5 Tips for Travelling While in Class

If you are like me, your summer memories of childhood consist of family vacations to places like Historic Williamsburg or Mount Rushmore. Some were better than others, for example Hawaii compared to the four corners (spoiler alert, it’s just a plate in the ground), but now I remember them fondly as great times with my family.

If you are a CSU Global student, we don’t want you to stop the progress you are making on your degree, but we also don’t want you to deprive your own kids of these same wonderful or even-not-so-wonderful memories you have. Thankfully, our online degrees mean you don’t have to. So whether you’re planning on being on a beach in Mexico or visiting Plymouth Rock (spoiler alert, it’s just a rock), here are five tips for how to finish your coursework while on your summer vacation.

#1- Work Ahead

If you know you have a trip coming up, put in the extra effort and work ahead a bit. Your course syllabus includes readings, discussion questions, and assignments for all 8 weeks in a term. If you finish some of your work before you leave, your trip will be that much easier and less stressful. Of course, some of the discussion engagement with your classmates and your instructor has to happen within the given week, but you might find that they are easier to do if you aren’t concerned about upcoming deadlines for everything else.

#2- Got Internet?

With a little forward planning you can do a lot of coursework and readings when you’re offline, but some aspects like turning in assignments require internet access which isn’t always guaranteed.  Even if you are travelling in the U.S., long stretches of highway and uninhabited wilderness help you truly “get away” from our connected lives. Plan accordingly to find lunch stops or hotel rooms with Wi-Fi that can help you get by.

#3- Tell Your Instructor

Let your instructors know about your trip. It’s not uncommon for students to need to travel, so they won’t be surprised. Make sure you tell them what your intentions are for any school work due during this time, especially if you plan to turn some things in ahead of time. Even if you are planning on just working through the weeks as usual, making your instructor aware will mean they can better accommodate you if anything comes up, such as shoddy internet or a stolen computer.

#4- Schedule Time On Your Itinerary

Monday:  driving. Tuesday:  zipline. Wednesday: Grandma and Grandpa’s house. When did you plan on working on that assignment again?  Just like in your busy life at home, you have to make time for your coursework while you are travelling. Set aside some time that makes the most sense to you, such as when the kids are swimming in the pool after the long drive, or before breakfast. Remember to carve out a little time and you won’t find yourself falling behind.

#5- Don’t Over Extend Yourself

Lastly, don’t forget the reason you are going on vacation in the first place: to have fun, to see the sites, to relax, or maybe (sadly) to work! Make sure you are accomplishing whatever goal you have for your trip first, otherwise you won’t be happy with any of it at the end. Remember that it’s sometimes better to take a nap on the beach than to stay up in your room. You might find that you are more refreshed and get more out of it if you do.

While you’ve made a priority of earning your degree, it’s not your only priority. That’s why you choose an online university that fits with your schedule. That means from work, home, or even the Grand Canyon (spoiler alert, it’s a hole but it’s a really impressive hole nonetheless), you’re already on campus. It takes a little planning and motivation, but you’ll be happy you did when you are that much closer to earning your degree.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!