I know some of you are probably thinking “how boring will this article be” but I assure you it won’t be. The first thing I will bring up is computer programming. Now, most would probably say you need a classroom for this, but really all you need is a good instructor,good source material,and a thirst for knowledge. Oh, and of course a computer. The second subject you might want to study on your free time is film, I myself am a great fan of independent films. To me what makes a film worth watching is the time,research, and dedication put into making it.

If a film is made sloppily,I (and anyone else) will probably tell you your film needs work. However,I would also tell you how to improve your film-making skills.

The third and fourth things worth studying outside of school is freelance art and journalism. There is only so much a person can learn within the walls of a classroom. The best studies are done on the outside of those walls. Real world hands on exploration and research. There is a writer by the name of Hunter Thompson, he was a “gonzo” journalist.

Gonzo is a hands on form of journalism where the writer gets involved in what he is writing about. I have covered that in another article so I won’t go too in depth with explaining it.  Hunter believed not just in gonzo journalism, but gonzo living. To put my two cents in, the best learning is gonzo learning.

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The fifth thing you might want to learn about outside the confines of a classroom, is anything else that interests you. Classrooms are good,for a time, but then it’s time to go out and put education into practice. Having book knowledge is great, but if it is never applied in life and never expanded on then often it gets wasted. Do you really want to be one of those that spends your time so confined that your knowledge is useless except to pass tests and write term papers? Of course not.

So my advice, is get out there and live!