Student Voices: Support is key

This anonymous story is part of a series of informal interviews with online students in various stages of their academic journey.

Question: What are the biggest challenges that you have faced (or are facing) as an online student?

Answer: Loneliness. Not having face to face interactions to work through this college process. Lack of motivation when I sometimes feel like it's just me.

Q: What strategies do you use to address these challenges? What has worked for you?

A: Support from my family and online peers. I'm still working on finding the best solution.

Q: Were you an online student prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020)?

A: No, I wasn't a student prior to the pandemic

Q: Is there anything else you would like to share?

A: I wish there was a way to do a Zoom with financial aid. It feels very impersonal for such an important subject. I have gotten completely different answers from different people there.

About the Student Voices Project Team

We are passionate about improving the student experience through story-telling and shared experiences. We hope to better understand the challenges that online learners face along the way, and celebrate and share the strategies they use to address these challenges.

Innovator in Residence Anita Roselle is a first-generation college student on a personal mission to find the ideal work + life balance. She is passionate about improving each step of the academic journey of non-traditional students in higher education and is thrilled to be collaborating with like minded individuals within the ShapingEDU community. Anita is currently earning her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Communication from Arizona State University.