The struggles of college students are real and its an entirely different struggle for online students. I have learned a lot about myself and how to be a more successful student in an online learning education.

Strengths I currently possess are good organization and time-management. Some things that I need to work on to better my future education is not procrastinating and my self-motivation. Throughout the term I had multiple times where I was not motivated to study and it would have been easy for me to just forget my studies. In class I learned to use the time budgeting calendar during busy days so that I can keep on track. I noticed that I had a hard time keeping on the schedule but if I physically see it reminding me when I planned to study then I would most likely do it, or at least a little. I need to work on planning it out better and recognizing how much time I will need for my studies and work it around my other commitments.

After more research on my learning style (kinesthetic/tactile) I realized how important it is for me to take notes. I used Microsoft OneNote almost every day and it has been very useful. I was not only able to learn how to study better by taking more time to understand topics but I also have notes and proof that I read and understood the notes. Taking notes and making physical connections with topics I am studying will greatly benefit me when I am trying to understand materials because it is part of what works well with my learning style. Even if I am typing out notes and not physically writing them I usually need extra time to type out the notes and it is repeated in lectures or readings instead of just hearing/reading it once and it not being comprehended (which can happen since I am not an auditory learner).

Some of the OSU resources I plan on using more is the student success counselor / success blog, career services, the library online, and finding more student organizations to be involved in. I am more focused on my learning more than student organizations because I have already been involved with OSU while I was an on-campus student and now I am concentrating on completing my undergraduate degree. The student success counselor/success blog will help me to get tips and learn more about ways that I can be more efficient in my studies and have an easier time succeeding.

For the upcoming term I plan to meet all requirements for pro-school by completing 16 credits with a C or higher. My longer term goal is to complete my undergraduate degree requirements by Spring of 2017 by taking at least 15 credits a term passing with a C or higher for each course. These are my educational goals that I need to be successful. I know that I want to graduate by spring of 2017 because that would be the end of my 5th year as an OSU student. I have 16 credits left until I can apply to pro-school and then about 2 years’ worth of pro-school courses until I have completed all of the required upper division courses.

After taking this course I feel that I am better prepared for what is to come as I complete my OSU education online. I was skeptical at first if I could handle it, but I have had such a difficult term dealing with a lot in my personal life that I know that I can handle the changes that will come when the fall term starts up until I graduate in a couple years. I now look forward to work on improving my studying skills and matching them with my learning style. The struggles are real and I am one step closer to being highly successful as an online student because of this course.