When you have a busy life, it can be difficult to find time to study, and attending college in the traditional way, even part-time, is often impossible. The rise of online education has resulted in a lot more people accessing study who couldn’t before, and one of the reasons for this is that it’s a lot easier to fit around other commitments.
Study and work
Most online courses allow you to study in whatever hours suit you best as long as you meet your deadlines. This means that you can still go to work as usual, whether you have regular hours or ever-changing shifts. You may even be able to combine your study with work – Wilkes University nursing courses require students to amass a set number of hours of clinical experience at each stage, and similar arrangements can apply to other disciplines such as teacher training and law. In some cases, employers are willing to contribute towards the cost of study in order to skill up loyal employees. In others, particularly finance, more experienced members of staff often act as mentors to help those who are still studying get more out of their courses.
Managing domestic commitments
If you’re a busy parent or you spend your time caring for an older or disabled adult, online study means that you’ll still have the chance to get an education even if you never get long to yourself at any one time. Most study consists of reading or watching videos, which can be paused as needed should you have to deal with something urgent. You can usually choose from a selection of times for group work, so you can do it at quieter times or when you have back-up available. Because there’s no need to travel or make commitments at regular times every day, it’s also easier to fit in things such as walking dogs. You can fit it around other household tasks by listening to tutorials while you clean or prepare meals.
Study and your social life
A busy work and domestic life can be a barrier to traditional study, but let’s face it, it’s not the only one: you probably also have social commitments that matter to you. Again, the flexibility of online study can help you to fit in your education without having to make too many sacrifices. Just like in-person study, it can give rise to new social opportunities, as there are usually dedicated online spaces for students to interact with each other, and you may spend some of your time working on group projects. It also gives you something interesting to talk about in social situations, and this can lead to networking opportunities, helping you to make contact with people who could be helpful to you in your future career.
Online courses are a real gamechanger for busy people. It’s no longer necessary to give up and feel that you have no time to study. You will need the energy and commitment to get the work done, but if you have that, there’s no limit to your learning opportunities.
