Distance learning is hard.  Studying from home takes enormous amounts of self-discipline, motivation, and perseverance—even more so for those of us who have children.  As an AU graduate with two children, I discovered some tips and tricks along the way to manage the chaos of studying at home with kids. Plan Ahead This is probably… Read more »

Have you ever wondered how busy moms and pops make the grade?  How they pass grad school while holding part-time jobs and raising a family?  They must have some secrets to share.  And I’ve found a book that tells all.  Faithann Brown, MBA, lays out time-savers for swamped students in her book Returning to School… Read more »

A little perspective never hurts; autumn can be a great time to take stock of our lives.  As a kid, I’d look over my shoulder this time of year and long for summer’s return.  Now that new teachers and schoolwork had lost their vague thrilling pangs (like the sensation of walking barefoot on smooth gravel,… Read more »

Here are nuggets of gold for both teachers and students alike.  Stuck for ideas to improve your study habits, memory, or cognitive skills?  Or maybe you want to win teaching awards?  Well, how about mining your brain cells with the following tools? Use visuals to teach and to learn. Visuals aid in learning.  Often, when… Read more »

If you bombed your first year of university, don’t fret.  You can still survive and thrive.  You don’t need an Einsteinian brain either, but instead, a rigorous work ethic.  And if you go to both AU and a physical university, I have a tip on how you can survive a nasty safe space. Here are… Read more »

Last year I threw my first casts with a spey rod, that is, an extra long rod that you use two hands to cast with.  There is a definite technique to fishing this way and I found it enjoyable, fish or no fish.  There was a challenge to learning the rod and the cast.  When… Read more »

Compared to the average university student, AU students are busy bees that multi-task at every opportunity.  We have commitments beyond just school, sometimes including supporting families, working at part- or full-time jobs, running our own businesses, or developing a new hobby or skill.  With all these responsibilities in mind, reviewing for coursework might look a… Read more »

Did you bomb at school because you danced the boogie-woogie?  Camped instead of crammed?  And sipped lattes instead of studied periodic tables?  And, why not?  After all, top students can squeeze in fun. Sadly, I squeezed in too much fun.  But not during my undergrad.  During my undergrad, I took three measly classes a semester. … Read more »

Do you want to focus like Superman during exams?  Well, focus works the brain like windshield wipers works windows.  But you focus clearest without the pigeon’s package.  So, start wiping!  Or, better yet, exercise. Elie Venezky, author of Hack Your Brain, says, “Focus is a muscle, and you can build it” (as cited in https://www.fastcompany.com/3050123/8-ways-to-improve-your-focus). … Read more »

How do you reward your study spurts?  With ten-minute washboard-ab workouts?  Ten-minute zombie zone-outs?  Or ten-minute roasted prairie dog pig-outs?  I’ll opt for all three. But rewards mean little when lacking structure. During my undergrad, I studied steady: 30-minute sessions; 15-minute breaks.  I scored the highest grade in most every math class.  To quash resentments,… Read more »