How to build a personal learning curriculum

Relearning how to learn—with structure, curiosity, and a little bit of fun (+ my Notion template)

While I can’t recite the periodic table or explain how trigonometry works anymore, fall will always feel like the start of something new and it always reignites that deep, almost childlike desire to learn again.

For me, curiosity often starts as a feeling—like the itch to look something up mid-conversation, the pull toward a book spine I recognize on a friend’s shelf, or the urge to pause a film just to research its color palette. Those tiny moments are what I want to give structure to this season. Not just the formal kind of learning, but the playful, accidental kind too.

I’ve been seeing a lot of content around crafting a monthly personal learning curriculum lately and while I absolutely love the idea, I know that creating such a structured game plan could be the straw that breaks me. I spent the start of the season doing too much again, and while I am trying to facilitate a healthier work schedule this quarter, I know that a monthly syllabus will add stress rather than feel like relief.

Most of us stopped learning for ourselves once school ended. We learn for performance, for jobs, for credibility—rarely just for wonder. I want to use my personal curriculum as a way to remember that feeding my curiosity can be a fun and rewarding experience outside of the output it brings. Instead of treating learning like a full-time job, I want to integrate it into my life in a sustainable and whimsical way.

So if you’re also someone who has a lot on their plate but want to add some sort of structured learning to their life, here’s how I’m creating a semester-based curriculum instead:

I’ve included screenshots of how I organize all this in Notion—and for paid subscribers, you’ll get the full template below.

Decide on your fields of study

While I’d love to study architecture, art history, fashion, and philosophy, it’s completely unrealistic for me to try and do everything at once. Our schedules are no longer as free now that it has work, health, and bills to contend with so choose your fields intentionally, not ambitiously.

For me personally, I want my fields to be related to either work or my personal goals and values. Health is something I’m trying to pay more attention to right now so Health Science is where I’d like to start (because I want to understand why my energy rises with the sun and dips at 3 p.m).

I’ll be spending some time in France next year, so French is my next field. I’ve been flip flopping between continuing my Italian studies and starting French but I want to be able to at least conversate and order a croissant in French (or whatever else I’m craving at the time).

Humanities is the last field of study I want to focus on which would include literature, writing, and theory. For this “semester”, I specifically want to focus on Critical Reading and Creative Writing.

I started with Nutrition 101 last week. My first “lecture” was a 7-minute YouTube video about metabolism that I watched over breakfast, notebook beside me. While it wasn’t a resource that I originally had on my list, I added it after spotting it on my explore page. It felt good to move further towards intentional consumption and know that I can include small tidbits of learning into my daily routine.

Designing your dream programs

Once you have your field of studies chosen, you can then start building out your programs. The programs are where you get a little more specific about what you’re hoping to learn. Under Health Sciences, I want to learn more about nutrition and fitness so my programs would be Nutrition 101 and Fitness 101. In the future I want to add in Mind-Body Health 101 so I’ll also save that as an elective.

To get really clear about your programs, define your purpose and core topics here too. For Nutrition 101, my purpose is to learn how food affects your energy, mood, and longevity. Core topics would include:

• macro and micronutrients

• metabolism and energy balance

• gut health and digestion

• balanced meals

• myths and evidence-based eating

Foraging for learning materials

Think of gathering learning materials like collecting little portals—each one opens a world you didn’t know you were missing. Some you’ll step through and never want to leave; others you’ll peek into once and realize they’re not for you. That’s part of the fun. Curating resources isn’t about hoarding information but about following the tiny sparks of interest that make you feel alive again.

Define your learning style

Before you start collecting resources, it helps to get clear on what kind of learner you are. Do you absorb best through reading, watching, or doing? Do you crave structure or prefer to follow your curiosity? Knowing your learning style will save you from collecting beautiful PDFs you’ll never open.

While there are tons of amazing cheap or free courses online, I want my personal curriculum to be fulfilled mainly through articles, videos, and books mainly because I want it to be as “self-paced” as possible.

AI is sometimes a controversial topic here on Substack, but when used thoughtfully, it can be an incredible tool for discovery.

