I have a love-hate relationship with online classes. In high school when online classes were mandatory instead of optional, I told myself I would never take an online class if I wasn’t forced to. Well, turns out when I got to college, one of the classes I was eager to take was offered only online. I decided to take the leap and take the class. I absolutely loved it. I loved not having to get out of bed for class, I loved not having to sit in uncomfortable chairs for two hours, and I loved the self-guided nature of the class. Being able to direct my education in a way that I didn’t even know was offered was freeing and made me feel like a real “adult.” For me, the biggest benefit to being in an online class was that I was earning the same number of credits as an in person class offers, but I had more time to be social and attend events than I would have if the class were in-person.
However, online classes are not for the weak. They take discipline and proactivity. For people who struggle to stay on track and be proactive, some online classes might be extremely overwhelming. The key to thriving, or just passing, in an online class is a combination of your professor’s willingness to answer questions effectively and efficiently, and your time management skills.. The main downside to online classes is that you don’t usually get any face to face time with the professor meaning that most of the interactions take place via Email. I happened to have a very attentive professor who would answer questions at almost any time of day within minutes. Overall, if you can manage your time and have good communication with your professor, online classes are extremely beneficial!