Here’s What You Need:
Chances are, you’ve been thinking about earning your degree online for quite some time now. While having the gumption to want to earn your degree online is half the battle in getting started, it’s going to take a bit more than just the desire of wanting to attend college online to bring that goal to fruition. In no particular order (since they are all equally necessary), here are seven things you need to help ensure you have what it takes to sucessfully earn your degree online.
1. A laptop.
While it seems like you can do pretty much everything on your smartphone these days, you’ll want to have a laptop (or a Personal Computer) for your academic coursework. If you order your college textbooks online (vs. having hard copies snail mailed to you), it will be a lot easier to read the assigned chapters on a laptop’s screen (vs. a small phone screen). Plus, there are lots of places to navigate on the online learning platform, so the bigger the screen, the more inviting it will be for you to explore the site and find your way around the virtual classroom.
2. A good listener.
Whether it’s your new contacts that you will get to know in each course, a colleague, a family member, or a long-time best friend, you’ll need a “go to” support system for those times when you feel like you want to quit or you want to celebrate an accomplishment. Going back to college as an adult, and pursuing that goal online, is truly a big deal. Identify someone in your life who cares about – and wants to hear about – your academic journey; keep in touch with him or her on a regular basis. When you’ve made it over a big hurdle or completed a course, let those people in your support circle know how much their time and encouragement have been an integral part of your journey.
3. A designated workspace.
Dedicate a space where you can do your coursework each week. Create a place where you can leave your textbooks and printed research articles without having to worry about misplacing them or someone else moving them. By having one designated space in your home for your academic work, you won’t have to waste time or create undue stress searching all over your apartment or house for your materials needed to complete an assignment.
4. A cup of confidence.
You are smart enough, motivated enough, and confident enough to go back to college as an adult and earn your degree online. Others have done it; you can do it, too. Should you stumble or struggle along the way – no problem! Most every student needs help at some point. Averett provides you with all the resources and support you’ll need to succeed – including free tutoring and career services. You just need to be confident and believe in yourself. Listen to how you describe yourself and your feelings and then change those thoughts if they are not positive and life-enhancing.
5. A sense of humor.
Don’t be too serious. A sense of humor goes a long way for reducing stress and reminding you that in the grand scheme of things, there isn’t a whole lot worth getting freaked out, stressed out or angry over. You might post something one week and realize that you have a typo in your posting. No big deal; shake it off. Though it’s always smart to proofread your assignments before you submit them, don’t worry about it if you do make a few minor mistakes here and there. As you move forward along your academic journey at Averett, you will become not only a better writer, but also a better proofreader. And until then, people who have access to their sense of humor in the midst of stress tend to be more resilient in their pursuit of goals.
6. A dose of discipline.
It’s going to take concentration, commitment, and a dose of discipline on your journey to your academic goal. When you’d rather do anything but the week’s assignments, it’s critical to push through and stay motivated. Your college coursework is a temporary new component to your regular routine. Weeks fly by and before you know it, another course will be completed – bringing you one step closer to the almighty degree! You can still spend time with family and friends, and you can still watch your favorite show, you just need to be disciplined enough to get your coursework done too.
7. An ability to envision the hole on the green.
The golf hole, the flag at that golf hole, and the green that surrounds them are all typically out of sight when golfers first tee off. They don’t see their ultimate goal until they get much closer to it. Whether the golfer at the tee is already highly-skilled or is a newbie to the experience, both start at the same place and must envision the final hole somewhere up ahead. The same holds true for adult students pursuing their college degree online. At the onset of every course, you don’t clearly see the final week, paper, or project; you’re simply focused on taking the steps necessary to get there. Although you know your degree is “out there” at the end, you just need to keep envisioning it until it becomes crystal clear right before you.
So you think you have what it takes to earn your degree online? You’re right. You do now.