Some days, I find myself missing childhood for many reasons. If I could go back to not having a care in the world, not having to pay my own bills or do my own grocery shopping and getting to live within close proximity to all of my friends, I would seriously consider giving up the freedom that adulthood has granted me. But another thing that I hugely took for granted from childhood was my education.

Learning was a drag when I was forced to attend classes every single day, but the wonderful part of being in school is that you’re constantly learning new things. From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every single day, I was bombarded with information. And sometimes I miss the experience of being exposed to so much knowledge without having to seek it out on my own. 

There is something magical about learning new things every day. And although it takes a bit of effort as an adult, it can certainly be worth it. According to The Goodlife Centre, making sure that you learn something new every day can enhance your quality of life. Acquiring new information can be very satisfying, and it can give your mood a huge boost to realize that you know things now that you wouldn’t have known a few weeks or months ago.

Taking time to learn new things can also reduce your stress. If you spend the entire day worrying about how much work you have to do, how much money you’re going to spend on groceries this week or what responsibilities you have coming up, it can feel great to slow down and focus your mind on learning for a moment. You have to put everything else aside and relax to be able to soak up new information.      

Learning new things can also be a great way to boost your confidence. The more you learn, the more you’ll realize how capable you are of expanding your knowledge. And that feeling can be so exciting and empowering. Once you get started learning, you’ll want to seek out more and more information. Plus, knowledge is power, The Goodlife Centre notes. There’s no better feeling than going into a situation or conversation knowing exactly what you’re talking about. You can use that knowledge to solve problems without needing help or help others!  

Making time for learning can also be beneficial for your mental health. Most of us don’t get to experience a sense of accomplishment very often, but it’s a wonderful thing. If you set goals for yourself, you’ll feel amazing once you complete them. 

And, of course, the more you know, the better you’ll be at socializing. Have you ever met someone that you just didn’t have anything in common with, so you weren’t sure what to talk about? If you make a point to learn about a wide range of topics, you’ll find connecting with others becomes much easier!

The great thing about learning on your own time and at your own pace is that you can make it fun! You’re not forced to sit in a classroom for hours every single day, but you can find a way of learning that works for you. There are countless YouTube videos out there that will teach you something new and even games that can allow you to soak up knowledge. Find an app, a book or a program that you enjoy, and get learning!

And if you need help getting into the habit of acquiring more knowledge, BetterUp has some advice. First, they recommend treating mistakes as learning opportunities, rather than failures. It’s impossible to learn a new skill, language, etc. without making mistakes along the way. Don’t let these hiccups discourage you! It’s also great to channel your inner child and all of the curiosity you had when you were younger when learning something new. Let your mind wander, and ask plenty of questions!  

It’s also a good idea to add some time for learning into your schedule. It’s easy for weeks to go by without touching that book on your nightstand or opening your Duolingo app if it’s not part of your routine. But if you allot a certain amount of time every day or week to spend soaking up information, you’ll get used to it! And once you’ve made learning a habit, it’ll feel like something's missing when you skip one of your lessons.

Have you learned something new from this list, pandas? Keep upvoting all of your favorite pics, and feel free to share more fascinating fun facts in the comments below! Then, if you’d like to check out even more posts from Facts for Genius, you can find Bored Panda’s last article featuring this page right here!