How to survive grad school online

Finally done! Woo Hoo!

I’m not going to lie. I think grad school online was way harder than attending class in person. That being said, you can’t beat the convenience, particularly if it’s asynchronous like my program was at Texas Tech, and the conversation is less likely to get hijacked by that one annoying non-traditional student. (Wait, was that me?)

Anyway, now that I’m done, I’m sharing a running list of tips that helped me manage grad school, a full-time job and family (see below). Enjoy!

1. Read the syllabus and put all the due dates on your calendar.
2. Schedule a time each night to “go to school” just like you would have for an in-person class.
3. Create a quiet, comfortable space to do your readings and homework. (Invest in a good chair if you don’t already have one.)
4. Check your email and assignment portal (Blackboard, Canvas, etc.) every single day.
5. Expect to get less sleep.
6. Always decline the automatic update of a Microsoft application or your computer’s operating system while you are working on an assignment. It can wait!
7. If you have a group project, set up a group text, meet weekly via Google Hangout and assign a group leader and a note taker.
8. Use your life experience in your commentary.
9. Take a day off work to study as you near big project deadlines or finals.
10. Ask the professor questions early, like the week before the assignment is due. Don’t wait until the due date because he or she won’t have time to get back with you before it’s too late.
11. Search Google Scholar for your term paper sources, if for no other reason other than copying and pasting reference citations in MLA, APA, etc. without having to create them from scratch.
12. Double check all verbiage in Grammarly before turning it in. Typos are invisible to tired eyes. (Yes, I checked this post in Grammarly too.)
13. Bookmark the Purdue Online Writing Lab, and use it any time you have the slightest doubt about formatting.
14. “Don’t turn your final paper in early.” A classmate said this because, reportedly, if you turn an assignment in early, the professor has plenty of time to focus and critique you in depth. I’m not sure if this is really true, but if you choose to wait until the day your paper is due, upload it at least three hours before deadline in case there are technical problems.
15. Read the syllabus. 🙂