At WGU, each student is assigned a personal faculty member to work with them as a mentor throughout their time at WGU. Additionally, each course has its own course instructors, subject-matter experts who are available to help students get through course material. Advice from your mentors is invaluable as you make your way through your online degree program. But we also want you to benefit from the wisdom of mentors not necessarily assigned to you, so occasionally, The Night Owl features advice from WGU mentors in colleges throughout the university.
By Logan Driggs
Student Mentor, WGU Teachers College
The key to success is consistency!
As a WGU alum and a faculty mentor, I find that consistency and balance are the keys to being successful at WGU. I often see students start off very strong, and then, a few months in, they become overwhelmed. They have spent every spare moment working on WGU tasks and have put other parts of their lives on hold. These things, such as cleaning the house, start to build up and require the student to put WGU tasks on hold for a week to get other things back to normal.
As you know, putting something on hold makes it that much harder to start again.
This can become a vicious cycle that causes unneeded stress—and it can be avoided.
I encourage students to find a balance among work, life, and WGU. Working on WGU tasks consistently is a key to success, and ideally working on it daily! Doing work daily will help to develop a habit and to maintain a balance. Even if it’s only 10–20 minutes some days, it’s progress, and it keeps it on your mind to continue moving toward your goals!
Here are some tips on finding that balance and maintaining it:
- Start every term strong and maintain that strong work.
- Set a schedule weekly for when you are going to work on WGU school work. This will help you not have to rush the day before your call with your mentor to meet your weekly goal.
- Every little bit counts, so even if you are only working for 20 minutes that is still 20 minutes more than nothing!
- Take breaks during your study time—it could just be a five-minute brain break or a couple of hours to play with your kids. Then get back to it!
- Always have something with you that you can work on. Download the WGU app to have courses at your fingertips.
- Set strong, achievable weekly goals.
By finding that balance and maintaining consistency, you will develop the grit needed to finish your program. When you get to that challenging course, you already have the grit to finish it successfully without added stress.
Find a balance that you are able to maintain long term; don’t overdo it and get burned out. Keep up the awesome work and keep getting those courses passed!
