How to be a sucessful online student?

LadyinScrubs, ASN, RN · May 26, 2011

I started DL in Spring. My suggestion is do your reading, assigend work and try to stay ahead of the assignments. Each week make a check list of what must be done, and double check the dates when papers or other items must be submitted. Check your email and/or blackboard almost every day--you never know when something important will show up. Print out the syllibus and the schedule and keep them handy. I didn't and it takes too much time to locate what I wanted on the computer or on line versus having it at my fingertips. Get to know the people in your class and if at all possible, get a study partner. That person is someone you can chat with on the phone or via email. I found that my study partner was helpful when I needed someone to proof read or just cry on a shoulder. Distant learning is more rigorous than normal nursing school. You will need good time management skills and there are times you will not want to study. Do it anyway because the next week there will be more goals to accomplish. Finally, when you submit your work each week, do not miss the deadline and don't leave everything to the last minute...you never know. Stuff happens -- just as I was about 5 questions into the final, the electricity cut out for two hours. I could not call out or email so I had to wait till the electricity came back to contact the professor and ask her to reset the final. Make sure you have a backup plan.

Congratulations and best of luck.