13 Amazing Things You Can Learn Online This Month

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You probably have infinite access to the internet, but did you know that you can do more than watch cute cat videos? Online colleges and YouTube offer free courses that can help you get ahead. Not only that, but these online colleges and video courses teach you everything you need to know in a super-short amount of time, which means you can learn something new this month and still have time to watch all the cat vids you want. From coding to Excel to public speaking, these courses make it easy to learn something new.

Public Speaking

Speaking in front of a crowd is a literal nightmare for most people. This University of Washington course only asks a few hours of you a week to help tame your public speaking anxiety, which will make you better able to pitch your million-dollar idea or negotiate like a boss for your next raise.

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Coding

Learning to code can be an invaluable resource: A professional-looking website, the ability to code, or a basic understanding of a programming language can help you shoot to the top of the hiring pile in this tech-heavy economy. Code Academy breaks many of the coding languages, like HTML, CSS, Javascript, Python and more, into free, bite-sized lessons.

Marketing in a Digital World

Taking marketing into your own hands can expand your career. This University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign course teaches just how important your smartphone can be in terms of marketing yourself, your new business … or whatever company might want to hire you.

Adobe Photoshop

Graphics skills may seem unnecessary for someone in a non-design field, but understanding the basics of this photo editing software can help you grow better-rounded as an employee … especially if your company is downsizing. This Udemy course can teach you the basics so that you can mock up a quick logo or image to sell your ideas.

Increasing Your Vocabulary

Ever feel at a loss for the right word when you’re pitching your boss or colleagues? Freerice.com not only quizzes you on common English vocab, but also, for every right question you get, donates 10 grains of rice through the World Food Programme to end world hunger. Think of how many grains of rice you can donate with just two hours of being quizzed.

Speed Reading

Learning how to speed read may seem tough for busy people or evil Batman villains, but it isn’t. Spreeder’s program takes any copy you choose and spits it back out to you at your selected speed. Being well read means getting ahead, and Spreeder can help you power through all of the success and finance literature that’s going to take you to the next level professionally.

Successful Negotiation

If you want to get ahead at your job and make a fair wage, you need to learn how to properly negotiate. This course from University of Michigan has videos ranging from 5 to 20 minutes and they teach you how to plan your negotiating strategy and close the deal.

Building a Startup

This Stanford course was immortalized to video after it was taught in 2014. Presented by Sam Altman, the president of startup accelerator Y Combinator, this class has amazing entrepreneurs from businesses like PayPaI and Airbnb teaching you the process behind starting your own successful startup.

 

Reading Music

Fact: Studying music and playing an instrument strengthens brain functions. Data Dragon walks you through how to read music from the very beginning, starting with the definition of a clef and finishing with shaping music. In two hours, you could definitely nail the basics.

Adobe InDesign

A well laid out and designed page can make the difference between clarity and confusion for your organization. Adobe InDesign may seem like a super confusing program that only someone with a degree in design could understand, but it actually isn’t. This course from Udemy has lessons that are ten minutes a piece, making the program easy to understand, bit by bit. You’ll be creating well designed documents in no time.

Brewing Beer

After a long hard day at the office, why not unwind with a cold brew that you made yourself? The process of brewing itself is actually quite simple, and Homebrew Academy gives you recipes for tasty brews and reviews for the plethora of brewing equipment on the market. The process of making your original brew may only take two hours, but the fermenting process will take a whole lot longer, giving you plenty of time to unwind after work.

Excel

Microsoft Excel may seem like a bore, but knowing how to use it can be really helpful in organizing and streamlining your professional life as well as making you look like a computer whiz without much effort. You can calculate your budget, code and make games all within this simple program. Chandoo is the ultimate resource for all things Excel and can teach you to do pretty much anything quickly and efficiently. Once you have a command of this important program, you’ll be indispensable at the office with your spreadsheet know-how.

Startup Funding

So, you’ve got a brilliant startup idea, but how do you get the funding to get it off the ground? This University of Maryland course is perfect for both the beginner and even the seasoned entrepreneur. After the course, you’ll be able to find the perfect investors for whatever stage your business is in and learn how to successfully fundraise for your business.