Getting a feel for this online thing isn't easy

I've got to say that I have no idea why I thought going to school online was going to be easier than doing the brick and mortar route.

This is actually tougher than it seems but at the same time it forces you to learn a lot faster too.

It also forces you to grow the heck up real quick as a student.

Today as I blog this entry, I'm in week five of my SOC 110 class and I have three assignments that will be do. What that means is that I will be taking today off for a little bit and then I am going to finish those two individual assignments and get with the rest of my team members and finish off our team assignment as well.

Let me also say that I have seen some online classmates fall by the waist side vey quickly. This online stuff ain't no joke peeps; it's serious business and you have to take it as such.

The hardest thing I've had to get accustomed to so far is the fact that I need to prioritize my time better than I ever had. It's gotten so bad that I actually upgraded my cell phone to a Blackberry just so that I can stay in contact with things. I actually thought about the iPhone but I just couldn't see myself paying all that money for a iPod that answers my calls from my parents!!

Seriously though if it weren't for that darn phone and the calendar feature that is built into my computer's OS, a lot of things would be lost.

So to help me get by in my classes, I actually came up with some strategies that help me get through much of this. Here are some of those strategies:

- Always make sure that reading assignments are read at home. This is actually my best time to read such material.
- Stay very active in the classroom forum. It's not about being the teacher's pet in so much as it is about getting the job done.
- Be thorough in researching for papers. I try to not leave anything to chance.
- Remember that I am the only one accountable for my actions. Can't blame anyone else for late homework but myself.

They don't seem like much but for right now, they are the backbone of how I am making it through these courses.

I'll share my week five experiences and other things next time.

Stay tuned…