TESU Alumni Share 21 DO’s and DON’Ts for All New Online Students
Many students today are tackling online learning for the first time.
Maybe you are finding yourself in the same situation. Your "new normal" is more of a "new challenge" than ever before. Perhaps you're asking your friends and family for advice. Maybe you spoke with your boss or coworkers for guidance. But at the end of the day, it's the advice of those who came before you and accomplished their goals that proves invaluable.
With that in mind, we asked our students and alumni to share their top Do's and Don'ts for new students taking online courses for the first time, and we gathered the top comments below. Each quote offers valuable advice from students just like you, for you. Whenever you need a bit of inspiration, read through these quotes until you find just what you’re looking for.
Top 21 DO's and DON'Ts for New Online Students
At first, taking online courses can seem exciting and daunting all at once. That’s when the insight of those who have done it before you can be a lifesaver. So we asked our students and alumni to help you out and answer one question:“What do or don’t would you share with a new student taking courses online for the first time?”Here are their answers and the best advice for going back to college for students, by students.
- “For the military and veteran students: Do attempt to transfer as many military credits as possible and speak to the TESU representative if you have questions. Don’t make excuses - make time.” - Shawn Mitchell
- “Plan for the unexpected. For example, I had planned on writing a paper today, but found myself sitting in an ER all day. So get it done!” - Sue Macdonald
- “Don’t quit! You will work hard and it will take a lot out of you, but it will be worth it!” - Stephanie Reid Dollaz
- “Don't wait until Sunday to look at Sunday's assignment. Do tell your mentor if an assignment is going to be late because your cat walked across your keyboard and deleted a 4-page paper you just finished and didn’t save and now you have to rewrite it.” - Stacy Jimenez
- “Do manage your time.” - Gina Holmes
- “Do work hard and be open to learning. Don’t assume it’s easier than a traditional classroom, working primarily on your own requires discipline and organization.” - Jesenia Brown
- “Do print out the syllabus and/or modules to have handy in case of a power or internet outage. This way, you will be able to continue your assignments.” - Lisa Whitehead
- “Do speak to your advisor early and often. Don’t remain quiet if you have questions or concerns. Reach out to someone and get the help you need and get your questions answered.” - Alan Ali Thompson
- “Don’t wait until the last minute to do the assignments - it will affect your grade. Do a little work everyday and be sure to save your papers at least twice a day.” - Sarah Murphy
- “Don’t let your work get away from you, whether it’s due to the holidays or illness, because catching up on that is hard.” - Leah Alabrè
- “Do not think that any of the options for earning credit are too difficult for you to use to earn credit faster and finish quicker.” - Gene Ellender
- “Do get organized: Time, work, rest, research…” - Deb Aikens
- “Do structure your time very wisely. Just because it’s online doesn’t mean it’s easy; it’s actually more difficult because you have to be disciplined.” - Yvonne Sendy
- “Print out the class schedule and mark your calendar with when assignments are due.” - Eveline Zacharowitz
- “Do ask your classmates and professor for advice. You have the ability to contact them.” - Adam Wentworth
- “Do plan out your courses and workload in advance. Have a plan and pace yourself!” - Bill Bortz
- “Do look at your class syllabus, plan ahead, budget your time, allow for unforeseen circumstances and work diligently!” - Claudia Newton
- “Time management is most important. Budget your time and work ahead if you can.” - Daria Marsh-Buck
- “Do use the resources available such as tutors. Don’t procrastinate…ever.” - Chris Pantoya
- “Do print out your semester schedule and use it as a guide. Do load all assignment dates into your Outlook calendar. Don’t give up!” - Ken Thomas
- “Don’t quit! So what if it’ll take a couple of years? The time will pass anyway!” - Frances Holly
This article was originally published on March 10, 2015 and has been updated for accuracy.