How to Be a Successful Online Student: Eight Habits to Start the Semester Strong
Successful online students build routines that help them manage their time, stay connected, minimize distractions, and ask for help when they need it. These eight habits can help you start your semester strong and stay on track throughout the year. Whether this is your first online college experience or if you consider yourself a pro, this is a good time to rethink your routine and set yourself up for success.
Eight habits of successful online college students
- Check your courses and email daily
- Plan your week
- Treat online classes like scheduled appointments
- Start assignments early
- Ask for help
- Participate in class
- Protect your focus
- Review and reset each week
Habit 1: Check Canvas and your Miami email daily
Canvas is Miami’s digital learning management system (LMS). All of your course content and notifications live here.
- Stay on top of messages from your instructor(s), course announcements, and upcoming assignments.
- Use the Canvas To-Do list to help you stay informed of assignments and events.
- Check your Miami email account to help manage important notifications such as updates from professors, course registration, billing info, and university events (some are virtual!).
Habit 2: Plan your week and manage your time
Once a week, look across all classes and identify deadlines, work shifts, appointments, family obligations, and the blocks of time available for coursework. We recommend using a tool to help you with this.
Make the most of time management tools/apps
- Manage your Miami calendar in the Google Calendar app.
- Identify and try apps that help you create and organize checklists.
- Try AI for planning: Use Google Gemini (free upgraded version with your Miami account)
- Ask Gemini to help turn your deadlines and other commitments into a weekly schedule. Ensure that you are uploading course materials and other content you have permission to share with AI.
- Check out our AI guide for more tips for how online students can use AI responsibly.
AI CALENDAR PROMPT IDEA:
1 | I am an online college student taking [Number] classes this semester: [List Course Names].
2 | I need your help organizing my schedule and generating a calendar file I can import directly into Google Calendar.
3 | Here is my course information, syllabus due dates, and weekly personal commitments.
Habit 3: Treat online classes like scheduled appointments
The beauty of many online courses is that you can complete them any time that it’s convenient for you. The challenge is that you still regular deadlines and you have to make time to meet them.
- Add structure to your routine to boost your success.
- Developing this skill now will also help you in your career.
- Block off recurring class periods on your calendar, for example: Tuesdays from 7–9 p.m. for one course, Friday morning for another, etc.
- Update your calendar every semester.
Christine Gorczyk, online undergraduate, Small Business Management major, ’27, has a regular rhythm for homework with her family.
“I usually do homework in the evenings and weekends. Usually we have three of us doing homework on the couch at the same time, so it’s kind of funny.”
Habit 4: Start assignments early and leave room for the unexpected
What can you get started on now — especially with longer-lead projects?
- Explore free and low-cost apps that can help you break down a project into small steps.
- Waiting until the assignment deadline invites unnecessary stress. Questions, technology problems, work demands, or family responsibilities can suddenly eat up the time that you thought you would have.
- Life happens. If you genuinely have circumstances out of your control and need help, talk to your professor. You may be able to get an extension on your work — especially if you have not waited until the last minute to start.
Habit 5: Ask for help when you need it
Pro tip: If you’ve been stuck on something for 20–30 minutes, and online research isn’t helping you, identify the next person/resource to contact:
- Classmate
- Professor
- Advising
- Tutoring
- IT Help (if tech-related)
Miami faculty and staff support students; they want to see you succeed. Recent alum, Vishal Chowdary Katragadda, Commerce, ’26, shared, “I really value how approachable and supportive the professors and staff are. They genuinely care about student success and are always willing to help when needed.”
Habit 6: Participate instead of just consuming
Online students can fall into a pattern of watching, reading, submitting — repeat. Make an effort to make yourself known and approachable in classes.
- Participate in discussions.
- Ask questions.
- Attend your professor’s virtual office hours when useful.
- Respond thoughtfully to classmates, or connect course concepts to your own experience.
Julie Bischoff, online undergraduate Small Business Management major, ’26, shared, “Miami University truly feels like family to me. Even though my classes are online, I’ve been able to work closely with classmates on projects, which makes it feel like we’re learning side-by-side.”
Habit 7: Protect your focus while studying online
Make the most of your study and coursework time by limiting distractions.
- Silence unnecessary notifications; set a temporary “do not disturb” status on your device(s).
- Place your phone somewhere else for 30 minutes.
- Close unrelated browser tabs.
- Try a focus timer app.
- Check your app store for similar tools that are compatible with your device.
- Complete a defined study block (e.g. 20 minutes) before checking messages again.
Habit 8: Review and reset your schedule every week
Ask yourself:
- What did I complete? (Celebrate your wins!)
- What slipped? (Don’t beat yourself up; what is in your control to change for next time?)
- What is coming next week?
- Is there anyone I need to contact? Set a reminder and do it.
- Does my schedule need to change?
Celeste Pies, Student Success Coach for Miami Online, suggests, “Treat yourself to an activity or reward for accomplishing your goals for the week. This can be as simple as watching a new episode of your favorite TV show while eating your favorite snack. After a long week of life and school, resetting your body and your brain can help prepare you for the following week while preventing burnout.”
Start building better online learning habits
You don’t have to master all eight habits at once. Choose one that could make the biggest difference this semester and start there. Once it becomes part of your routine, add another.
Online learning gives you flexibility. Building routines helps you make the most of it. Have an inspiring and productive semester.
We’re here to point you to people and resources for success. Contact us at [email protected].
Content written by Miami Online staff with the assistance of AI.