YOUTH? Why building the habit of learning is key

 

Youth refers to a person's stage of life. Youth can also refer to one's healthiest state or the

stage of life described as being a young adult, as well as the span of time between childhood and adulthood (maturity). The definition of youth also includes "the appearance, freshness, energy, enthusiasm, etc. attribute of a young person.  Youth is not defined chronologically as a stage that can be attached to particular age ranges, nor can its end point be linked to particular actions, such embarking on unpaid work or engaging in sexual relations. As a result, its definitions of a particular age range vary.

A person's level of dependency can be shaped by their experiences as a young person in a variety of ways depending on their cultural background. Personal experience is defined by cultural conventions or traditions, whereas a young person's level of dependency refers to how much they still depend on their family financially and emotionally.

State of the World’s Youth

Today, there are 1.2 billion young people aged 15 to 24 years, accounting for 16 per cent of the global population. By 2030—the target date for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that make up the 2030 Agenda—the number of youth is projected to have grown by 7 per cent, to nearly 1.3 billion.

As youth are increasingly demanding more just, equitable and progressive opportunities and solutions in their societies, the need to address the multifaceted challenges faced by young people (such as access to education, health, employment and gender equality) have become more pressing than ever.

Youth can be a positive force for development when provided with the knowledge and opportunities they need to thrive. In particular, young people should acquire the education and skills needed to contribute in a productive economy; and they need access to a job market that can absorb them into the labour force.

Youth

There are a variety of minimal ages at which children are neither autonomous nor independent nor of legal age to make certain choices or conduct certain activities. These restrictions include things like the legal drinking and driving ages as well as the voting age, candidacy age, consent age, majority age, and age of criminal responsibility.

 Youth are permitted to vote, engage in sexual activity, purchase or consume alcoholic beverages, operate motor vehicles, etc. once they reach these age limits.

VOTING AGE 👇

The legal minimum age required to cast a ballot in a general election is known as the voting age. Although the age is typically set at 18, there are instances when it can be as young as 16 or as old as 21 (see the list below). According to studies, 21% of all 18-year-olds have voted before. This is a crucial right because it allows younger people to support politics that they choose, rather than only those of older generations, by casting a ballot. 

AGE OF CANDIDACY 👇

The age of candidacy is the age at which a person must be in order to be eligible to occupy certain elected public office. In many instances, it also establishes the age at which a person may be permitted to vote or run for office. 

AGE OF CONSENT 👇

The age of consent is the minimal age at which a person may legally participate in sexual behavior with another person. It is also the age at which a person is deemed legally able to consent to sexual actions. The age of consent rules are unique in that the person who is under the legal minimum age is considered the victim, while their sexual partner is considered the perpetrator.

DEFENSE OF INFANCY 👇

The defense of infancy is a type of excuse that exempts defendants who meet the criteria of "infant" from criminal culpability for their actions if, at the relevant time, they had not attained the legal age of majority. This suggests that children lack the maturity and experience necessary for criminal responsibility. Levels of responsibility may exist beyond attaining the initial age, depending on the age and nature of the crime. 

DRINKING AGE 😵

The age at which a person can consume or buy alcoholic beverages is known as the legal drinking age. These rules concern when and where alcohol can be drunk, as well as a variety of topics and actions. In certain nations, the minimum age at which alcohol can be legally purchased and drunk may differ.

 distinct nations have distinct laws, and many of them include exceptions or unusual situations. Alcohol consumption in the home is often unrestricted, with the exception of the UK, where there are rules that only apply to drinking in public areas. which has a regulated minimum drinking age of five in private settings). Additionally, some nations have various drinking age restrictions for various alcoholic beverages.

DRIVING AGE 💨

The legal age to obtain a driver's license is known as the driving age. Argentina, Australia, Canada, El Salvador, Iceland, Israel, Macedonia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, the United Kingdom (Mainland), and the United States are the nations having the lowest driving ages (below 17). Several jurisdictions in the United jurisdictions and the Canadian province of Alberta allow children as young as 14 to drive. The minimum driving age in Niger is 23, which is the highest in the world. After obtaining a license at the age of 18, it is permitted to drive in India.

LEGAL WORKING  AGE 👷

The minimal age necessary by law for an individual to work in any nation or jurisdiction is known as the legal working age. In most nations, the legal definition of adulthood (sometimes known as "the age of majority") has been established at 18. Even people who are older than the working age who have not yet reached the age of majority are frequently forbidden from performing certain sorts of job. This category includes activities that could endanger people's lives, hurt their health, or have a negative impact on young people's morality.

STUDENT RIGHT IN HIGHER EDUCATION 👬

Student rights are those rights, such as civil, constitutional, contractual, and consumer rights, that govern students' freedoms and enable them to benefit from their financial investment in school. The treatment of pupils by teachers and administrators is governed by such rights as the freedom of expression and association, the right to a fair trial, equality, autonomy, safety and privacy, and accountability in contracts and advertisements.

SMOKING AGE 💥

The smoking age is the age at which someone cannot purchase tobacco products or smoke in public. Most nations control this law at the federal level, while occasionally states or provinces are responsible.

HEALTH AND MORTALITY 💁

Certain health-risk behaviors are the main causes of morbidity and mortality in both youth and adults. These habits are frequently formed in childhood and persist throughout maturity. Since risky behaviors in childhood and maturity are connected, issues in adulthood can be avoided by changing the behavior of youth. 

5 steps to cultivate the habit of learning 📌

People who are successful are committed to lifelong learning. You can learn how to be an excellent student without attending a prestigious university. In actuality, having a broad perspective on learning is essential for becoming a lifelong learner.

