How to Succeed at Online Classes
Online classes are becoming increasingly popular for college students. While they are incredibly convenient, the differences between them and regular classes can make them a bit of a challenge for some people. So how do you make the best of your online classes?
Accept the Differences
One of the biggest things you’ll have to do to make the most of your online courses is to accept the differences. As much as professors try to make online classes similar to in-person classes, they are different. You’ll have to come to terms with that, otherwise making it through your course will be next to impossible.
Aside from the differences in the actual class structure, you will likely also have to deal with differences in people. Because online classes often require you to be in smaller groups, you might find yourself closer to people with who you wouldn’t normally hang out. With those different people can come some unconscious bias, which takes your focus away from your studies and puts it on something petty. This bias can come from anything from race to the way someone dresses. Regardless of what’s causing it, to keep the focus on succeeding in class, you’ll need to push any biases you have away. By learning to accept differences instead of fighting them, you’ll be well on your way to making online classes a success.
Set a Schedule
Because of the more relaxed nature of many online classes, it can be easy to start treating it lightly. The danger with doing this is that you can stop treating it like school, which could cause your grades to suffer. By setting yourself a schedule, you can stay on top of studying, assignments, and projects. If you’re enrolled in an online class, chances are that you’re pretty busy outside of school. Setting a schedule will also help you to balance life and classes, leading you to higher grades and less anxiety.
One of the best ways to make sure you get your schedule done is to set it early. In the first week or two of classes when you get your syllabus, write down all the major assignments and tests in a calendar. If you have everything you’ll need written down early, it’ll be much easier for you to plan out when you need to work on assignments to get them done without cramming. No matter how busy life gets, if you plan out the school work you have to get done early, you’ll be much less likely to forget an assignment or test. Many online courses will have an online calendar of their own like Canvas, but it might be smart to have assignments logged on your phone as well. By planning out the homework you need to do, you can avoid last-minute stress and set yourself up for success.
Stay Focused on Class
Finally, one of the biggest things you can do to help yourself succeed in your online courses is to stay focused. This may sound like a no-brainer, but it trips up a lot of people. When you’re online for school, it can be tempting to have other tabs open to social media, gaming, or other distractions. While this may help pass the time, it distracts you from the lesson and can make you miss things you needed to know for a future test.
If you struggle with staying focused, especially when you’re in a comfortable place at home where you just want to relax, one of the best things you can do is to set yourself up as if you were at an in-person class. Put your laptop in a spot where you’re sitting upright, not lounging, change out of the pajamas, and grab a drink. If you treat your online class as a regular one, you will be able to focus better than if you were just lounging around trying to learn.
Overall, though studying online can be annoying at times, there is no reason why you shouldn’t succeed. Set yourself up the right way, and you’ll be just fine.
