One of the most important parts of online education is having a place of your own where you can focus on your schoolwork, study in comfort, and feel like you’re making progress. Before you put your laptop on the couch and decide that’s the best place to study at home, think about the tips in this study space guide. You come home from a hard day at work, grab a cup of coffee, sit down at your desk, turn on your computer to do some schoolwork, and before you know it, you’re scrolling through social media on your phone. Do you understand what that means? Because there are so many ways to learn online, it’s hard for many students to focus both in a traditional classroom setting and when they’re studying at home. You might not believe this, but where you are has a big effect on how well you can pay attention. People who already have full-time jobs or family responsibilities can benefit from getting a graduate degree online. On the other hand, if you don’t have a good place to study at home, you might not be able to get things done. If it takes you a long time to get into the right frame of mind to do schoolwork, keep reading for some ideas on how to make your study space look better.
In order to get a master’s degree through an online program, you must attend virtual lectures, hold virtual office hours with your professors using video conferencing software, turn in your assignments digitally, and take your exams digitally. When you have a place just for schoolwork, you are more likely to make better use of your time and do better work. Consider some of these ways to set up your study room for some extra ideas:
1) Make sure you have enough space
Some graduate students have trouble finding enough space to live because they have to share apartments, rooms, or even their own homes. Some students are lucky enough to have a place to study that is just for them, but others are not so lucky. If you only have a studio or one-bedroom apartment, it can be hard to find a good place to work. A hint: not on your bed. Before making a final decision about where you will do your homework and study, think about how things will work out. Can I put a desk and a chair in this room? You might have to squeeze up against a wall or a piece of furniture. A good place to study should have enough room for you to spread out your gadgets, open your books, and take notes in a notebook. Getting a desk can help you stay organized and get things done faster.
2) Make it comfortable
It’s important to have a nice, relaxing place to study, as well as enough space to spread out and all the tools you need to do your schoolwork. It’s hard to stay motivated when you’re sitting at a desk that isn’t right for you. You could try studying in bed instead of at your desk, but that’s probably not a good idea because you’ll probably end up sleeping. Make your chances of success as high as possible by making a place you’re excited to go to. Spend some time looking for a sturdy desk with a lot of space and a comfortable chair that won’t hurt your back after long hours of studying. Most gaming chairs are very comfortable, have good back support, and look good in many different kinds of rooms. Have a few blankets on hand in case it gets cold in class, and if it gets too hot, use a desk fan. Because everyone has a different idea of what makes them feel most at ease, it’s important to choose products, materials, and sizes that work best for you.
3) Keep it organized and clean
Someone with a messy desk is said to have a messy mind. This doesn’t mean you can never have anything on your desk. Instead, it means you should make sure everything is neatly filed and easy to get to. Find the things you use most often and give them a permanent place to live. When taking notes, it can be hard to find a pen that works. Keep your pens, pencils, erasers, highlighters, and other writing tools in a desk organizer. Find a pen right away so you don’t have to look all over the house. It can be very helpful to have a folder and notebook for each class. This can be used as a filing system for any documents you need to print. Don’t forget to clean up your study space by throwing away used coffee cups, food wrappers, and other trash.