If you are working on getting a degree, it doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your love of travel. Many educational institutions offer degree programs online, which allows you to complete your studies from anywhere that you have a WiFi connection. Whether you’re studying full-time or part-time, you can complete your degree while abroad. Online learning makes pursuing your degree flexible, meaning you can do your studies while you continue to work, during long commutes (buses, trains, or planes), and best of all, while you are traveling.
There are some things that you will need to consider if you plan on traveling while you’re studying for your degree. It will not be the typical vacation you are used to because you will need access to specific amenities and quiet study areas. If you have good self-discipline and follow these tips, you can get your degree from a beach in Mexico, the mountains in Italy, or anywhere in between.
Choose a program that offers flexibility
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The first thing you’ll need to do when you decide to get your degree is to choose the right program. The program needs to be online so that you don’t need to attend in-person. Certain universities offer MBA degree programs online, meaning that you can attend lectures, write exams, and watch presentations virtually; click here to find out more. Ensure that you do your research to determine how flexible the schedule is, such as if you need to be online at specific times of the day.
If the university requires virtual attendance for any components, you will need to consider that when choosing your travel destination. If you’re planning to be in a different time zone, you have to make sure that you can commit to the times laid out by your university. If you wanted to go to Australia and have a lecture at 1pm EST, that would be 4am in Sydney, which isn’t an ideal time.
The program you choose should ideally allow you to access your course materials 24/7 and complete projects at a pace that works for you. While you’re traveling, you might want to dedicate two entire days to complete your whole week’s worth of course material so that you have the rest of the time to enjoy your location. Make sure that the degree program will allow you to do that.
Choose a program that you’re interested in
Traveling and doing activities in the location you’re in will likely be more interesting than your studies. If you hate your program or are not interested in what you’re learning, it will be very easy to forget your studies. It’s even harder to stay motivated to do your course work when you’re on the road than if you were in class, which is why it’s so crucial that you love what you’re studying. If you’re passionate about your degree and excited to learn in your program, it will make it easier for you to succeed in your studies. If you hate the content you’re learning, it will become increasingly frustrating and exhausting to fit in your studies when you’d rather be out exploring.
Knowing that you’re working towards your dream career will allow you to continue to do well and pass your courses. Otherwise, you may end up scoring low or even failing your classes as a result of disinterest.
Plan your itinerary around course demands
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Even the most flexible online courses will still have some demands. Luckily, most universities will provide their course calendars well in advance so you can look ahead and plan your travels around any critical dates. Things like assignment deadlines and online exams need to have priority over activities and excursions if you want to travel and study successfully. You don’t want to have tons of travel plans on the same week you have an assignment due. Meeting deadlines is extremely important, so you need to make sure you plan your time wisely.
Additionally, if you know you have an important exam or test, you want to make sure that you will have a quiet place to complete it without distractions. If you’re staying with friends or in a hostel full of people, you need to find a local library or café with a good WiFi connection. You want to be well-rested and stress-free when taking tests and exams or meeting big project deadlines. Try not to book any big travel days in the days leading up to your exam (especially if you’re transitioning between time zones). Also, avoid doing any strenuous activities that could leave you physically and mentally exhausted when you need your brain power the most.
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WiFi
A tip that is deserving of its very own category is to never forget about WiFi. If you want to get your degree and travel simultaneously, you will need to choose destinations with a strong WiFi connection. WiFi is the only way you can stay connected with your professors and classmates, and access your program and all the content. Without WiFi, you cannot study online. That means you may have to sacrifice some more remote locations or activities like camping deep in the woods or one-week long hikes through the mountains.
When booking accommodation, you want to make sure that it includes WiFi. If there isn’t, then there needs to be a place nearby that has an internet and a feasible workspace. It requires some research and careful planning to ensure you never end up somewhere that you can’t access your coursework. While it might not be a massive deal during a more laid-back week, if you have assignments due, it’s unlikely your professors will sympathize with the fact that you couldn’t turn in your project because you were traveling.
Equipment
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Another thing you have to consider is the equipment that you’ll need to complete your degree online. You will need to have your laptop and a durable and high-quality laptop case. You want your laptop to be fully protected as you travel, so you don’t risk it breaking while on the road. A broken laptop could lead to days of downtime before you get it fixed or get a new one, meaning you will fall behind in your studies. Don’t forget to pack all the necessary chargers, headphones, and other program-specific gadgets you might need.
You should also bring an external hard drive so you can frequently back up your documents in case your laptop becomes damaged and you lose everything. You can also invest in a cloud storage option for an extra level of protection. You should back up your documents frequently and store your hard drive in a separate bag for the chance that your laptop is stolen or lost during transit. When you are traveling, you should always keep your laptop in your carry-on to reduce the chances of it getting lost.
Some other equipment that may be beneficial includes a universal adapter, which will allow you to plug in your chargers when you go to different countries. You might also want to invest in a travel router, which will help you to boost WiFi connections in any location that you’re in. It’s a great way to ensure you have a reliable connection when using public WiFi networks.
Plan, plan, plan
If you’re a traveler who likes to just go with the flow, then you might need to make some changes to your travel style. Although you will be traveling, the priority needs to be your degree. That doesn’t mean you can’t still do all the things you want to do; it just means you need to do some serious planning. If you don’t have your movements planned out, then you will quickly become exhausted and stressed as you scramble to finish assignments, find somewhere to study, and locate WiFi connections.
If you’re an avid traveler, you know that things don’t always go according to plan anyway. Flights get delayed, plans change last minute, and weather leads to cancellations of activities and transport. It’s still better to be over-prepared than under-prepared when it comes to studying while you’re traveling in case your experience any hiccups.
Planning is the best way to ensure you get to do everything you want to do on your travels, while also completing your degree successfully. Plan the days you’re going to do your studies, and the days you’re going to go out with friends or go sightseeing. Never schedule travel on days when you have deadlines or ensure that you complete your assignments in advance in-case transportation plans go awry. Doing so will make your life much less stressful and set you up for success in your studies.
Can you really travel and get your degree at the same time?
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Absolutely! If you follow all these tips, you can get your degree and travel at the same time. By choosing a program you’re passionate about, planning everything in advance, and ensuring you’ve got the tools and resources to study, you can work towards your career while traveling the world at the same time.
If you’re passionate about your degree and excited to learn in your program, it will make it easier for you to succeed in your studies. Also, you can check the https://thesisgeek.com/ to find out how to write papers in a proper way. “
