You might have previously heard the term “lifelong learning” used to describe higher education pursuits after joining the workforce or in reference to learning in the time one gains post-retirement. Most of the time, people do not associate the term with students, as their learning is not representative of anything “lifelong,” but rather it is expected of them at this point in their lives.

But I claim that lifelong learning, by definition, begins with birth and should be cultivated at every step of your life journey. Lifelong learning includes the work you do in classes, yes, but maybe more importantly, it includes essentially everything else if you are intentional about it. Right now, you have been granted a learning experience filled with structure, deadlines, community and allocated time for deep understanding, but this experience is fleeting. Whether you intend to go into the workforce or academia, back-to-school or otherwise, I assure you, you will find yourself more fulfilled if you continue to pursue your intellectual interests and indulge the voice in your head that wants to know more. So, let’s talk about how:

Let’s start with something simple. When you study, what do you listen to?

Recently, during midterms season, I found myself mindlessly putting on YouTube music in the background of my studying and was frankly disgusted to find a whole AI jazz album had begun automatically playing. To add insult to injury, looking through my watch history, I found that many of the lengthy music videos I had been listening to while studying were AI slop. Over the course of the past week, I have found great joy cultivating a playlist of instrumental live performances to listen to while I study (the Led Zeppelin orchestral has been my favorite). With this small change, I have felt as if I am almost cheating the system by earnestly enjoying and learning about something I am interested in while I study for my dreaded exams.

If you already have your background music figured out or if this topic is not especially meaningful to you, do not fret. This is not the only opportunity for a shift.

You can be a lifelong learner simply by adopting a novelty-seeking mindset: buy that new ingredient from the grocery store, start watching a new TV show instead of rewatching your favorite and speak to someone you have never spoken to before. There is nothing wrong with comfort and consistency, but learning will always, to some extent, require novelty.

Take notes, and I mean handwritten notes, in unconventional places. Make sure to remember the things you enjoyed. Future you deserves a curated catalog of everything you wanted to remember.  Unabashedly Shazam. Sketch, doodle, think the shapes of things through. These simple, brain-stimulating things could be essential to your lifelong learning.

Your friends are truly the best resource. They are miniature experts on numerous things, so feel free to consult your community. I am sure they would be ecstatic to share their knowledge with you. Follow them as they pursue their passions. Go to their performance, their game, their workshop, their presentation—your debrief session will be illuminating.

Start Duolingo, Rosetta Stone or Babbel. Watch Crash Course, TED Talks and MIT OpenCourse. Complete a degree-lite program or certificate online. Sign up for newsletters (I promise there is one for your interest area, there are so many). Start your morning scroll through these sometimes instead of other enticing options. Join a book club or online community. Check out Meetup to find events relevant to your interests in your area. While I am at it, get a library card for god’s sake.

Hell, while you’re at it, make some money. Side hustles can allow you to support yourself while learning a desirable skill.

You can participate in citizen science and help make scientific discoveries as an amateur (Scistarter has opportunities listed). If you are still at Case Western Reserve University, there are plenty of opportunities to participate, study and learn about the research on campus. You can also teach. You can sign up to tutor, run a seminar, teach a class or host a group. You can give back to the world that has taught you so much while gaining a greater understanding of your topic in the process.

I personally believe the greatest contributor to lifelong learning is personal projects. They can be small or lengthy, frivolous or hyper-personal. Passion projects allow you to fully customize your learning experience and create a tangible or shareable product you can take pride in.

Everything in this list is entirely customizable to your interest areas and there are a plethora of other ways you can pursue lifelong learning. You know yourself best. The key is to be unafraid of asking questions and empowering others to feel the same. It is also to nourish your personal motivation to learn. This means your lifelong learning does not stem from hoping to impress employers or peers, but rather from you. The great impression you make on others is merely a positive side effect.