Notes by Benedict Widjaja
Academics • Learning • Creativity
Welcome! Since 2018, I’ve been documenting my progress in learning various things. That’s why I’d like to introduce my notes: an informal, reflective and hopefully insightful space, where we can discuss some cool ideas and interests. See below for my blog posts, and a snapshot of what I am interested in (maybe we have some common interests?)
Blog Posts:
- My Self-Taught Piano Journey: 6 Years OnMy Self-Taught Piano Journey at a Glance On April 2nd, 2020, at the age of 13, I decided to start learning the piano, and to track it all. It’s now April 2nd, 2026. Here’s how it went… Hello! 🥳 To celebrate six years of learning to play the piano, I… Read more: My Self-Taught Piano Journey: 6 Years On
- Introduction: Who Am I & Who’s This Blog For?Hey all! If you’re reading this, I’m glad you’re here! 🙂 Introduction My name is Benedict Widjaja, and I quite enjoy learning things. If you’ve known me for some time, you may know that I have many interests – and this is the story of how and why. This blog… Read more: Introduction: Who Am I & Who’s This Blog For?
Here’s a snapshot of the topics I am mainly interested (and have some experience) in:
🎨Visual Arts
I like making things! Mostly portraits, because I find people—their lives and stories—interesting, but I also enjoy writing words nicely and occasionally filming something.
📚Academics
I like thinking deeply about interesting (and potentially useful) things! My formal background is in mathematics, but my underlying interest is in physics & economics and their applications in understanding the interaction between people and their environments.
🎼Music
I started learning to play the piano by myself during COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, when I was 13 years old. Since then, music has become a wonderful part of my life, which I am so grateful for! Obsessed with chords, harmony, and playing by ear. Can’t listen to music anymore without picking out the chords LOL
🗣️Language Learning
I started learning German on my own in 2018, when I was 12 years old, which kicked off my love and interest in all things languages – but especially in prosody and pronunciation. I’ve also studied Italian at school. Currently enjoying maintaining Italian and German whilst slowly working on some others…
🥋Martial Arts
I started doing Taekwondo when I was 8 years old, in 2014. I was an assistant instructor for a bit at my local club. I don’t actively train anymore (focusing on studies + moved interstate), but still remain passionate about martial arts and fitness in general!
📖 Learning
Since 2020, I’ve been tracking my progress in learning, starting with languages and piano, as experimental case studies on the processes of learning. For a few years now, I’ve been compiling insights from that experiment into a set of principles and systems for learning (and teaching!) which I hope to share!