Taking Online Classes While Working Full Time
Going to school online full time while working full time? You can't be serious!
While this might sound like the fastest way to losing your cool, it's a reality for many people who chose to go back to school while engaging in full-time work. While working and going to school simultaneously is not the easiest task you've ever accomplished, it can be achievable for many individuals looking to navigate their education without stopping their lives.
Advantages of Online Education for Full-Time Workers
When you think about it, online classes can work out well for those who also work full time. For example, classes are done at your own pace with deadlines at the end of each week. This means that if you have a stressful meeting on Thursday, you can finish writing your big paper on Wednesday so you can still enjoy your weekend.
You also don't have to worry about class meetings at 9am. If you work nights, you can turn in your classwork at 4am when you get home. If you work 9-5 you can do your homework at night. It's really up to you when you learn.
Online classes also save you time in another way: travel. You don't have to worry about driving to campus, near or far, because your campus is on your phone, on your laptop, or on your desktop. This allows you to take classes while out of state from the university you're attending, or even out of the country. This kind of flexibility is great for those in the military, or with a job that involves a great deal of travel.
Naturally, the comfort of learning in your own home can't be beat. Not to mention that never being confined to a classroom, you can learn anywhere. At your favorite coffee shop, during downtime at work (with the permission of your supervisor, of course), or even at your local library, you have the opportunity to get your work done.
Challenges of Learning Online While Working Full Time
It would be misleading to give the impression that online education isn't demanding or sometimes difficult. You will have less time for family, friends, and relaxation. You will sometimes fight chaos with a busy schedule, projects due, and deadlines looming. You might have a hard time getting used to all of your classmates and instructors being at a distance.
If you expect online education to be a waltz through forest of chocolate, you are in for a rude awakening. But this doesn't mean that it's impossible. Because it certainly isn't! You just need to know how to deal with problems as they arise and adjust your work as needed.
How Do I Cope with the Challenges of Online Education?
Your best defense is a good offense. This might be true in sports, but it's definitely true in online education. Prepare yourself for starting classes. Cut back on social activities and tell friends and family you're working towards your goals and might not be available as much. Create study spaces where you can learn in peace and quiet. Organize your days so you're not waiting until the proverbial 11th hour to get your work done.
Most importantly, remember why you're doing this. When you are struggling through a test or writing a paper you're not that interested in, remember that this is all part of the experience that makes up your college degree. Write down the biggest reason why you're going to school online. You might write,
- Be the first in my family to earn a college degree
- Earn a promotion at work
- Expand my knowledge and skills to be a more marketable employee
- Follow my dreams
- Change my future
- Set a good example for my children
Whatever your reason, keep it in plain sight of your workstation. Whenever you get frustrated, and you will, look at that reason and remember why you're doing this. It can help you to push forward and keep going even when it gets tough.
Do you want to change your life by earning a college degree online? If you think you have what it takes to go to school online and succeed, ECPI University offers online degree programs in business, health science, technology, nursing, and more. For more information about any of these degree programs, connect with a friendly admissions counselor today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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