2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fast Company
This TikTok Trend will make you want to learn again—with a catch
Back-to-school season is almost here, even for those years out of traditional education.
On TikTok, class is in session as a new trend has emerged where creators DIY monthly 'curriculums' based on new skills, creative projects, and books on subjects they want to focus on for the month.
Creator Elizabeth Jean is widely credited with starting the trend. In a viral video summarising her July curriculum, one of the units is on baking, specifically cookies, where she lists a few recipe books she plans on following for the month.
Jean also chooses one memoir to read each month, has one unit on manifestation and spirituality and one she has termed 'inner alchemy', focusing on self-reflection. She is also working through Julia Cameron's Artist's Way.
Examples of previous units she has completed include watching movies that won the Palm D'or at Cannes Film Festival. Another included watching all the Mary Kate and Ashley movies. 'Incredible use of free will,' one person commented
When selecting her units she asks herself, 'What would my inner child want to be spending time on?' she explained. If she doesn't finish her monthly reading, what happens? Well, nothing. It simply rolls over to next month because this isn't school and there are no rules.
Jean encourages others to post their own curriculums using the hashtag #curriculumclub. One commenter's curriculum includes reading Fahrenheit 451 for their English unit, People's Guide to the US 1492-2011 for History, trying a new yoga studio in place of P.E. and learning embroidery for Art. Another is choosing to study '1960s french film, vegetarian cooking, feng shui, and how fairytales are influenced by the teller.'
Some are even giving themself electives, as well as weekly assignments and a final project. They are also making use of local libraries to compile their reading lists. As one Tiktoker put it in her video, 'I think it holds us accountable to not let the month go by without doing anything that stimulates our brains.'
Others are using the framework of a college curriculum to structure their dream life, looking at their goals as if they were a college course and deciding what would be the tasks and reading set in order to achieve them.
In an era where many are outsourcing their brains to artificial intelligence, it's encouraging to see people embrace a trend that reclaims curiosity and engages with learning as just for fun.
Self development is one of TikTok's favorite subjects, from productivity hacks to looksmaxxing content. As with any of the trends that emerge online, it should also be taken with a pinch of salt. The idea that we must treat continual self-improvement as a full time job is both exhausting and unnecessary, especially with many already juggling enough on their plate.
If the thoughts of syllabuses and exams trigger your fight or flight, remember, it's supposed to be fun. Better yet, you're not at school and you can simply choose not to.
