Being an online student frees you up to work on your own schedule, and a lot of people have caught onto this fact. The National Center for Education Statistics reported that, in the fall of 2017, there were 6,651,536 people enrolled in college courses in the United States that were predominantly online.

However, if you’re not used to working this independently and remotely, it can be difficult to adjust. Here are four things that make an online student successful.

1. Being flexible

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nurses made a mean annual salary of $72,180, and the employment growth projected between 2016 and 2026 is estimated to be 15 percent. For nurse practitioners, these numbers are even more impressive at $104,610 annual salary and an employment growth projection of a whopping 36 percent!

If you’re studying to become a nurse or you’re currently one of many physician assistants working in the medical field, then consider enrolling in a pals online course to get your Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certificate. The material for this PALS course follows the AHA PALS guidelines, all of which you can download on their website so you can print out your own hard copy for studying. Plus, this PALS course is accredited by the medical society of the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (PIM).

The PALS certification course is an online comprehensive eLearning program that was written by certified healthcare professionals. This online certification course utilizes PALS treatment algorithms to professionally train you to handle pediatric emergencies. It specifically teaches you the fundamentals of pediatric assessment, basic life support procedures, emergency medicine, and how to provide quality of care to infants and injured children. Check out this easy and affordable option for receiving your PALS provider course completion card so you can work with children and infants!

2. Being committed and motivated

Online school or even a combination of eLearning and live classes can pose a challenge if you require a lot of structure to learn. Going to school online means having to be committed to the successful completion of the online portion of your coursework as well as the studying required for skills development and a sufficient grade on the skills assessment.

Going to school online means understanding that you have a limited time to complete your coursework and being motivated enough to follow a strict study schedule. Generally, you should be dedicating 3-4 hours daily for every five credits you’re taking (yes, really).

Bonus tip: Online education means seeing educational activities everywhere. For example, instead of playing a game on your phone in the waiting room, finish the chapter you were assigned to read for a class.

3. Remembering internships and online shopping

According to an article published in Forbes in late 2017, an internship on your resume tells future employers that you’re serious about your career prospects, gives you an opportunity to display what you can do, and gives you a foot in the door for future opportunities.

Let’s be honest — as an online student, you have no time to shop, but you love a good discount. And that doesn’t mean you don’t need great women’s clothing at discount prices. By searching for “women’s clothing near me,” you can dress in style with a wide selection of dresses, jewelry, accessories, and professional-looking women’s clothing perfect for that internship interview.

If you subscribe to Chico’s email list by submitting your email address, you will receive an initial discount of 20 percent. If you sign up for their text alerts, you will be notified about upcoming discounts, promotions, new arrivals, and giveaways. Plus, Chico’s offers gift cards (an easy way to buy a last-minute gift), options for next day delivery, and an extensive privacy policy. Save time to study while shopping at a discount!

4. Developing good time management skills

A survey conducted at the end of 2019 found that the average person living in the United States only has roughly four hours and 26 minutes of free time per week, according to StudyFinds.org. The survey also found that this “free time” may not even really be all that “free” considering most of the respondents reported doing things like running errands. Making time to study, work, and relax can feel impossible with such limited time.

Therefore, it’s important to be realistic about what you do and do not have time for. It’s also important to make time to take care of yourself. According to Healthline, an unhealthy diet can lead to things like decreased mental effectiveness, fatigue, increased stress and depression, and a decrease in productivity (none of which will help you complete your online education).