BEYOND THE PLANNING

Long distance study can be a very lonely and isolated experience but that need not be the case. There are several ways of overcoming the loneliness and isolation; all it requires is effort on the part of the student.

One factor that is particularly useful in reducing the sense of isolation and sustaining enthusiasm is gaining the support of family and friends. This can be an easy task if they are already supportive of you. In other instances it may be a difficult task, especially if they do not understand why you are studying. The best approach in this case is to explain why you are studying and how their support will enable the study process. The ideal situation would be to share what you are learning with family and friends as it reinforces what you learn, but if they have no knowledge of the subject, relevant feedback would be lacking. This is best overcome by connecting with fellow students.

In this electronic age of ours interaction with fellow students can take various forms. There are various instant message options such as WhatsApp or Blackberry Messenger, there is email and internet. Your university will more than likely provide information relating to tutoring sessions that may take the form of ‘physical’ study groups or e-tutoring (online tutoring). For me, in the first year, it was one-on-one study sessions with a fellow student who I contacted through the university’s website. In my second year I joined BBM study groups for each of the modules; these groups can also be found on the university website. I found this to be very useful, but not entirely satisfactory because it was not conducive to discussions. This year I joined various social network groups and I have found this to be far more interactive. Whatever your preferred style of interaction, there is always a solution.

No matter what your reason for studying, engage with others to avoid isolating yourself. Find out what method of communication best suits you so that while you may be alone in your study area you need not be lonely.