7 free websites to learn new skills

Everyone wants to better themselves in some way. From learning new skills to managing our emotions,  there’s always something to work on — and ways to grow as a student as well as an individual. 

Still, it can be hard to find the time to improve yourself as a student, especially when you have a multitude of assignments, exams and projects to keep up with. In fact, it can seem impossible to spend any time on anything other than work — not without feeling incredibly guilty about any time wasted, of course.  

Continuous learning, however, is an important part of developing as a human being. This refers to the “self-motivated persistence in acquiring knowledge and competencies” to “expand your skill set and develop future opportunities.” In short, it’s essential that you keep your brain constantly engaged not only with your study materials, but the world around you. 

Luckily, there are ways to keep learning new skills even when you’re constantly busy. You don’t need to fork out a lot of money too. In a thread that has gained mass popularity, Twitter user @UpSkillYourLife outlined a list of websites that allow you to learn something new without sacrificing too much time, effort or money.

12 hidden gem websites to visit when you are bored + to learn new skills

– Thread –

— UpSkillYourLife (@UpSkillYourLife) August 20, 2022

Here are our top picks of the best websites for learning new skills and discovering the world around you when you are bored or have time to spare: 

Best websites for learning new skills 

MapCrunch 

Have you ever wished to close your eyes and teleport yourself to a completely different place in the world? While you can’t do this just yet, MapCrunch offers you the next best thing. 

Through this website, you’ll be virtually teleported to a random place in the world through Google Street View. This way, you can explore the scenery, magical moments or unexpected quirks of 50 countries, all through your laptop. 

Astronomy Picture of the Day

If you’re keen on exploring the world, imagine being able to explore the cosmos. NASA is releasing a different image or photograph of our universe every single day. 

Alongside this, you’ll get a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer — giving you plenty of room to learn new and fascinating facts about the universe we live in. 

Music Theory.net

Want a quick and easy way of learning new skills? Music Theory.net offers exactly that. 

Here, you can learn everything you need to know about music theory — from the basics such as how to tell one note apart from the other to how to understand rhythm. The website is complete with lessons, exercises and tools to help you become a future maestro. 

There are many ways to keep learning new skills even when you’re constantly busy. Source: Hazem Bader/AFP

DoItYourself.com

As a student, it’s undeniable that paying for convenience doesn’t often come cheap. This is where DoItYourself.com comes into play. From repairing your heating to fixing your plumbing, learning new skills is easy on this website — and will benefit you in the long run too. 

More than that, it has comprehensive buyer’s guides on what you should know when purchasing household appliances, electronics, furnishings and other essential items. 

Duolingo 

By now, every student has heard of Duolingo as the ultimate free and effective way to learn a new language. The app operates through quick, bite-sized lessons that are backed by research, allowing you to absorb and develop new communication skills on the go. 

The best part? Some countries accept Duolingo tests as proof of your ability to adequately speak a language — which can be a huge cost when making visa applications.

MuscleWiki

With its “mission to build the world’s exercise database”, MuscleWiki is a simple, fuss-free website that helps you stay fit. Here, you can find information on the exercises you need and exactly which parts of your body to target in order to achieve your fitness goals.  

MuscleWiki works so well because it gets rid of all the clutter of online workouts. There are no five-minute introductions as is common for YouTube workouts. Instead, you get the information you need right away. 

What Should I Read Next?

Choosing a new book to read can be exhausting, especially with the millions of options out there. The trickier part is finding something that you actually want to read. 

What Should I Read Next? simplifies this process by giving you recommendations based on what you already like. Just enter a book you like and the website will analyse its database of real readers’ favourite works to give you a suggestion of what you should undertake next.