Notice how neither "education" nor "school" were used? It's nearly hard to go a day without learning something new if you have a growth attitude and are curious. Consequently, more deliberate, guided learning is profitable and advantageous.

Here are five stages to follow in order to develop this behavior:

1. Determine what you want to know 👀

Loving something and learning something are two different things. Write it down whenever you discover a knowledge gap in your life or a talent you'd like to develop. Keep a list of topics you feel motivated to research. There are many possibilities to learn when you begin to view the world through the lens of these topics you wish to learn more about.

2. Set goals ⚽

Setting objectives enables you to make plans and take action to begin learning the abilities you require. The human brain can only hold so much information at once. Start with microlearning, or exposing yourself to material in bite-sized portions, rather than attempting to acquire everything rapidly.

Each morning, reading a few news items or listening to a brief podcast is a terrific way to learn a little bit of information.

3. Use multiple mediums 💬

More than ever, our world is intertwined. Numerous resources are available online, including courses, podcasts, books, TED presentations, and more. Adapt different learning strategies to maximize your information intake. You'll remain engaged and find things interesting.

4. Put learning into your schedule 🙇

Making a decision to learn something is one thing; having conviction is quite another. You won't advance if you don't make time for learning. Anything more than nothing is an improvement.

5. Surround yourself with other learners ⏰

Do the individuals you spend time with encourage you to work hard or take risks? Are they open to discussion of various topics, or are they closed off? Our habits are influenced by other individuals.

Spending time with uplifting people that share our curiosity can offer you the extra motivation to keep going even when you're frustrated. 

Additionally, you can educate one another. They might respond by sharing what they've learnt from your sharing with them about your reading or listening this week. 

Increasing the positive vibes around you will also involve following people who are authorities in the field you are learning on social media. 

Keep in mind that everyone you encounter has knowledge that you do not. They'll be willing to share if you're open to learning from them.

How long does it take to learn something? 🔌

A new habit takes 66 days to establish itself on average. However, the truth is that different habits take different amounts of time to form since some are simpler to form than others. That also applies to developing talents.  But you don't have to be an expert to succeed or appreciate anything.

Also consider your career aspirations. Employers favor multifaceted employees. Additionally, they require personnel who are able to advance their skills and keep up of industry developments.

If your goal is to advance your profession, learning one skill in-depth over the course of a year is not the most effective strategy. The timeline might be less significant if you're learning something new because you're passionate about it. Learning new things takes time and effort, but if you know how you learn best, the process will move more quickly.

How to learn something new

No matter what kind of learner you are, there are plenty of resources out there to help you pick up a new skill. These seven methods are provided below.

1. Practice speed reading📄

Your visual system and memory will both increase thanks to this learning technique. Over time, you'll become more adept at information retention and recall thanks to fast reading.

2. Visit online learning sites 📶

Although formal or structured instruction is not required, occasionally we need a solid foundation in information. And occasionally, structure is necessary to keep us motivated. Self-directed learning and traditional education can coexist in online courses.

The first option is Khan Academy, a free learning tool that enables independent learning. Sal Khan, the founder, simplifies complex concepts. 

Another website where you can finish online courses, mostly post-secondary credentials, is Coursera. You get access to hundreds of online courses taught by professionals at Lynda, covering anything from Excel to web development.

A website dedicated to learning foreign languages is called Duolingo. You can flip between studying as many languages as you desire, and it is simple to use. When you join up, you will also receive email reminders that remind you to practice every day.

3. Treat mistakes as information, not failure ✂

We learn the most from our mistakes. Making mistakes is a necessary part of learning, and analyzing them afterward equips you with the skills necessary to do better in the future.

4. Get curious (and make friends with your inner child) 👶

Children's natural curiosity is a wonderful thing. They have a broad range of interests. Investigate the strange, unknown, and difficult. Keep in mind that there are no stupid questions during studying.

5. Get physical 🎾

Learning is a cerebral process, and exercise is good for our mental health. Your brain receives more oxygen as your heart rate rises. Your focus is subsequently improved, and brain plasticity is encouraged. The neuronal connections that enable us to learn new skills are referred to as brain plasticity.

6. Phone a friend 🀫

Learning is a cerebral process, and exercise is good for our mental health. Your brain receives more oxygen as your heart rate rises. Your focus is subsequently improved, and brain plasticity is encouraged. The neuronal connections that enable us to learn new skills are referred to as brain plasticity.

7. Break out of your routine 💣

Routines help you stay productive and sustain good behaviors. But they can cause learning inertia, particularly when working from home. 

It's crucial to expose yourself to a wide variety of people, settings, tastes, smells, and sounds. You can learn a lot more about yourself by moving outside of your comfort zone.

The fact that I don't encounter nearly as many various types of people, settings, meals, scents, and sounds as I used to when I commuted is something I miss now that we all work from home.

8. Reflect along the way ★

Reflection helps you feel accomplished and cements your learning. Good students take stock of their progress in the past. What sort of inquiries did you make? What new understanding did you gain? Where exactly did you err? What caught your eye?

Reviewing what you already know helps to solidify the fundamentals and provides a solid base for future development. A fantastic approach to monitor your development and keep track of intriguing new ideas you might wish to investigate is to keep a journal.

Get support with your learning journey 🚩

You're probably right if you believe that the next stage in your journey is to begin learning something new. Many advantages will result from doing so. You'll develop into a more well-rounded individual, become more flexible, and have more fun in general.

Take up that guitar, enroll in that pottery class, or join up for that professional development course. Start making improvements to yourself.  

Personal development isn't always simple, we won't sugarcoat it. However, mastering a new skill need not be difficult. We at Better Up can assist. We'll support you along the road and assist you in reaching your goals if you're ready to put in the effort.