Even a few years ago online classes were much less common and were usually held not in colleges but among self-learners, who would learn various programming algorithms or how to play guitar. But nowadays, everything changed – more and more college students switch to virtual learning which is far safer and more comfortable. However, there are also some downsides that you should be aware of, such as lack of motivation and self-discipline. We have prepared five tips that will help you succeed in your online classes, no matter what they are.
Tip #1: Treat Your Classes Seriously
The fact that now you can join a class in your pajamas without even leaving your room doesn’t mean that you should not treat your classes seriously. Remember, that it’s the same classes and they are equally important to you.
What you can do to make it easier for you to keep your professional approach towards your studying process is to get ready for your classes.
Tip #2: Create a Routine
In order to get ready for your classes, make sure you create a routine that you stick to throughout the semester. For example, you can create a schedule with the time specifically dedicated to getting up in the morning, eating your breakfast, having your morning dose of caffeine, and getting dressed for the day.
This basic routine is simple to keep up with but is very effective when it comes to setting the right mood for the learning process. You can much easily consume and analyze the information when your brain is ready for it. And to get prepared, all you need is to give yourself a ritual that your brain will memorize as a starting point for a learning activity.
Tip #3: Set Reminders and Create a Schedule
A student’s day consists of many various tasks and activity changes. There are breaks when you can rest and there are study hours when you should be focused. In order to make sure you are on time with everything and know where you need to put your effort, you should definitely create a schedule.
Think about all the tasks for the next day, week, month and write them down in your calendar. Set a specific time for when you should be studying, attending your classes, doing your homework. Set reminders for each task to avoid forgetting about another class or some important point of your plan.
Tip #4: Keep Yourself Organized
Another thing that you should definitely do is to keep your studying space organized. It also applies to your documents and files on your computer.
Spend some time to get your files on your computer organized. Create folders for each of your courses and for all of the tasks that you need to complete by categories: “Need to do urgently,” “Requires additional research,” “Information for future projects,” etc. As time goes by, you will of course move files from one folder to another, but you will have all of your study materials on hand without a need to look for them.
Pro tip: create a file with all the remarks about each of your assignments that you are about to complete. You can, for example, write down some links, guidelines from your professors, deadlines, etc. Having all of these in front of you as a table is much more convenient, as well as writing these details in one document. This allows you to save time when you start working on an essay or a lab report as you don’t need to look through the syllabus or emails one more time.
Tip #5: Make Notes
Many students now tend to not pay much attention during an online class. It happens because they have much more freedom and less control from professors. Some students might be eating or playing games, listening to music, or texting. However, this is a mistake that can later become a problem.
What you should do is to make notes instead or at least record the class to make notes later. Many times professors give some specific material during classes only. It means that you won’t be able to find this information anywhere else.