Don’t just slink away into the back room and come out, red-eyed and silent, after a few hours of intense studying. Let your family know you’re accomplishing something meaningful. If you discover something interesting, bring it up at the dinner table or discuss it while driving your kids to school. Let your spouse tag along on field trips to the art museum or city counsel. Chances are they’ll enjoy being involved in this part of your life and you’ll appreciate the chance to share it.

(source: About.com)

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Although you may want to sign up for as many classes as possible, taking only one or two in the beginning is the best way to go. That way you’ll be able get a feel for how many hours you need to dedicate to your classes each week. By starting slow, you’ll learn to pace yourself without being overwhelmed as well as what other life commitments will just have to go in order for your online learning experience to be a success.

It’s easier to add additional courses the next semester than it is to drop or fail out of one now. Remember, online college classes are just as challenging and time consuming as the classes at a campus university. It definitely won’t be a walk in the park.

(Source: Education.org)

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Educators have long noted that one of the best ways to learn something is to teach it to someone else. Remember your seventh-grade presentation on Costa Rica? By teaching to the rest of the class, your teacher hoped you would gain even more from the assignment. You can apply the same principle today by sharing your newly learned skills and knowledge with others.

Start by translating the information into your own words. This process alone helps solidify new knowledge in your brain. Next, find some way to share what you’ve learned. Some ideas include writing a blog post, creating a podcast or participating in a group discussion.

(source: About.com)

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Let’s be honest, you’re not always going to be thrilled about pursuing your online degree. In the midst of juggling your work and personal commitments, there will be times where quitting seems like a better option than seeing it through to the end.

A great way to stay motivated from the beginning and throughout your online learning experience is to celebrate your successes – no matter how big or small. Maybe you achieved your weekly reading goal two days early or received an “Attaboy!” from that professor who’s always seemed so critical.  Reward yourself for achievements with whatever works for you, along the way. This will help train you to think differently when those overwhelming moments begin to distract you from your ultimate goal of earning a degree online. Instead of having the negative thoughts, you can think about how you’ll pamper yourself the next time you reach a milestone in your journey. 

This can also apply to your friends and family who are working towards their degrees.  Make sure to acknowledge their hard work and achievement, and who knows… maybe a little good deed will benefit you when you need some extra help.

 - Online Learning Tips Staff