Here’s a prompt template you can use with AI to gather learning materials:

I’m creating a self-paced learning curriculum on [specific topic]. Can you help me find quality learning materials in the following formats:
Videos: Educational YouTube videos, documentaries, or online lectures (prefer sources that are beginner/intermediate-friendly)
Articles: Well-researched articles from reputable sources (academic journals, educational websites, trusted publications)
Essays: Thought-provoking essays that provide deeper perspectives on the subject
Books: Both foundational texts and accessible reads for someone learning this topic
For context, my purpose in studying this topic is: [explain your why]
The core subtopics I want to cover include: [list your specific areas of interest]
Please organize the recommendations by format and indicate the difficulty level (beginner/intermediate/advanced) for each resource. If possible, include a brief description of what makes each resource valuable.

While I’d love to read 10 books on each topic, again we have to be realistic with our time so I’ve set a goal to read 1 book per topic (with the exception of French which will be mainly homework-based)

Test for resonance

Once I’ve gathered a mix of materials, I do a quick “curiosity test.” I’ll open each one for five minutes and notice how my brain reacts: do I feel energized, bored, confused, or inspired? If it feels like pulling teeth, I move on. If it feels like a conversation I want to keep having, it earns a spot in my curriculum. I store everything in a Notion database organized by field and format — books, essays, videos — so I can easily rotate through mediums depending on my mood or energy level.

It’s easy to want to hoard every resource you find but here’s my checklist to evaluate whether a learning material is worth my time:

• Is it from a credible source? Look for materials from recognized experts, reputable institutions, or well-established educators in the field.

• Does it match my current level? The resource should challenge you without overwhelming you. If you’re a beginner, skip the advanced academic papers for now.

• Is it practical? Does it connect to real life rather than just theory?

• Is it engaging? Learning shouldn’t feel like torture. If the format, writing style, or presentation doesn’t resonate with you, it’s okay to move on.

• Does it cover my core topics? Make sure the resource actually addresses the subtopics/subjects you want to learn about, not just tangentially related content.

• Can I actually commit to it? Be honest about whether you’ll realistically finish that 500-page textbook or 12-hour course series given your current schedule.

• Is it inspiring? Does it make me want to learn more after finishing?

Remember: your curriculum is a living document, not a contract. As you progress through your program, you’ll naturally discover new materials that pique your interest or realize that certain resources aren’t working for you—and that’s completely fine.

Feel free to add materials whenever something catches your eye or comes recommended. Similarly, don’t force yourself to finish resources that aren’t serving you. If a book isn’t clicking or a video series feels too dry, give yourself permission to swap it out for something better. The goal is learning and growth, not checking boxes or proving you can stick to a rigid plan.

Your semester is meant to be flexible enough to accommodate discovery while structured enough to keep you moving forward. Trust your instincts and adjust as you go.

Building your semester

With all your learning materials laid out, it’s time to set deadlines. Semesters are typically 15-17 weeks long, making it a bit more relaxed whereas quarters would give you about 10-12 weeks. For me personally, I think quarters are a realistic enough timeline so all my deadlines will happen between now and Dec 31.

You can also create a study flow for your programs so that you know you’re covering all of the subjects that you want to focus on as well as a variety of different materials. I organize my schedule and deadlines based on the subjects I mentioned earlier as well as the resource format.

Within a week I might have 1 reading and 1 video. Or maybe 1 video and 1 assignment. The variety keeps things interesting so your program never feels dry. For now, I’m also aiming to go through one subject at a time. So my curriculum will look like:

Week 1: Balanced Eating

Week 2: Metabolism & Energy

Week 3: Gut Health & Digestion

Week 4: Micro and Macronutrients

Example of my curriculum calendar. I’ll most likely mix in other subjects as well.

My curriculum Notion template

Anyone that knows me knows that I do everything in Notion. My life, my goals, my health, and my work are all tracked there—so naturally, my personal curriculum lives there too. The screenshots above give a pretty good idea of how I set it up, but paid subscribers get the Notion template for free, plus access to the full archive of past essays and every future member-only post. Think of it as your all-access pass to the café’s back room where we talk, reflect, and learn a little slower.

My goal for this experiment is to make learning feel less like a spring towards mastery and more like a gentle meander through what fascinates me. Whether it’s a 7-minute video, a page of notes, or a conversation in another language, I’m aiming for those extra moments of curiosity added to my week. Hope this was helpful for your own curriculum exploration!