Is it possible to travel the world and study for a major exam or course at the same time? The answer is yes – but you need a very specific approach and disciplined plan of attack.
In this article, we’ll cover some of the strategic ways you can study well while traveling.
5 Travel-Friendly Study Tips
Whether you’re traveling internationally, taking a road trip around the country, or making a one-stop trip to a vacation home or other getaway, traveling while studying creates several unique challenges and variables.
Here are a few specific tips you can use to overcome these challenges and set yourself up for success:
- Give Yourself WiFi Options
WiFi is integral to remote studying. And you never want to be totally reliant on one source for WiFi. it pays off to always have at least two options for internet access.
For starters, make sure any place you’re staying – whether it’s a hotel, hostel, or Airbnb – has free WiFi included. (Depending on the part of the world you’re traveling in, this may not be standard.)
Secondly, come armed with backup options. If your mobile phone service provider offers a hotspot as part of their package, this is an option. You can also purchase standalone hotspot devices if you need something a bit faster and more efficient.
It’s also a good idea to map out any coworking spaces or libraries in the areas where you’ll be traveling. They typically have quiet spaces with good internet access.
- Save Everything to the Cloud
When studying, we recommend creating a dedicated cloud drive and saving all materials there. This gives you ubiquitous access to your study materials and notes regardless of where you are or what device you have. You also never have to worry about losing all of your notes, which can happen if you’re carrying them around in a physical folder.
Almost every cloud storage provider offers a free package to start with. It’ll include way more storage capacity than you’ll ever need. Thus, there’s no need to purchase a premium package just for this purpose.
- Use Online Learning Platforms
If you’re participating in a study course, make sure you choose an online option that offers plenty of room for flexibility. This includes flexible scheduling and on-demand features that adapt to your learning pace and style.
For example, if you’re studying to become a CPA, you’ll want an adaptive CPA review course. The Wiley CPA Review Course, for example, offers both live and on-demand classes that can be accessed on any device at any time. This makes it easy to fit studying into your schedule (rather than having to orient all of your travel plans around a specific class).
- Set a Daily and Weekly Study Schedule
As the saying goes, a failure to plan is a plan to fail. Don’t assume that you’ll get around to studying. While having on-demand classes is great, you have to intentionally carve out time to join them. You also need to plan ahead for study time outside of these classes.
For best results, start each week with a weekly study plan where you set objectives for what you want to accomplish over the next week. Then, create a daily schedule with individual goals and allotted study time for each day. (These daily goals will combine to help you accomplish the weekly goals.)
- Learn to Block Out Distractions
One of the biggest challenges of studying while on the go is having to deal with distractions that aren’t always present when studying in the comfort of your own bedroom or office. In order to be successful, you’ll have to learn how to block out distractions. Here are some suggestions:
- Invest in a good quality pair of noise-canceling headphones.
- Use the “Do Not Disturb” feature on your phone to avoid notifications during study times.
- Use an internet blocker to prevent you from accessing social media sites when studying online.
With these simple steps, you can take control over your study environment and give yourself the gift of uninterrupted periods of focus.
The Best of Both Worlds
You don’t always have to choose one or the other. In this case, it’s possible to have the best of both worlds. You can travel the world and still accomplish your study goals.