Imagine a student at their computer, on Tuesday lunch break. One tab contains a discussion board due at 5. A second holds a quiz that closes tomorrow. One is a syllabus, with a midterm in red pen. The fourth tab has a search bar and, for a moment of frustration, the blinking cursor sits next to the words “take my class for me.”
Many of us have been in that position, and it’s easy to see how online learning could provide flexibility without structure – a collection of small deadlines that all feel vital. Some students go so far as to type “take my exam for me” into a search engine, as a shortcut to pass off the load to someone else. We lose sight here that it’s not often a lack of ability, but one of systems, that we’re failing ourselves. Fortunately, a system is a thing we can make for ourselves, and the right academic support can make it much simpler.
Why Online Learning Feels Heavier Than It Needs To
In the physical world, a class has clear boundaries. You enter, sit, and exit. Online, the class travels with you – it lives on your laptop, where you also have your email and music.
This lack of separation results in two issues.
Firstly, it’s much harder to find a point where now is the right time to study, as nobody will close a door behind you.
Secondly, the smaller tasks add up.
A weekly forum post here, a short reading there, and a peer review nobody mentioned, and all take chunks of your day, without being a major exam.
The life outside of your classes should also be considered. Many online students balance classes on top of a career and/or caring for others. You aren’t sitting in isolation, and you should be planning with that in mind.
The First Step Is Accepting That It’s Difficult, Based On How It’s Set Up
Motivation is a poor foundation for building a plan, as it has a habit of appearing and then vanishing
A better choice is to make a map, with all of the important dates. Set this up ideally on a weekend, when you have the time, and try to include every single date from your classes. It doesn’t matter how you do this, so long as it’s somewhere in one place, rather than spread out between apps.
Exam Dates And Any Associated Review Sessions
Your other needs (work shifts and family commitments)
Look at the weeks where these overlap. Every term has its own busy weeks, which tend to appear early on. Knowing a busy week is coming is the first step to adjusting the weeks beforehand, and the whole term will shift dramatically. Picture two students with broadly similar classes, where one looks at their syllabus every Sunday night, while the other made a map of their term in September. A busy week in November comes for both, but one mapped out their term and knew to dedicate two of the papers they had to that week, while the other student was scrambling. Same smarts, same schedule, but one knew how to prepare in advance and the other didn’t.
Treat exam preparation as a daily habit, rather than an event
Memory research has long since shown that it’s far more effective to space out study sessions, rather than have one long cramming session before an exam. This means that, rather than one marathon study day before your exam, it’s far more useful to dedicate 30 minutes a day to reviewing the material, with breaks in between. It builds up to the exam and, crucially, doesn’t burn you out in the process
Where academic support fits in
This is one area where many students find themselves hesitating, unsure whether to do it or not. In reality, every good student we know uses a version of academic support, simply because it’s part of the game. There’s an unspoken understanding that the system doesn’t hand out answers freely, and the best you can expect is some help.
Academic support is an umbrella term, covering a variety of services. Here are several that we recommend.
- Tutoring: A tutor can help explain concepts that are proving particularly stubborn, or simply provide a different perspective if the textbook isn’t clicking for you. Even two or three sessions before an exam can be extremely helpful for a difficult topic.
- Instructor office hours: Underutilized by many, online or otherwise. Online instructors often hold an empty office hour for anyone to join. If you find yourself having trouble with a concept, asking a specific question can yield good results. (“I understand step 1 and 3 of this problem but not why we do x to get to step 2”)
- Writing & Study centers: Many universities offer these services for free (and online, if you’d rather), helping to proofread your work as well as plan out projects
- Study groups: Even an informal group of friends on a messaging app can keep each other on track, and are another good opportunity to explain a concept to someone else, to test your own understanding
- Time-management coaching: Some schools offer this resource either as part of your course or separately. If it’s available, it’s a good idea to utilize it early in the term, rather than week 12. Many will provide a detailed plan, while some ask for specific problems you’re having.
The takeaway
Balancing online classes with the preparation for exams is about making the most of the time we have, rather than finding more of it. That means using the time we have with more intent, and asking for assistance early and often
A map of your course, alongside daily review sessions and academic support, will help to build a sustainable foundation. And, when the time comes to do something other than study, it’s worth remembering that it’s not often a lack of ability, but one of systems, that we’re failing ourselves.
We’ve seen it often that the students who get through it are those who set up extra support early and kept going, even when struggling. Pick one thing from this article this week and give it a try.
