Studying online can actually be pretty fun. You don’t have to endure any awkward first day ice breakers, or sit through boring lectures. In fact, you can literally just skip the boring bits and cut to the chase. You pretty much run your own schedule.

But sometimes without uni friends to motivate you, or without an attendance record to force you to go to class, it’s easy to feel a bit blasé about your study.

Here are six study hacks you need to ace your online course.

#1 Set Specific Times 

This is very important. When studying online, there’s no class to get to so you can attend your lecture whenever it suits you. This freedom can make you slack.

So, you should make a time and set it in stone. Treat it like work or another one of your on-campus classes. If somebody asks you to do something or go out during that time, tell them no.

If you get into a habit of treating your online unit as a day off, you’ll regret it when assignment time comes around and you have no idea what you’re doing.

Create A Designated Study Space

Your study space can be in your room, a special spot at the local library or actually going into uni and studying there. Make sure you always have a clean place to do your lecture.

It’s very important that you sit at a desk and not on your bed with your laptop on your lap. Not only is it bad for your posture, but we can guarantee you’ll fall asleep if you study in bed. You know it’s true.

Turn Off Your Phone

You’re not likely to go on your phone in an on-campus class (although I’m definitely guilty of that) so don’t do the same for your online unit.

A lot of concentration and self-discipline is required to study online since you’re surrounded by plenty of distractions. Do yourself a favour and disable your Netflix account for an hour, turn your phone off and resist the urge to nap on that big glorious bed of yours.

Write Down Your Assignments

There’s no lecturer to remind you of approaching assignments every week. You’re quite literally left to your own devices, which means falling behind in your lectures is no excuse for missing a deadline.

Buy a diary or a calendar and jot down the due dates of your assignments, as well as the days you’re going to commit to getting them done.

Set an alarm on your phone for good measure. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve missed a deadline because I completely forget about my online assignments.

Meet Your Classmates Online

It’s easy to feel isolated when you don’t have a class of uni mates to motivate you. There’s always an online forum where other people studying the same unit can communicate and ask for help.

If you’re feeling lost in the unit and feel like talking to someone, don’t be shy. Flick them a message and get a group discussion going. Make a Facebook group if you want to. It’ll create a welcoming online environment that will make studying feel less lonesome.

Take Breaks 

The good thing about studying at home is that you have your kitchen right there. You won’t be wasting money on uni food for lunch, and there’s no long commute home when you’re finished.

If you’ve gone through your class without any distractions, then treat yo’ self! You deserve it. Belly flop on to your bed and take a much-needed nap, make yourself a delicious snack or binge watch Netflix. And even if you did get distracted, treat yo self anyway. Studying is hard.

Sophie Nicolas is studying a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing and is an aspiring writer, dog enthusiast and thrift shop fashion icon.

(Lead image: Brooklyn Nine-Nine/FOX)