Best Online Courses You Can Still Take This Summer
In between feeling overwhelmed about the current state of our world and freaking out about college and my future, I’ve found that keeping myself busy and my mind focused did wonders for my mental health. Instead of overthinking and stressing out about things that are out of my control, I channeled all of my anxiety into something productive. Because of quarantine, I had a lot of time on my hands to think about my future, where my passions lay, and what I want to learn more of. For the first time in what feels like forever, I really let my mind, curiosity, and creativity wander freely. So, after exhausting every single activity one of my friends seemed to be doing (the only thing I missed was making banana bread!) I began taking online courses. It took me a while to figure out what kind of courses are out there and what advantages each type posed, so I’m going to make it a little easier for you and share some of my findings below.
The first thing I would point out is that when it comes to courses, there are two categories: non-credit bearing & credit bearing. The main difference between the two is that a credit course counts towards your degree and is officially recognized by universities, whereas taking a non-credit course does not count towards your degree, but you usually would receive a certificate of completion. It really comes down to which choice you feel would be more beneficial for your own educational & personal journey. I have taken both credit and non-credit bearing courses and I’ll share some of my favorite ones with you.
Elements of A.I. (University of Helsinki, credit-bearing)
“Elements of A.I.” is a course created by the University of Helsinki to help non-experts understand what AI is and how it can be applied to various disciplines. It explores the ethics involved in using and creating AI, as well as its limits, and its impacts on our society.
Argue with Research (Stockholm University, credit-bearing)
As the title suggests, this course teaches you how to properly conduct research, analyze literature in a critical way, and construct strong arguments. No matter what you study, this course will help you think critically and work efficiently with evidence.
Statistics with Python (University of Michigan - Coursera, non-credit bearing)
“Statistics with Python” is a specialization consisting of three courses: visualizing data, inferential statistical analysis, and fitting statistical models to data with Python. While it may not seem so at first, learning about data visualization and statistics comes in handy in a variety of disciplines. For example, exploring various questions in our society, culture, the arts, or within humanities, or your specific area of interest, is extremely insightful when you’re able to see things from a new perspective by analyzing data and creating insightful graphs.
Introduction to Psychology (Yale University - Coursera, non-credit bearing)
This psychology course covers a multitude of aspects of the human psyche, like perception, communication, learning, memory, decision-making, persuasion, emotions, and social behavior. If you’re curious about the scientific underpinnings of human behavior, then this course is definitely worth taking!
Sustainable Development (Uppsala Universitet, credit-bearing)
If you’re worried about the climate crisis and want to learn more about sustainability and environmental issues, this course would be very helpful to shed some light on key issues and choices you can make to make this world a better place.
Besides online courses, there’s also a ton of volunteering and interning opportunities available online, such as United Nations Volunteers, or InsideSherpa, a company that allows students to build career skills, gain experience and increase their understanding of different careers. Immersing myself in learning online has helped me immensely to cope with the unknown and manage my anxiety, while also widening my horizons and helping me learn more about myself and my interests (cliché, I know, but it’s true!) The opportunities are endless and the chance to improve your skills and explore your passion or find out what it is is out there. Looking at the ocean of opportunities awaiting us seems a bit overwhelming at times, but remember, you don’t have to do everything all at once. Take breaks and take it one step at a time.
