Are you enrolled in online classes this summer? Studying online can be difficult, especially when summer is here! You want to enjoy the sunshine and new experiences with friends, but you know there is a long list of assignments with your name on them.
Luckily, there are many ways you can overcome the challenges of studying online. By following these six tips for online learning, you can increase your productivity and simultaneously enjoy the sunshine!
Tip 1: Set goals.
As you await the start date of your summer courses, setting performance expectations allows you to strive toward a main goal during your classes. Goals increase productivity and positivity.
It can feel daunting to do schoolwork throughout the summer. Without goals, it’s easy to fall into a rhythm of procrastination, leading to sub-par work. To set expectations for yourself, ask why you’re taking the course and what its benefits are. Having awareness of why you are taking each course will enable you to continuously put your best foot forward.
Tip 2: Sync your school calendar with your social calendar.
Studying online is difficult when there are so many opportunities for new, fun experiences with friends and family throughout the summer. That is why the second tip for online learning entails syncing your school and social calendars. Utilizing a planner or online planning software will allow you to have full awareness of all that is on your plate in advance. Marking down your assignments, projects, and tests lets you stay on top of your schoolwork
Carve out time in the week to complete each assignment. Don’t just schedule your assignments, mark down family gatherings, concerts, festivals, or any other fun activities you have planned to give yourself a clear picture of what is truly going on in your life.
Syncing your calendars keeps you from prioritizing your social life over schoolwork. When you carve out time in your calendar to complete schoolwork, you won’t have the temptation to avoid schoolwork. If given the choice between doing schoolwork and spending time with your friends, you are most likely always going to choose the social option. The fear of missing out is real, which is why you must ensure your work is done beforehand!
Tip 3: Choose locations that allow for optimal focus.
Studying online is difficult in a distracting setting. Environments such as your bedroom, a crowded room, or a noisy public space may not be the best locations for studying because distractions are prone to arise.
Before you choose your study location, understand what environments allow you to work productively. Answering the following questions will allow you to choose an optimal study spot:
- Do you need total silence, or do you prefer some noise?
- Are you more productive by yourself or with friends?
- Do you like to study in public spaces?
Your location makes all the difference in the quality of your work! Your local coffee shop, library, or park may be effective study locations, depending on your answers to the questions above.
At Grace College, many students enjoy studying at local coffee shops such as The River, LightRail Coffee, Wire and Steam, and many others. Additionally, the Village at Winona offers many outdoor seating options that allow students to soak in the sunshine and breathe in the fresh air while studying online.
Tip 4: Maintain a positive mindset.
Having a positive mindset is essential when studying online. It can be easy to become discouraged or overwhelmed — you are focused on performing academically while everyone else is living freely in the sunshine. But when you switch to a more positive mindset, studying online becomes easier.
Are you going to make your studying feel harder by carrying yourself with a negative attitude? Or will you choose to stay positive and view your academics with a God-honoring mindset?
Maintaining a positive attitude will reduce your procrastination. When you remind yourself, “If I do this now, I don’t have to later,” you are more likely to complete your work. When you view your online school work through the light of Christ, you see each class as a means of worshiping and glorifying God.
Tip 5: Be willing to face challenges.
Studying online is challenging, especially in the summer. But it is not a challenge that you cannot handle. Are you willing to overcome the task at hand, or will you give up when faced with adversity?
We are often strengthened the most through our toughest battles. While studying online this summer, you will learn not only about your academic subject but life skills such as time management, persistence, focus, and more. When you are willing to face challenges, the Lord uses your situation to grow you.
Tip 6: Remember to have fun.
While studying online during the summer may be essential, prioritize having fun too. You are not a machine, so take breaks. Your academic goals cannot come to fruition if you are constantly slaving over your schoolwork. Instead, strive to find the balance between productivity and enjoyable experiences.
Give your brain a break by doing activities you enjoy or spending time with friends. This will recharge your focus, making you more productive the next time you work on academics.
A few activities that serve as enjoyable ways to give yourself a break include:
- Taking a walk in God’s Creation
- Grabbing an ice cream cone with friends
- Playing a game or two (or three!) of a sport you enjoy such as pickleball, disc golf, or sand volleyball
- Reading your favorite book by a pool or lake
These activities, and many others, enable you to feel less pressure when it comes to your academic life. Studying online produces effective results when you give yourself grace, submit control over your work to the Lord, and partake in activities that reset your focus.
As you study hard this summer, these six tips for online learning will allow you to stay productive and reach your academic goals, all while getting to enjoy your summer!
Learn more about our online program here.
