Pet project(s) is for me, by far, the best way to learn and study. A pet project is a real project but without the boring bits. There are no deadlines, does not need to make money, you control the requirements and most importantly, you use the technologies and methodologies you want, whenever you want, wherever you want. You are the boss. Pet projects give something for you to focus and help you to understand why and how you can use certain technologies. It gives you the experience you need to apply what you’ve learned into real projects. Pet projects are meant to be fun.