Student life isn’t easy. Things can easily spiral out of control when balancing course work with your social life and even a full time job. Even if your mantra is to “Keep Calm and Carry On”, it’s easier said than done.
Doing your courses online can be a bit tricky. It’s a test on your self-discipline, but knowing that you made it all the way to the end because of your own willpower will feel pretty incredible.
Whether you’ve just joined the QC family, or have been a star student in another course, these tips will help you get the most out of your classes and maybe land you that shiny A+!
Be thorough
This idea extends through everything in the course. Whether it’s reading the instructions carefully before starting or answering questions with rich, in-depth answers, being thorough will impress your tutors. There’s no such thing as having too much detail, since it shows that you’re really thinking about your responses. In the real world, giving vague descriptions to your clients won’t fly, so treat your tutor like you would a client when you’re crafting your answers.
Ask the tough questions
Have you been stumped by an assignment’s instructions? Don’t be afraid to ask! The smartest students are the ones who ask questions to gain a deeper understanding of the course material. If you ever come something you don’t understand or have any questions, you can call or email the student support center. They’re there to support you in your learning!
Do the optional assignments
Yes, these assignments are not necessary to do, BUT they’re there for a reason. You’ll find the business courses helpful especially if further down the road, you’d like to try your hand at starting your own business. The business assignments will ready you for the real world. You’ll also get the added benefit of having your tutor look over your business plans to give you her invaluable insights!
Set your own pace
Our interior design courses are self-paced. This means that you can do as much, or as little, work in a day as you’d like. Deadlines often stress people out, but having a flexible course sequence makes it that much more important to stay on top of things. As soon as you’ve got the ball rolling, keep at it. Set up timelines and goals for yourself to complete assignments and units. If you work at a steady pace, there’s no telling what you can accomplish.
Keep organized
Some people swear by having a slightly messy study area to facilitate an organized mind. It sounds like an oxymoron, but hey, if it works. You may have already established an organization system that works for you—that’s great. As they say, don’t fix something that isn’t broken. But if this is your first course online, consider these tips:
- Separate the work and notes into their own notebooks or folders by unit and then by course (if you’re taking more than one course).
- Start keeping an agenda. An agenda will be helpful in keeping track of your course work and later on when you start working with multiple clients at once.
- Use the checklists to keep track of your progress so you can see what you’ve already done, and what still needs tackling.
Use the forums
With distance learning, it can feel a bit isolating, but you really aren’t alone! The student forum is a platform for you to interact with your peers. You can see how they’re approaching their assignments and then share your own personal insights. Think of this as a networking opportunity! It’s not unheard of for collaborations to occur outside the forum after graduation. So why not dive right in and see what your peers are up to?
Celebrate!
One of the most important things to keep motivated is to celebrate your successes! From finishing an assignment to acing an entire unit, you should reward yourself. Since there are no hard deadlines, taking a breather to actually enjoy your progress will keep you inspired to keep going. You’ll be finished the course in no time!
Remember…
You’ll get out of your interior decorating course what you put in. Even if you’re typing up just a few more sentences for an assignment or reading for an extra 30 minutes before bed, at the end of the day, you’re investing in yourself.
