I have been an online student since I was 12. Though my reasoning at the time had to do with middle school bullying, I eventually realized just how much I flourished in an independent environment. But it was not <\/strong>easy to get to that point.<\/p>\n Something I see often, now that I\u2019ve been an online college student for six years, is that many people opt to study online because they believe it\u2019s easier than traditional, brick-and-mortar schooling.<\/p>\n While I won\u2019t say it can\u2019t be, I am a staunch believer in making the best decisions you can for yourself. Here are my top five pieces of advice to become a successful online student, from someone who\u2019s been one for over a decade.<\/p>\n When I first started school online, it was drilled into me just how important it was to have a dedicated study space. At the time, it was because kids are plenty susceptible to studying from bed if they so please. But at its core, it\u2019s because training your brain to be in work mode in an assigned location tremendously helps with focus.<\/strong><\/p>\n As online college students, our study spaces likely change often (I know I have at least three, if not more, I rotate through), and for some, you may find your study spaces are wherever you are when you have a few minutes to crack open your virtual textbook. In these cases, a dedicated study space can be how you prepare yourself to work wherever you are.<\/p>\n Maybe you have a specific pair of noise-canceling headphones, a study playlist, an orientation for your notebooks on your work surface or a special drink you enjoy as you work. When these things are in place, your brain will know it\u2019s time to focus.<\/p>\n Sometimes focusing just isn\u2019t working, no matter how much you\u2019ve prepped yourself for it. In these situations, I recommend not pushing yourself.<\/p>\n Of course, there are caveats. You very well may not have a choice, or this may be your only time to work. In these situations, as a bonus piece of advice, I\u2019d suggest doing things like walking, readjusting or taking a five-minute brain break instead. However, if you have the luxury to step away, do it.<\/p>\n Pushing yourself to sit and stare at the same three words for the next three hours, being more and more enticed by your devices to distract yourself from studying, doesn\u2019t get you any closer to a study milestone. Recognizing when your brain needs a break is vital for lasting knowledge<\/strong> and ensuring you don\u2019t run into burnout down the line.<\/p>\n To piggyback on that sentiment, it is incredibly important to take time for yourself during your studies.<\/p>\n This will look different for everyone, especially when responsibilities vary and available time to relax is limited. But it\u2019s the thought that counts.<\/p>\n When you intentionally take even just a few minutes for yourself<\/strong> for a quick walk around the hallway, a step outside into the sun or a five-minute meditation, you\u2019re giving your brain a moment to relax.<\/p>\n When you put your needs first, success comes a lot easier than when you\u2019re working against yourself.<\/p>\n There are all kinds of study materials, and it\u2019s really easy to get caught up in the pretty stationery, the shiny new electronic or the picture-perfect student setup. However, at the end of the day, the best materials are the ones that help you excel.<\/p>\n This took me a long time to figure out. I\u2019ve been through it all \u2014 note-taking in physical notebooks with six different colored pens, typing in a Word document, using my iPad or opting against notetaking entirely. In one way or another, they\u2019ve each failed me at some point in time.<\/p>\n What I\u2019ve found is that the best solutions are class-specific.<\/strong> Sometimes, classes are structured in a way that requires plenty of note-taking, while others aren\u2019t. Many times, professors provide PowerPoint slides, annotated notes and note summaries instead. Lots of textbooks offer similar content.<\/p>\n While note-taking can feel really overwhelming sometimes (especially when it adds time you may or may not have to a study plan), it\u2019s incredibly important to consider the class and what it truly calls for.<\/p>\n Trust your ability to retain information as well, because it\u2019s up there even if you doubt it is.<\/p>\n Routines can be really complicated, but if there\u2019s one piece of advice I think you should walk away with, it\u2019s that routines are important when it comes to your studies. That\u2019s especially true when online classes are asynchronous.<\/p>\n Varying responsibilities can make a cut-and-dried, flawlessly recurring routine impossible. However, even a whisper of a routine can make a world of difference.<\/strong><\/p>\n Maybe you plan to study for three hours a day or dedicate a certain time in the day to schoolwork. It doesn\u2019t need to be perfect, but it\u2019s important for structure.<\/p>\n As my success coach<\/a> has been hearing for the past three years, routines are hard, and it\u2019s something I\u2019ve been trying to improve for a long time. However, as she has advised me, maybe a routine doesn\u2019t need to be improved in the ways I think it does, if it\u2019s working for my school responsibilities. At its core, routines just need to work in your favor academically.<\/p>\n I hope these five pieces of advice can help you in your online school journey! If you need any guidance or a fellow peer to talk to about common struggles, feel free to contact me.<\/p>\n Megan McDonald is a student in Oregon State University\u2019s fisheries, wildlife, and conservation sciences bachelor’s program<\/a>, offered online by the College of Agricultural Sciences<\/a>. Discover how Allan and other members of the Ecampus Student Advisory Board<\/strong> impact the online student experience at Oregon State University, and read about eligibility and participation requirements.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/span> 4<\/span> minute read<\/span><\/span>Many people study online because they believe it\u2019s easier than in-person schooling. While I won\u2019t say it can\u2019t be, I am a staunch believer in making the best decisions you can for yourself. Here are my top five pieces of advice to become a successful online student, from someone who\u2019s been one for over a decade.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":2794,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1,677,8,674],"tags":[374,698],"class_list":["post-3062","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-students-and-alumni","category-students","category-tips","tag-college-of-agricultural-sciences","tag-student-advisory-board-blog-series"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/In-their-words-Megan-McDonald-250602-v13.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7BNSE-No","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2386,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/meet-the-ecampus-student-ambassadors\/","url_meta":{"origin":3062,"position":0},"title":"Meet the Ecampus student ambassadors","author":"Carly Fredericks","date":"January 22, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"This year's team of Ecampus student ambassadors includes Annmarie Floyd and two more ambassadors to be named. 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Through innovation, iteration and integrity, these Ecampus partners take on life's biggest challenge: shaping this world's future through education.","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Screen-Shot-2021-05-05-at-8.42.41-AM.png?fit=1200%2C693&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Screen-Shot-2021-05-05-at-8.42.41-AM.png?fit=1200%2C693&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Screen-Shot-2021-05-05-at-8.42.41-AM.png?fit=1200%2C693&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Screen-Shot-2021-05-05-at-8.42.41-AM.png?fit=1200%2C693&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Screen-Shot-2021-05-05-at-8.42.41-AM.png?fit=1200%2C693&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3062","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/84"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3062"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3062\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2794"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3062"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3062"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3062"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Tip 1: Find your space<\/h3>\n
Tip 2: Find your focus<\/h3>\n
Tip 3: Take time away<\/h3>\n
Tip 4: Choose the right study materials<\/h3>\n
Tip 5: Develop healthy routines<\/h3>\n
You can do this<\/h3>\n
\nLearn about the Student Advisory Board<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"