Tips for staying social while attending an online college

A big drawback to online or distance learning is the lack of direct interaction with other students.  One of the benefits of going to school is the feedback and ideas you get from other students, not to mention the sense of camaraderie and possible friendship.  But you have your reasons for choosing online courses and the biggest benefit is the flexibility of doing classwork when your busy schedule permits. This is what attracts students to online courses. 

Here are some tips on how to solve these problems and stay social while learning online.

Create a Facebook page for your class or major
Creating a Facebook page specific to one of your classes or even to your major’s graduating class is a great way to interact with fellow students and build lasting connections. Seek to take advantage of existing pages or create your own and spread the word among your digital classmates. If a class has a digital board, you could post the link or make an announcement.

Choose a School/Class That Requires Student Interaction
Schools often try to compensate for the lack of direct interaction between students taking online courses. Some of the methods schools employ to combat the problems include chat rooms, virtual classes, online discussion boards, project work, and even email blasts or notifications. Students are encouraged to research class offerings and find a school or program that encourages as much interaction as possible.

Mix Up Online Courses with Traditional Courses
Online courses and programs are chosen for their convenience and their ability to fit with students’ non-traditional schedules. But if you happen to be attending online classes at a school that is in your geographical area, you might want to consider occasionally fitting a traditional course into your schedule. Look for evening or weekend classes that might fit your schedule without causing undo stress on your day-to-day schedule/lifestyle. This will allow you to interact with other students, build relationships that could carry over to your online courses, and gain back some of the face-to-face benefits while still allowing you to take online courses for the majority of your class load.

Connect with other Students through Social Media
Networking is an essential part of education. With the proliferation of social media; it has never been easier. Take advantage of social media by reaching out to classmates. Facebook and Twitter are the obvious choices for social interaction but more professional sites like LinkedIn might help you avoid the awkwardness if you don't know a fellow student that well.

Be sure to take advantage of any opportunity to interact with your fellow classmates, even if you find yourself adjusting your study or learning schedule to optimize the chances of connecting with others. Online classes present some challenges in terms of social interaction but they also introduce a unique opportunity to meet students with diverse backgrounds. Some programs have students from all over the globe enrolled in their courses. Be sure to tap into their professional, cultural, and social backgrounds by interacting often.