About This Project
Welcome to my corner of the internet!
If you found yourself here, you probably have a specific kind of brain. You're the person who falls down a digital black hole at 11 PM and can't fall asleep until you know exactly why every culture seems to have its own version of a dumpling. You're the person who gets genuinely excited about a new documentary. You might even be the person who secretly misses school. Not the exams or the pressure, but the experience of constantly learning something new every single day.
I know how you feel. I was one of those absolute freaks who enjoyed school. I was the one on Tumblr reblogging photos of perfectly highlighted notes (#studyblr gang). Back to school shopping was my Super Bowl, and I loved the feeling of cracking open a fresh notebook and diving into a new subject.
Then, I became an adult.
Adult life has a way of crushing curiosity. We're told to specialize, to focus on our careers, and to stop wasting time on things that aren't "productive" (read: profitable). We replace that sense of wonder we had as kids learning about dinosaurs (or outer space, or Ancient Egypt) with doomscrolling and fatigue.
I stumbled onto the idea of a personal curriculum while scrolling TikTok (ironically). If you're out of the loop, there's a whole community of folks who have decided to structure their own learning, assigning themselves homework on topics like Medieval Castles or Statistics or Feminist Theory, solely because it feels good to use their brains for something other than emails.
I loved the idea and dove in headfirst. Along the way, I realized I already had thousands of bookmarks, articles, and video links saved from years of late-night researching. So, I decided to organize them. And the result is this website!
My goal is to help you carve out a teeny tiny bit of space between your grown-up responsibilities to learn something out of the ordinary. Remember that spark of wonder you felt as a little kid checking out your 10th book on The Titanic in a month? That spark is still in there, you just have to give it some fuel.
TL;DR - Go learn something useless, it's good for your soul!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a "personal curriculum"?
It’s a way to give your curiosity some scaffolding. It’s easy to say "I want to learn about architecture," but it’s hard to actually do it when you feel overwhelmed by how much info is out there. A curriculum breaks a big, vague goal into a fun, bite-sized path. It provides just enough structure to keep you motivated, without the stress of a deadline.
How do I use this site?
Treat it like a buffet. You can follow a curriculum from start to finish, or you can just cherry-pick a documentary recommendation for movie night. You're in charge!
Who are you, exactly?
I'm not a teacher, a doctor, a professor or a scientist. I am, however, a lifelong dabbler who managed to turn being curious into a career.
By day, I work as a copywriter at an agency. It’s basically the dream job for someone who loves to learn but hates sticking to one lane. One day I’m researching solar energy grids for a whitepaper, the next I’m deep-diving into chemical exfoliants for a skincare brand's blog, the next I’m ghostwriting an article about how stock options work -- you get the gist.
I basically get paid to learn about complex industries quickly and translate them into something people actually want to read. I started this project with the idea that I could apply those same skills to the fun stuff, using them to help people learn about mushrooms, brutalism, and the dark web.
Does this cost any money?
Nope! All the curriculums are free to use, as are most of the materials I include. Every online course I link to can be audited for free, meaning you can watch the lessons without paying for the certificate. The only thing that could cost money are books and movie rentals, but make sure to check your local library before buying anything! Beyond physical books, a lot of libraries offer resources like Libby (e-books/audiobooks), Hoopla (documentaries & The Great Courses), and free LinkedIn Learning subscriptions. Plus (if your county has better funding than mine), you might have access to cool tools like 3D printers, laser cutters and recording equipment at little to no cost.
P.S. Even if you aren't a student, community college and public university libraries often allow community members to browse their collections and attend guest lectures. Check what's available near you!