Attending college online is a great way to earn a degree from the comfort of your home - no need to commute long distances! While this can save you money, you will need to outfit your workstation with the electronic devices and accessories you’ll need to succeed. Here are the top 10:
1. If you are using wireless internet, make sure your computer is in a location where it can receive a strong signal. A weak or intermittent signal can put a damper on your learning.
2. If you plug your computer directly into the router, make sure you have a cable that will reach and plug directly into router or wall. Leave enough room to maneuver but not too much so all your cables get tangled.
3. Make sure you have a comfortable, trusty mouse, as you will be handling it for hours and you’ll need it to be reliable.
4. Make sure your keyboard is comfortable and placed in an ergonomic position. You’ll be doing a lot of typing, and developing carpal tunnel syndrome will put a damper on your studies, so make sure you can type for long periods without pain.
5. Purchase a high quality monitor that will be easy on the eyes. Since you’ll be reading, learning, and writing on that monitor, you’ll need one that will make reading easy and won’t strain your vision.
6. If you are watching online lectures or video, you’ll need to hear the audio. Consider purchasing a set of good, reliable speakers.
7. Have a great light set up near your desk to illuminate both your computer and any papers or books you use.
8. If you are using a laptop, make sure you have a battery that can hold a charge, especially if you like taking your work on the go.
9. If you need to move files between computers, get a portable flash drive or USB stick. They are relatively cheap and can hold huge files, which can be a pain to send by e-mail.
10. Even if you will hand in your assignments electronically, you will still need a printer for papers, assignments, lectures, and notes.
