These days, you may feel so busy that you think you’ll never be able to go back to school or finish that elusive degree. You may feel trapped by your current career and dream of the day that you can receive the adequate training or certification to pursue the job of your dreams. With the advance of the Internet, “going back to school” doesn’t mean you have to get in your car or block out week nights away from your family. You can pursue getting a degree online successfully, at your own pace and schedule. Here are some tips to help you realize your dreams:
Plan to Succeed
Start by assuming that you will complete what you’ve started. Look at the requirements before signing up and think through how you will meet them. Before beginning your coursework, break it up into manageable assignments and set a schedule for meeting certain goals. By checking your calendar frequently and marking off your progress, you can encourage yourself to keep working. If others know and ask you about your studies, you will be more motivated to keep working. You may want to find someone to check in on you regularly and keep you accountable.
Get Organized
If you set a workable schedule ahead of time, you won’t feel as overwhelmed by the amount of work to be done. Make sure you have everything you will need readily available. It may be helpful to set aside a place to work with all your materials and textbooks laid out. It might also be necessary to ask your family not to disturb you during your scheduled study times. Don’t force yourself to work non-stop. Taking breaks for food or to move around can keep you from getting too tired to do your best work. But keep breaks limited and don’t get sidetracked from your schedule!
Use What You Learn
The best way to remember what you’re learning is to put it into practice. You may be able to find a study group or mentor who can review your work and answer questions. You may also find resources on the Internet, such as forums or blogs that allow interaction with others in your field of study. Look around you for examples of what you’re learning. You can learn from what others are doing – even bad examples can teach you what to avoid! There may be ways that you can use what you’ve learned at your job or in your home. You want to be able to use your new skills in your future, so you need to be practicing now, not just memorizing the facts.
Share Your Success
When you’ve finished a difficult task in your course, share it with your family and friends. There may be places where you can show your work for others to admire. Don’t be discouraged if anyone criticizes your work – you can learn from feedback, even if you don’t agree. Whatever your field, you should never stop learning.
