Over the course of a few weeks, the world has completely changed. Companies are sending workers home, universities and schools are closed down, and once heavily visited cities are now ghost towns. For the first time ever, many people are at a complete standstill.

As we do our part in worldwide efforts to improve our current situation and practice social distancing while remaining at home, many of us might be encountering some unexpected free time. We’ve put together a list of resources and classes that can help you obtain some useful and fun new skills.

The best part? They’re all free!

The Science of Well Being by Yale University

Yale University's super-popular "happiness" course, is available for free online through Coursera. The Science of Well Being will engage in a series of challenges designed to increase your own happiness and build more productive habits. 

It’s open to anyone who wishes to audit the class, but you can also pay $49 which allows you to submit assignments, receive a grade, and obtain a certificate of completion.

Brit + Co

As a lifestyle brand focused on DIY crafts, Brit + Co is all about helping you stay creative. They are currently offering all their courses for free through April 9th. Go to brit.co/learn and use the code SELFCARE at checkout. From illustration and business to design and photography, the possibilities are endless!

Nikon Photography Classes

Now through April 30, all 10 classes available at the Nikon School can be streamed for free. The classes are normally priced anywhere between $15 to $50 each. Each course is taught by a professional photographer and features in-depth lessons to help improve your photography skills.

Code In Place: An Introductory Computer Science Course by Stanford University

Stanford University is taking its introductory Computer Science course, CS106A, online and making it completely for the public. No programming experience needed. Enrollment is subject to availability. You can apply here, by completing a short, fun, learning exercise before April 8th, estimated to be 1 to 2 hours of work. 

Online Courses from Coursera

Until May 31, Coursera is offering over 100 online courses for free, many of them taught by Ivy League schools or offered by companies like Google.

2500+ Online Courses from 14 Top Institutions from edX

edX is a platform for education and learning with more than 20 million users that was founded by Harvard and MIT. Free courses are in topics such as computer science, language, data science, business and management, engineering, and humanities.

Open Yale Courses

Open Yale Courses is a project started by the school in an effort to make education more accessible. It provides free and open access to a selection of introductory courses taught by distinguished teachers and scholars at Yale University.

Yoga at home

Down Dog provides a studio-like yoga experience in the comfort of your home. In an effort to promote social distance but also prioritize wellness, the company is making all their apps - Down Dog, Yoga for Beginners, HIIT, Barre, and 7 Minute Workout - completely free until May 1st. 

They are also offering free access until July 1st for all students and teachers (K-12 and college). To access the free school membership, please register your school's domain by visiting downdogapp.com/schools.

Unity Learn Premium

In response to the current crisis, game development company Unity recently announced that they are making their Unity Learn Premium platform free for the next three months. The free three-month offer includes their Create with Code Live class that teaches people how to use the C# programming language to develop games.

Although circumstances may seem endless right now, we invite you to take this as an opportunity to do things you previously did not have the chance to do!

Now is the time to read that book you’ve had on your TBR. Get back into creative activities. Start that business you’ve had at the back of your mind for years. Binge that show you’ve been dying to watch. Or it can also be the time to take a much-needed break and recharge, however that looks for you. All pursuits are equally valid.

From all of us at Kuvio, we hope that everyone is safe and healthy. If you have or know of any resources that can be added to this list, please let us know.

Kuvio Creative is a web design and development company that provides creative solutions while working to have a positive impact on our communities across the globe. Get to know us at www.kuv.io.