Travelling is one of the most enriching experiences one can have and thanks to the internet it’s even easier for us to work and study while exploring this wonderful world. The only challenge now is being able to balance our obligations to our online university course while also being able to travel and see the world without missing out on anything. The following tips and strategies will help you in maintaining your educational obligations as a student while also getting the most of your travels.
Research destinations and create study plans in advance
While travelling and studying, you’ll encounter different places with multiple facilities and environments. It’s worth taking the time to research your destinations in advance and create a study plan that will best suit the environment you’re going to be travelling towards. The research will ensure you’ll have a solid overview of the locals, and customs as well as what studying and logistics are going to look like for you, this can include anything from the internet speeds to local cafes or networking opportunities.
Then when your study plans are sorted you can also map out your itinerary and make sure you’re covering all the destinations you want to go to during your stay. Choose activities to suit your own interests, whether it be soaking up the history and culture or surrounding yourself by the natural beauty of a country. This also means study environments can be different depending on your preference.
Be diligent in time management
When you’re on the road, travelling to a new destination it can be very easy to lose track and miss deadlines. This is why timetabling is so much more important on the road. It means that you are able to continue to complete your intended goals no matter where you are in the world. While you may already be pretty adherent to your timetable at home it’s even more vital you stick to it during life on the road.
To timetable effectively you should sit down either the night before or morning before you start your day and write a list of things you must complete that day in order of priority. Then set aside blocks in your calendar (usually you’ll have some already filled for your daily activities like online video classes or travelling) but start to fill the empty spaces up with those daily tasks. When you have scheduled everything as intended your next step is to adhere to this as well as possible and don’t be too hard on yourself if there is a little deviation in your true work hours, just get back on track.
Ensure you pack educational materials
Most people might think that studying while travelling means you’ll exclusively stick to using computers and digital material but this doesn’t have to be the case. Packing educational materials like textbooks and notebooks is a great way to enhance learning if you have the space to travel with some extra weight. It’s not always beneficial to study completely using your laptop or devices, many of us retain more information when working with different mediums and that means textbooks and notebooks.
Studies show that writing down notes and information the classic way – with pen and paper helps retention much more than simply opening your computer and watching some lectures. This is because the physical act of writing engages more pathways in our brain that can further reinforce the neural networks in a permanent way. So don’t be deterred entirely from writing and reading in the traditional sense just because you’re on the road.
Get creative with different ways to learn on the road
It’s not easy travelling on the road, and this is largely due to the constant movement that you will experience. This might mean taking long flights, bus trips or even hotel rooms that don’t have great working spaces. But thanks to technology you can find a solution for almost any situation, there are multiple ways to learn and it’s important to think about what mediums you can use when in different situations.
With a bit of thought and creativity, you can turn almost every situation into another opportunity to learn and grow. Like most people, you probably have multiple devices that you use throughout your day which might include your laptop, smartphone or tablet. Utilising these technologies in different situations could mean listening to audiobooks while commuting or even using education apps during flights to brush up on some knowledge. These activities not only make studying more varied and fun but they can be incredibly time efficient, it certainly beats just scrolling Instagram or Facebook during transit.
Utilise technology
The competitive nature of the internet means that we can use a wide variety of digital resources online to help connect, get support and further improve the way we learn and study. Innovation in the online learning space has taken considerable leaps compared to where we were years ago and these new technologies can be a potent ally when on the road. You can utilise these apps for everything from keeping track of deadlines, connecting with online communities and taking notes. The options are endless.
To make the best of these resources make sure that you select a few that best suit your study goals and your workflow. There is so much competition that the options may be slightly overwhelming in terms of online resources so personal needs play a pretty important factor in having the right workflow. All in all, it would be silly not to take advantage of the array of software we have for work/life balance and if you don’t you’ll likely be behind the competition.
Make time for yourself
The major advantage of travelling in different environments is you’ll have plenty of opportunities to unwind in beautiful sceneries or try new things when you’re not studying. Work and study can take a toll on us mentally and the stress can often be pretty overwhelming if not managed appropriately. This is where recharging comes in so make sure you take the time for activities that interest you which can be anything from walks in the forest to meditation to exercise or sightseeing.
Those travelling that work and study remotely are in a unique situation where they can engage in a variety of activities to make their lives enriching but also have some balance. While it can be difficult to manage if you have the right processes then you’ll have no problem making the most of your studies while travelling. So if you’re thinking about studying while on the road don’t hesitate because it is possible.
