Studying off-campus and working remotely
Whether you’re a distance learner, studying from home, spending a year away or simply going home for the holidays, there are lots of reasons why you might feel separated from campus and everything going on there. It can be difficult to keep up with college or university work even when on campus with constant reminders about coursework and exams. Being off-campus, however, means you might find it harder to maintain motivation, be proactive and manage your time. But there’s no need to worry, you still have access to so many study resources which can be really helpful both in your study and your personal development. To help with that, here are a few things to consider.
Know where to start
Wherever you are and whatever you study, you need to know where to start. This could mean both the subject material and the skills you need to engage with it.
So, how do you find the information that’s most important for your subject area? At the University of Manchester, most degree subjects have a specific Subject Guide, which is a good starting point for students. Each subject has one and it details all the key resources for your subject, including academic databases, research topics, support materials, information about training courses. If you’re a college student, check with your tutors to see if some equivalent support is offered to help you find the most important information in your area. Find your start point and become familiar with it! It’s important to be aware of the most relevant information sources, which will be useful especially when you’re doing your coursework. This way, you can avoid any unnecessary stress before a big deadline, since you will have known about the subject-specific ones all along!
Once you’ve found your subject guide, think about what else you might need to be able to use that information. At the University of Manchester Library, we offer an online course called Essential Skills for Online Learning, which is a great starting point if you’re new to studying online and struggling with motivation or staying in touch with other learners. For other academic skills support, have a look at our award-winning skills programme, My Learning Essentials. This programme features some great online resources, on a variety of topics from referencing, to managing procrastination, to writing and tailoring your CV. You can access both of these resources from wherever you are, whenever you need to, so why not have a look now and see how they can help? These can be accessed by anyone with an internet connection, so they are a great source of help, especially when you’re working from home and there is no-one else around!
Plan Your Learning
Being off-campus also means you need to be more aware of the balance between study and other commitments. This doesn’t just mean making time for your studies but also making sure you make time for social activities, keeping up with friends and family, and everything else that’s so important for your wellbeing. Think about how many hours you want to dedicate to studying per week and fit them in between other commitments like work, chores, friends and family. Your course guides will often tell you how many hours’ study each unit expects you to do, and timetabling in some time for this will help you to keep up with assignments, even if you’re not physically in a timetabled class. When working remotely, another thing you might find useful is to plot your coursework deadlines on a calendar and put it in plain sight. Refer to it regularly so you are aware of your workload and are able to organise your time, but also to encourage you to acknowledge your progress!
Distance learning also gives you the flexibility to study at a time that suits you, so make the most of that! If you set aside regular, shorter bursts of time to spend on your studies, you’ll avoid cramming everything in the day before the deadline. You can try studying early in the morning before work, later in the evenings or simply in-between commitments. Think about what works for you, and if you need to change your working patterns, don’t be afraid to try something new!
Find an appropriate study space
As well as setting aside time to study, having a comfortable, quiet environment where you can concentrate on your work is essential. Keeping yourself relaxed and in a positive frame of mind means studying seems like less of a chore. Remember, minimising distractions is key!
Make it clear to your family or your housemates when you want to focus on your work and ask them not to disturb you for a couple of hours. There’s no need to barricade yourself in a corner with earplugs in — your family and friends should be understanding of the effort you’re putting in for your studies. If your home is a bit cramped, your siblings are annoying you, your flatmate is being noisy, or children in the family are running around, you might need to have a chat with the people around you to figure out what will work for you and your situation.
Set some goals for yourself
When you’re studying from home, it can be especially difficult to maintain motivation and focus. If you’re struggling with procrastination, there are some really useful online resources you can use here. Set some long-term goals you’ll feel motivated to work towards, and once you have them in place, break them down into smaller, more achievable tasks. Doing so will make them more realistic and the thought of starting them will no longer overwhelm you. Another good idea is to create a weekly action plan. By following it, you will complete regular goals. It will also help you mentally because you’ll be making regular progress and feel like you’re actually achieving something, which will motivate you to keep working!
Keep in touch
Try to maintain regular contact with your tutor and course mates! They might be able to suggest good resources and offer you advice based on their own experiences. Remember, your tutors have lots of experience and have probably worked with more students than you think. Other students may be just waiting for someone to reach out and start a conversation in your course group chat or message board — try being the one to comment first once or twice! Even if you don’t feel like you need any help, keeping in touch can be a good way to stay up to date, pick up extra tips and advice, or just make sure that you’re on the right track.
If you’ve not been in touch with your tutor for a while, it can be daunting to contact them with a question out of the blue and it’s easy to talk yourself out of emailing them yet again. Even if that’s the case, don’t be afraid to ask for help if you find yourself struggling! Your tutor is there to help you, no matter how much or how little you’ve been in contact.
Everyone’s experience of working remotely is different and it can often be difficult to adjust at first and figure out “your way”! Studying online helps you to build all sorts of transferable skills and can teach you a lot about how to manage your time and motivate yourself. Even though it can be tough, learning online over a holiday, a semester, or a whole degree is a huge achievement, and can offer you all the benefits of traditional on-campus study. Best of your luck with your online learning!
By Sabina from the Student Team
