SMALL ONLINE STUDYING TIPS THAT CAN LEAD TO BIG CHANGES

TIPS FOR ONLINE STUDYING THAT CAN LEAD TO BIG CHANGES

Now that universities across the world have shifted all courses online in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus , students are adjusting to a new and unexpected academic way of life. Instead of attending a face-to-face session with professors and peers in class several times a week, students are being asked to stay home and log in to their courses remotely, attending virtual lectures.

With no doubt, online learning presents unique challenges compared to classic, in-person classes. Without having a strategic plan for undertaking these challenges, your performance could decline. Ultimately, the most perfect way to be successful as an online student is to figure out what works for you, and stick to it. Thus, the article below offers you simple tricks to overcome the common challenges.

1) Treat Studying like a Job

When you are enrolled in an online program, you must treat studying as if it’s your job, i.e., you need to be devoted to your studies as seriously as you commit to your career. If you do this, you’ll stay on top of your schedule and be prepared for everything the semester throws at you. Take your online courses seriously and you'll find success.

2) Get to Know Your Professors

You are encouraged to reach out to your professors as soon as you can. Send them a quick email to introduce yourself and let them know why you’re excited for the course. Just start a conversation.

3) Stay Organized

Set your files and documents in an organized way. Do this as early as possible, even before you start your first class. This will help you be successful throughout the whole semester.

4) Find your Study zone

Find a quiet place with limited distractions and noise levels conducive to concentration with a good internet connection and access to power. Tell your mind that when you sit at your desk, you’ll turn off social media, disengage from your work or family, and for one, two or three hours, turn your focus completely towards your studies.

5) Seek Help When Needed

It's true that your instructor will not see your body language to get a sense of whether you might have understood the lesson well; nevertheless, your instructor is still there to help you, though, even if you never meet him or her in person.

6) Connect with your Classmates

You can still get the benefits of studying with other people even in an online class. You can still make connections. You just have to be a bit more creative: study groups can be a great way to explore challenging course concepts. Try creating one!

7) Take Notes by Hand

Taking notes by hand can help you engage with the material and put it in your own words, as well as it boosts both your comprehension and retention in the long run.

8) Check Your Email Regularly

With online classes, it’s crucial to keep up with messages from your instructor. This way, you’re aware of changes to due dates, new guidelines for assignments, updated study resources, and announcements of office hours.

9) Avoid Overscheduling and Don't Procrastinate

Online classes can invite epic procrastination. Without regular class meetings to keep you engaged and accountable, you can end up leaving all your work until the end of the semester. This can be fun when the final exam is still months away. But it can turn into a world of pain when you’re trying to cram a whole semester of learning into one night.
To avoid this situation, we advise you to set due dates for reading a certain number of pages, completing problem sets, or whatever you need to do to learn the material. Most importantly beware of sneaky deadlines to avoid being overwhelmed.

10) Use Online Classes as an Opportunity

Despite the difficulties encountered with online studying, you should consider online classes as an opportunity. It’s a chance to become more productive since there are fewer distractions. And you can work at your own pace, pausing or rewinding lectures that you don’t understand (try doing that in-person!). If you view online classes this way (and follow the tips above), then they can be just as rewarding and educational as in-person classes.

Good luck!