10 Tips for Distance Learners

1. If your home is your classroom, make it a space that gets your mind going and encourages productivity. I did this by making sure I made my bed and ate breakfast every morning.

2. Come up with a daily routine and stick to it. LIM’s online course schedule is flexible and tailorable to your availability, but don’t let that make you lenient in your work ethic!

3. Take at least one day a week to rest your mind. No homework or work. Just relaxing.

4. Exercise relieves stress and is a great way to get away from staring at your computer all day.

5. Be involved in LIM and get noticed. You can do this by emailing your advisor about College opportunities and inquiring about organizations that are looking for online student participants. For example, I reached out to my advisors about getting involved with the Lexington Line magazine, writing blogs, volunteering for New York Fashion Week, and modeling for the student-run fashion show.

6. Everyone needs a break! When studying or completing coursework for an extended period, I liked to work for two hours, then take a 30-minute break. Going for more than two hours without a study-break could turn my brain into mush and cause me to be less fresh in my work.

7. If you don’t understand a specific assignment, ask your professor if he or she has time to speak over the phone. I did this a couple of times and it helped tremendously. You can never ask too many questions, and LIM’s online course platform has discussion boards that allow you to easily communicate with professors and other students.

8. Be patient but also persistent. Remember, professors have outside lives, too, and many other students to keep track of. To get an answer, you need to stay on top of emails. (This helps in the workforce too!)

9. You never know when your computer might decide to go black or freeze. It always seems to happen at the worst times. So, do not wait until the last minute to complete a project or paper.

10. Attend graduation. It is so worth it to walk across the stage to receive your diploma. It’s also a wonderful experience being in New York City for the event and a great reminder that you’re part of the LIM community.