The internet is the most powerful information portal in human history — why not put it to good use and learn a few things?
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Are you tired of wasting your days on the internet, scrolling through a never-ending feed of useless information? It’s no wonder. Consistently perusing social media for the latest collection of memes hurts your eyes rather quickly — it’s almost enough to make you swear off the internet forever. But don’t be too quick to abandon your screen. While you should get outside occasionally, there are ways to while away the hours on your browser that benefit you. Read on to discover how to take advantage of everything the internet has to offer and become a better person because of it.
- Learn a Language
Have you always wanted to speak to your partner in French? Maybe you want to order in fluent Spanish at that Argentinian restaurant. Maybe you want to expand your repertoire of words to pull out during fancy conversations. No matter what you wish to accomplish with a new language, the internet can help you get there quickly. Across the world, and especially in Europe, learning more than one language can be paramount to your success. It can help you make friends, communicate with coworkers and even find employment.
Learning languages are critical, but many of us are falling behind when it comes to this area. If you want to jump ahead of the curve, go ahead and begin learning at home by yourself. Infographic Credit: Statista
So, what do you need to do? Download an app like Duolingo, which is free, highly rated and simple to use. Pick from the 20 languages offered by Duolingo, download the software to your PC or phone and start on the lessons. Learning a new language stimulates the mind, improving mental agility and promoting a higher level of understanding of our world. And who knows? Maybe one day, you’ll get to impress your foreign date with your level of fluency in Romanian — you’ll have the internet (and this article) to thank for that.
- Give Yourself a Cooking Lesson
Do you have the travel bug, but no money to back up your visions of faraway lands? Well, you can incorporate those visions into your afternoon lunch with online cooking classes. We’re not talking about afternoon tea and toast here, either. We’re talking squid skewers, lamb tagine, African peanut soup and anything else you’ve been itching to try but have no idea how to cook.
Everyone loves to eat good food. Cook up some of your favorites with online courses.
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The internet can teach you what you need to know, once you decide what you’d like to cook. It can be a specific food like haggis, wasp crackers or cow’s heart, or a generalized type of food like Indian, Mexican or Italian. You can take an online course for free via YouTube or a number of websites, or you can pay for an online course from professional chefs like Gordan Ramsay or Wolfgang Puck.
- Spend Time with Friends Via Online Games
Feeling lonely? Another good thing about the internet is that you don’t have to leave your house to socialize with your friends. How’s that? You can log on and play games online with them. You can choose a two-player game like Scrabble or Uno, both of which morphed into online giants from their relatively modest start as physical, in-person games.
You can download apps for Uno and Scrabble or play them right from your PC. Or if you’re looking to play with a group of people, you can invite them all over to your house and play from the comfort of your room. For these types of gatherings, it’s best to go with multiplayer games.
Need some ideas for cool multiplayer games? Check out this list of the best games to play with friends.
You can also play online bingo with your friends as you while away a lazy, internet-fueled afternoon. But where should you play? You and your gang need to check out the best bingo sites on the internet for an array of options.
If you’re feeling like a snack after the cooking lesson, try out Tasty Bingo. Or if you’re feeling particularly royal, try your hand at Posh Bingo. Either way, you can head to Wink Bingo for some team bingo tournaments and other treats. You and the gang should all agree on a venue, too. Then, log on and play.
- Watch a Documentary
When playing games get boring, it’s time to kick back, relax and watch a good, old-fashioned documentary. Movies are interesting, but documentaries teach you something. You’ll learn about history, the Earth, animals or any number of subjects you want.
You can find free documentaries on YouTube, but there are higher-quality videos out there. Sites like Films For Action, Watch Documentaries and SnagFilms provide us with a curated list of free documentaries, all of which are free and interesting. The websites are usually broken up by subject. For example, you can browse docs about science, war, conspiracies or numerous other categories.
- Get Some Shopping Done
Shopping online is an excellent way to spend your time on a lazy afternoon. And you may find what you want! via
Shopping means different things to different people. Some get excited at the prospect of spending the day at the mall, supermarket or a gadget store. For other people, the idea of spending the day alternating between different retailers is a nightmare. If you’re either one of these people, online shopping is for you.
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That’s because you can choose to make this experience as long or as short as you want it. Do you need cat litter? Pop into Amazon and stock up — in two or three minutes, you’re done. And you’ll be saving money through this online behemoth. Do you want to peruse the latest dresses? You don’t even have to go to the mall. Nordstrom and Vera Wang are available at the touch of your fingertips.
You can buy pretty much anything online. Food, clothes, jewelry, furniture and all sorts of other things are available on the internet. Not only that, but the internet is the best information portal in the history of the world, and that’s why it’s so important to utilize it properly. Don’t be content to browse through social media all the time — check out a documentary, learn a new language or any number of other useful things! Your mind will thank you for it later.
