Online students have a unique challenge in front of them. Unlike traditional students, they often balance a very full life with their learning. Many online students continue to work demanding jobs while they study in their free time. They often care for families, share community obligations, and handle financial responsibilities. As a result of this demanding lifestyle, students should have a plan in place for balancing learning and life.
Early in your studies, read about time management and learning styles. What works best for you? There are many creative ways to organize your projects and time in order to make the most of small breaks throughout the week. Planning ahead will always be the key to your success. Read this article on Getting Motivated so that when your life gets really busy, you’ll have a way to maintain your momentum in your studies.
Finally, make a plan. You never know when work will ask you to stay late, or a family member falls ill, or your car breaks down. These things take up your time, so it’s helpful to have a plan in place so that you’ll find it easier to get back on track with your studies.
Ideally, your plan will include five elements:
- Contact your mentor to let them know of your situation
- Contact your student success manager so we can offer you support
- Identify one thing that you can do during this time so you feel connected to your learning even if you can’t spend as much time as you normally do
- Identify a date in the future to schedule a “Catch-Up” session with your mentor. This gives you a clear deadline for returning to learning
- Use that session to create a list of activities and deadlines that will help you catch back up
There are other aspects that might be important, too, such as taking a break, but these will depend on each student’s specific situation. Your student success manager can always help navigate challenging situations so that you know how to balance learning and life!