For many adults across social media, class is back in session…this time, by choice.
Lately, users on TikTok and Instagram have been sharing their “personal curriculum”: self-made syllabi designed not for grades, credentials, or productivity theater, but for pleasure and growth. Framed as an antidote to endless scrolling, the trend encourages people to replace passive consumption with intentional learning, even if only for an hour a week.
On its surface, a personal curriculum might look like a reading list, a weekly lecture schedule, or a set of prompts scribbled in a notebook. But underneath, it signals something deeper: a collective yearning to be curious again.
@olivia.unplugged Thank you to @Elizabeth Jean for the inspiration! If you can’t dedicate even an hour a week to something that lights you up, then maybe it’s time to rethink your priorities 👀 #personalcurriculum #learnontiktok #curriculum ♬ original sound – Olivia Unplugged
@itsjessicalindsay december curriculum… three subjects. new month. new rhythm. book nerds, coffee nerds, planner nerds…get at me!! #personalcurriculum ♬ original sound – Jessica Lindsay
Much of the discourse around the trend has focused on reducing screen time. Experts have long warned that constant scrolling can erode attention spans and dull critical thinking. But whether it’s labeled “personal curriculum”, “custom syllabus,” or even “anti–brainrot” content, the trend isn’t just about logging off. It’s about waking up.
At a moment when higher education is increasingly financially unattainable, algorithms dictate what information reaches us, and social media has quietly become a third space for many adults, choosing to learn intentionally feels like a reclamation of power. Especially now, as artificial intelligence becomes more sophisticated and deepfake articles, videos, and posts become increasingly difficult to detect and the simple act of pausing to Google an unfamiliar term (rather than scrolling past it) can feel like a lost art, the desire to read critically, verify information, and seek truth feels almost radical.
“The good news is that the Renaissance is coming! So many people are going back to handwriting, talking to strangers offline, and connecting more deeply with their existing relationships. People are pivoting or trying out new careers, designing personal curriculums based on intellectual curiosity,” Shae O, wrote on Substack. “I can’t wait to hear about the new literature, poems, films, and projects that will come out of this time.”
For many Black social media users, personalized curricula have not only prompted the exploration of new hobbies and industries but also become a way to fill in the gaps left by formal education. That means revisiting history beyond the narrow frameworks taught in school, diving into Black literature that was never assigned, and learning about Black thinkers, artists, and innovators who didn’t make the syllabus the first time around.
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Now, as Tabitha Brown would say, whether you finish the curriculum or abandon it halfway through is “your business.” However, even just the act of building it can be a fun activity and can help you rediscover yourself.
If you’re interested in building one of your own, the entry point doesn’t need to be intimidating or strictly academic. Start with questions like:
- What is one thing you wish you knew more about?
- What’s a hobby you wish you had more time for?
- What topic in school do you wish teachers had spent more time on?
- What was your favorite subject in school?
- What was your dream as a child? What made you step away from it?
- If you weren’t in your current profession, what field would you explore?
@amaranth.activity Replying to @Sunny_thespace_bunny OH YEAH AND AS FOR THE STUDYING ITSELF: I literally will watch YouTube videos of how ppl learned it and just copy them!!! “How I learned Japanese as a total beginner” “resources I used to learn crochet” like let them guide you!!!! #selfstudy #selfimprovement #hobbies ♬ 原聲 – 🖤三隻屁貓一個屁孩🖤 – 🖤屁孩與屁孩🖤
As creator Olivia (@olivia.unplugged) shared on TikTok, the only real rule is that the curriculum should feel fun and engaging to you. For some, that might mean deepening their understanding of physics or learning a new language. For others, it could be listening to a niche podcast and taking notes, rereading childhood favorites, or committing to more fiction by Black authors.
The beauty of the personal curriculum trend is its refusal to mimic traditional systems of learning. There are no deadlines, no grading rubrics, no pressure to monetize the outcome. You are both the teacher and the student. You decide the lesson plan, the materials, and the pace.
This “trend” is not about mastering a subject or proving expertise, but rather remembering that learning doesn’t belong to institutions, algorithms, or productivity metrics. In embracing curiosity in such a slow, imperfect, and self-directed way, people are reclaiming not just their time, but their right to wonder and think for themselves.
