Non-Traditional Students: Finding Ways to Make School Easier

After 10 years of working towards my degree, at one point as a single mother, I am finally on the home stretch. Yay!  Through this journey I have learned, the hard way, how to be a successful student without neglecting my family.  Being a non-traditional college student is not easy. In fact, it has actually made me cherish and appreciate my upcoming graduation more.  Finding that perfect balance to where my schoolwork was above average and home life was running smoothly has made my life so much easier, now lets work on yours!

ONE.

Be consistent

As a full time online student it is very easy to fall into a school slump; there is no scheduled class time and you basically are your own teacher.  I have found that the only way to be successful in online classes is to be consistent.  Make a routine or a schedule and follow it. Every. Single. Day.  Personally, it is more convenient for me to log on every morning while my kids are getting ready for school, this allows me to look over discussions, see any announcements that have been posted and check my grades.  Then at naptime I attempt to conquer all assignments.

TWO.

Make an assignment calendar

Just like you take notes for classes, it helps to make notes for upcoming assignments.  Every Monday morning during my routine log in, I write down every assignment due that week or research papers that are due the following week on a Post-it, this Post-it placed write by my keypad on my laptop, I cross off each assignment as I get done.  I also have a monthly printable calendar for the whole semester that has every assignment according to my class syllabus marked on its due date.  This allows to see what is due weekly and what I need to be preparing for.

THREE.

Include the family and make it fun

I read all my research papers and essays to my husband, he is like my personal editor.  I have made flash cards for my children to quiz me, they think it is fun to have momma be the student.  When my son was learning to read I use to have him read my reading assignments from my textbooks to me while I made dinner.  All of these ideas include your family and make studying a little more fun and little more interesting.

FOUR.

Take advantage of your resources

I am a book girl through and through, these eBooks, audible books and podcasts just aren’t for me…normally.  In my recent semesters of online classes I have found professors providing their lectures on podcasts and uploading audible versions of book readings and this has truly been a Godsend.  Being able to access lectures or readings and listen to them while waiting in the school pick up line or while sitting at soccer practice literally makes my life easier.

The little changes you make towards the way you approach your online classes can have big effects on the results you get.  By becoming consistent with just the time I devote to my online classes I single handedly changed other aspects in my life and creative a structured weekly routine.