It can be overwhelming to learn off-campus sometimes. It is also okay if you don’t know where to start. You can learn and engage in off-campus learning in your own way – below are some tips to help you begin your journey or reignite your desire to learn.

It is a devoted mind that makes a difference in learning, rather than the environment.

Time management

Make sure you are always aware of your available time. This is especially important if you decide to engage in an online course alongside your studies. Life is full of other responsibilities, so consistent learning demands excellent time management skills, without which it would be difficult to learn much, if at all. Whatever method you choose, make sure you can spare time for learning.

Dedication

No matter what you do, if you are not dedicated, chances are that you will not make it far when engaging with it. If you decide to write a blog once a week, but you know you will not dedicate yourself to achieving that goal, you will be likely to write a blog with a one-off motivation surge and then give up. If you do not want this to happen but to truly engage in off-campus learning, you need dedication to learning whatever you have in mind.

Consistency

Alongside dedication, consistency is also a key to your learning. For example, once you are dedicated to studying an online course, you must then consistently meet your deadlines, practice, complete academic readings and network with other students. Without full and consistent engagement, it is unsurprising that you will not get very far in whatever you want to learn. Learning is a process rather than a one-off act.

Organisation

While being ‘organised’ can have different meanings from person to person, it is important to adhere to that standard and never let it go. Personally, I cannot study well if my laptop is surrounded by any miscellaneous objects. However, you can surround your desk with sticky notes if this encourages you to study. You can stay organised in whatever way you fancy, so that you can encourage yourself to study.

Engagement

Try to engage with your learning if possible. To exemplify, if you are reading a self-help book, take notes on any sections you find interesting. Reading over those quotes in the future will not only reinvigorate your knowledge and memories but also reinforce your learning. If you are doing an online course, try to network with other students, extend your connections and strengthen your social skills. This would provide you with a sense of belonging to that learning community and booster your engagement.

In summary, there are various ways to be engaged in off-campus learning. You don’t have to sit in a classroom to study well, as long as you have cultivated time-management skills, and are replete with dedication, consistency, organisation and engagement. It is a devoted mind that makes a difference in learning, rather than the environment.