new way of doing what I think I already know.
With that, I wanted to share some of my favorite websites, online classes and resources in case you're like me and would love to learn something new.
YouTube / Google
One of the best resources we have is free! You don't have to pay a bunch of money to learn something different and new. What did I do when I wanted to learn how to change a kitchen faucet? Clean out my AC? Learn how people did nail art when I was going through my nail polish craze? I went straight to Google and YouTube. In fact, the other day I went to YouTube and looked up 'Misty Tree Watercolor Tutorial' and watched how someone did it.
YouTube and Google are my best friends.
Skillshare
I absolutely LOVE Skillshare. I've been a member for over five years and have watched several classes on hand lettering and watercolor. Not interested in either of those two? That's fine. The options don't stop there! There are over 20,000 classes on Skillshare on any thing from writing, the arts, technology, business to lifestyle and cooking. You're bound to find something interesting on Skillshare. Do you have a skill you want to share with the world? You can even sign up to be a teacher!
On a month to month basis, Skillshare costs $15 / month. If you choose to do the premium, it is a lump sum of $99 - making it $8.25 / month.
Unsure? I have a referral link that will allow you to give Skillshare Premium a try for two months without any strings attached.
Brit + Co
Brit + Co has a much smaller course offering but it's selection of lettering, drawing, calligraphy and painting classes is very good! Unlike Skillshare, if you find a class you want to take, you can purchase it individually (between $29-39 each) or purchase a 'bundle' for a discounted price. Over all, they are very well done and enjoyable.
Lynda
While I don't currently use this one, I used it a lot while in school to learn Adobe Flash and Adobe Premier. It has a steeper ticket price at $30/month or roughly $300/year but it has discounts for students and teachers. It is a great resource if you're wanting in depth tutorials on how to use a program or learn a particular new skill. There are thousands of classes to choose from taught by industry experts.
Craftsy
I haven't used this one as much either but I have signed up for a course with renowned hand letterer Adam Vicarel through it. Like Skillshare, Craftsy ranges in price between $15/month and $120/year. The class options list is limited to the craftier side of life, so, If you want to learn to weave, knit, garden or paint, this is a great resource!
Local workshops & classes
One of the best resources for me was following local businesses in the city on Facebook and finding out who offers workshops / classes on what I'm interested in. I've attended many workshops taught by calligraphers and hand letterers in my city and they're so enjoyable. Having trouble with painting a flower or making a certain letter? If that's what the workshop is about, they will help you! Hand lettering and painting aren't the only ones having fun either, there are loads of other opportunities to brush up on forgotten skills or try your hand at something new.
Finally, our online community is a great resource on its own! There are a number of people who offer classes / challenges through Facebook and Instagram and other journaling websites. It's through the people I follow that I found two of my current classes both listed and linked below
What am I taking currently?
Passion to Paid with Lauren Hom
Learn Copperplate Calligraphy with Younghae Chung at Logos Calligraphy
Design House Prep School with Design House of Moira
Food Illustration : Design Your Favourite Fruity Recipe on Skillshare with Ohn Mar Win
What about you? Have another website or resource to share? Let me know in the comments!