The internet is truly a vast oasis of knowledge. You already know you can Google to your heart’s content, browse YouTube for hours on end, and check your social media endlessly; however, there are a few things you can do on the internet that you might have never considered, from earning a CPR certification for first aid to looking up public and criminal records.
Learn CPR
That’s right: You can learn CPR and receive a CPR certification from the comfort of your own home. The CPR training provided by a CPR online course is just as robust as a traditional CPR course. In the end, you’ll receive a course completion card noting your first aid certification.
Find public records
Did you know you can find public and criminal records online? Using a tool to find arrest records online is useful for conducting background checks, researching someone’s history, and learning about how trustworthy people are. You can see if someone has had a conviction and even spot if there are sex offenders in your area. Pending criminal charges might not be available to the general public and items like traffic tickets may not be visible either.
Become a search engine expert
You’ve probably heard about SEO before, but you can get up to speed and even receive a certificate of your knowledge all while sitting on your couch. SEO deals with the fingerprint the users leave behind in search engines. Choose a course that provides interactive exercises to put the cognitive information you’re learning to practice. It’s great for those interested in continuing education.
Take a basic life support (BLS) course
BLS, just like an online CPR certification, can be done completely online. The American Heart Association (AHA) even offers some of its own courses. Some of the information may overlap with CPR training, but you’ll also learn about AED training, infant first aid, and general first aid tips. You can stick to the online portion of this course or you can look up an AHA training center to get your AHA BLS certificate. A BLS certification isn’t just for healthcare providers. Anyone in the United States can benefit from taking a first aid certification course.
Create police sketches
Programs like Ultimate Flash Face let you create police sketches just like the pros. Whether they’re of sex offenders, people with outstanding traffic tickets or a different criminal history, it’s a neat way to feel just like a real police officer.
Take free MIT courses
You can learn physics online, at your own pace, without ever writing a tuition check. Sure, physics might not appeal to a general audience, but if you’re interested in science and can acquire the study material, an MIT course might provide a challenging skills session.
Learn about finance
How does a credit card really work? What exactly is a money order? Why was your tax return so low this year? What are the best platforms to file taxes for free? If you or a family member has ever asked these questions, taking an online finance course could be right up your alley.
Become a Heartsaver
Heartsaver courses are designed for a general audience that likely has little-to-no medical knowledge or first aid training. The AHA and American Red Cross organizations both offer similar programs online. Whether you need CPR recertification for a job or are simply interested in the Heartsaver courses, this is worth a look.
Travel back in time
Did you know you can visit the older versions of almost any website? You can, by using the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine. The service has documented over 150 billion webpages!
Get fit
More and more groups are offering interactive exercises for those who want to get in shape, but don’t want to sign up for a gym. Get your summer body started without leaving your living room.
Naturally, there are hundreds of other options to keep you occupied while you’re online, so there’s bound to be something that suits your taste. Otherwise, you can always fall back on cat memes.
