Done with final assignments and onto the summer holidays! As I go into summer vacation I wanted to make a post about my experience studying an online university course. For those of you that don’t know, I’ve had a little unconventional schooling and life experiences and, as a result of that I had to go into the work force at the age of 18. But as life got stable I really wanted to go back and study. I really think it’s never too late to study and after a couple of years of studies I wanted to talk a little about my motivations and thoughts on studying online. So today’s post will be more writing than photos but… read on to find out more about my online studying experiences
Why I chose Online University
The reason why I chose online education is because I had a lot going on in my life when I started and options of studying in english in Japan is very limited. I really wanted to specialize in either psychology or sociology and my options of studying these subjects here were very limited.
Studying online is harder and lonelier but it allowed me to chose a subject that I was actually interested in and that I enjoyed learning about. For me university was not about getting whatever degree but about what I’d actually learn.The first year I actually was on track to a BS. Psychology but during that course I realized that I had more interest in social science subjects than psychology and changed to a BA in Social Science from year 2. I’ve very much enjoyed studying about social patterns and trends and it’s certainly given me a different perspective in life and how I view society.
So my advice if you want to study online is to choose your course well, be sure that it’s a subject you actually will enjoy learning about because it will go a long way in maintaining your motivation level.
Learn Time Management ASAP!
Time management and Organizational skills… an extra emphasis on time management. I think in all studies or work, time management is one of the most important skills to have in life. While doing an online university course I found this extra crucial. I obviously had some late nights finishing essays and submissions but I am proud to say that not once I have asked for an extension as I made sure to be done with my work one day in advance…
My trick?In the beginning of the year as soon as I received the annual assignment submission schedules I’d note them all one or two days earlier in my calendars and agendas. Sometimes I’d have fights around the same time … etc and knowing my schedule in advance really helped me stay on top of everything.
Dealing with Study Loneliness
As I mentioned above, studying online is a lot lonelier and harder. In my case my university course (Open University) came with a forum group as well as some online lectures I could join. But, with time differences and a little bit of online awkwardness I found myself struggling to actually participate in those platforms. So how did I deal with the “study loneliness”? First, I chose to talk about the subjects and topics I was learning about to my partner and family at home. I found it comforting and helpful to understand each topic by just simply explaining what I’ve been working on to my partner and then have some free flowing discussions around the subject. When it came to the technical aspect of studying I found coffee shops, co-working spaces and libraries helpful as a lot of students would be studying quietly around me. The positive sides of studying online is that you can study anywhere, from the beach on the balcony, the key is finding that spot that helps you concentrate.
In Tokyo I often went to these co-working space to really get some writing going but sometimes I’d take my work with me on some trips and get some work going there too.
This brings me to the end of this short post …
If your thinking of studying online, let me tell you guys it’s not easy at all and sometimes it feels lonely but with these tips I made it through the years. Although it’s difficult after each year I felt such an accomplishment and learning lots of new things whilst having different life experiences made it all worth it so I hope this helped you or inspired you to study again!
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