Many college students prefer online learning because, with the exception of weekly deadlines, they’re free to complete coursework at their own pace.  

Want to visit a future module and complete coursework ahead of time, or rewatch last week’s lecture to gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter? With remote learning, you can.  

Self-paced online learning is a blessing for students with the motivation to stay on track, but motivation can wax and wane, especially when deadlines loom. That’s why we’re here to share some tips to help college students—and in particular online students—manage their time.  

Turn on a study music mix and brew your favorite caffeine-infused beverage because we’ve got work to do!  

Time Management for College Students 

Time management comes down to one simple problem: There’re 168 hours in a week. Let’s say you work 40 hours a week and sleep eight hours a night. That leaves 72 hours.  

Full-time students take at least four classes (12 credit hours) each semester. (Students in our accelerated graduate programs are considered full-time if they’re enrolled in 6 or more credit hours.) One credit hour typically translates to about three hours of work per week.  

Students taking 3 credit hours will spend about 9 hours a week studying and completing assignments, while students taking 12 credit hours will spend as much as 36 hours on coursework. Any remaining time is devoted to family, friends, and hobbies.  

Making the most of this limited amount of time can be challenging for even the most detail-oriented among us, but it’s possible. More importantly, it’s worth it.  

Make a Schedule 

The most important thing you can do to manage your time in college is to make a weekly schedule. You can buy a planner, maybe one with an assortment of tabs and artwork on the front, but there are plenty of free online templates that will do nicely. Once you have your weekly planner, fill it with all your planned daily activities. Try to account for every hour. Then block out time for coursework.  

Spread the Love 

Many online students wait until the weekend to dive into their studies and coursework, but we don’t recommend it. Students are prone to burnout, especially if they work full time, unless they devote at least one day a week to rest and relaxation.  

Try to spend one or two hours on coursework every weeknight. That way, when Sunday night rolls around, you won’t be hunched over your keyboard, frantically trying to finish an assignment before the clock strikes 12.  

Download Some Helpful Apps 

Technology has revolutionized learning, and our online programs are only one example. Here are some apps we recommend to help you better manage your time. 

Manage Your Class Schedule 

Many online courses, including ours, are delivered through Canvas. The Canvas Student app includes everything you need to know about your courses, including a calendar. If, however, you need a little more help keeping track of your schedule, apps like Any.do, Remember the Milk, and 2Do can be lifesavers.  

To-Do List Apps 

Schedules are critical for time management, but nothing’s as satisfying as knocking items off a to-do list. Evernote, TikTik, and Todoist are just a few of the task-managing apps available that can help you stay on top of assignments and their due dates. 

Productivity Apps 

Tuning out the world and getting down to studying isn’t always easy, especially when that cell phone looks so much more appealing than reading about mitosis. Fortunately, there are productivity apps and extensions available like Stayfocused, Forest, and RescueTime that can help keep you on course. 

Prioritize Your Tasks  

Sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get to everything you want, and that’s okay. There’s always tomorrow! What’s important is to prioritize your assignments by importance and deadlines.  

Start small. Complete one task, then another. Soon, what seemed like an impossible undertaking will be broken down into a series of doable tasks. Before you know it, you’ll be wondering why you were so stressed in the first place.  

Study Online at The University of Texas Permian Basin 

The University of Texas Permian Basin offers numerous online undergraduate and graduate programs—over 40 in total—for students interested in an alternative to traditional learning. 

Modern and flexible, our online programs are designed with students’ needs in mind. Students have the freedom to complete coursework on their own schedule and the support of our expert faculty and attentive advisors, who are considerate of the challenges students face when they’re up against the clock.  

If you’re interested in learning more about online learning at UT Permian Basin online, check out our Program and Course catalog. Among our programs, you’re sure to find the one that meets your academic, personal, and professional needs.  

Apply to one of our online programs when you’re ready to start. We promise that when it’s time to start your first day of class, you’ll have the resources you need to manage your time effectively.  

Sources: 
https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/full-time-vs-part-time-student/