As more and more students turn to online learning to acquire their college degrees, one of the outstanding questions is whether they are missing out on the “traditional college campus experience”.
Get College Student Experience
Attending college online is definitely going to be a different experience than living on campus and attending classes in person. It comes down to each person making the decision of what is right for them.
There are benefits that students get when they attend classes online which include a more stream lined, quicker process, with fewer distractions. Of course, the downside is that you miss out on campus life and daily interactions with fellow students and professors. If you do decide to take online classes, it is possible that you can capture the best of both sides by participating in some of the activities that students experience on campus at traditional colleges. Here are some tips on recapturing some of the traditional college experience you might miss when taking classes online:
Embrace Technology
Advances in technology allow more online interaction than just a professor lecturing to students individually over the computer. Now, online classes can meet online in group sessions and interact with each other as if in the same room.
Social Media
Social media can help you connect with your school, fellow students, alumni, and professors. This is a way to socialize and connect on a different level.
Join Groups and Organizations
Mimicking the socialization that occurs on regular campuses is great ways to capture back some of the experiences that are missed with your classes being held online behind a computer. Group events can help even out the difference and make up for the isolation of taking courses alone behind a computer. Many schools that offer online courses also have social programs to connect you with other students.
Form Study Groups
Connecting with other students and meeting up for study groups will help you find the camaraderie and benefit from studying with other students that are going through the same experience you are.
Attend Sporting Events
Even though your college might not have a sports team, attending local college sporting events instead can replace the feeling that you might be missing. Having a team to root for can be a big part of a college experience, even if it is for a different college than the one you take classes from.
Laura Wilson is blogger and Brand Manager for Our Campus Market. She enjoys writing about college and dorm life.
Ways Online Students Can Get Some of the “College” Experience,
