A challenge I experienced was not having face-to-face interaction in classes. I am a physical/visual learner and it was difficult to get into a different routine of learning. 

I am used to getting up early and driving to class. Being surrounded by fellow students was inspiring. Everyone is there for the same reason. I enjoyed being able to interact with the instructor and other students. If I had a difficult time understanding a subject, another student would help explain the material and provide a different perspective. The ability to talk to instructors also helped because I could show them what I had a hard time understanding.

I never really enjoyed texting or using emails to communicate with instructors because it often does not convey the right tone. Or maybe the email gets lost among all the others. It can get nerve wracking if you do not receive a message in response right away.

But it hasn’t been all bad. There have been some positives with moving classes online. For some classes I would have to write for discussion boards. After reading the material and typing out responses to the questions, we also had to respond to other students’ posts. This helped fill the gap of talking to other students and hearing their perspectives on the material. I found myself understanding material better because I kept rereading and writing about the same subject.

Eventually I found a routine. I made a specific area in my home just for schoolwork. It helped me stay focused and keep working.