Last Updated on July 9, 2026 by Alexandra Markin, Dip.Mgmt.St.
Whether you’re starting your very first online semester or heading back for another year, the summer before online college is how to set yourself up for success.
Every year, the summer before online college always feels a bit different for me. As a non-traditional Bachelor of Commerce student, sometimes I’m really excited for all the September back-to-school hype, and other times I feel behind because I didn’t have as much of a productive summer that I wanted.
No matter how I’m feeling, I’ve learned that discipline and this online college checklist are key—carving out a few days to prepare before classes officially start always makes this new season so much easier.
If you’re getting ready for online college, this is my master list of things I recommend doing before your courses begin. Check off the items that are relevant for your class structure and program and start the semester feeling prepared!
17 Things to Do the Summer Before Online College Classes Start
Unlike traditional students, us online learners don’t have on-campus orientations, bookstore visits or professors reminding us of important deadlines. That means it’s 100% up to you to create a study routine, prepare your learning space and make sure all your paperwork is in order before your courses begin.
Many of us are also non-traditional students, balancing work and family responsibilities alongside out studies. This list will help you stay on top of starting school so you can better focus on other responsibilities without stressing you’ve forgotten something!
1. Create a Dedicated Study Space
One of the most important things I’ve learned in my online college journey is to create a dedicated study space.
When I first started, I thought I could study effectively from my couch, bed and kitchen island. While those places are ok occasionally, I found out pretty quickly that this creates high distraction and low productivity.
Create a spot that’s just for studying. It doesn’t have to be fancy—a small desk in a bedroom or spare room will work just fine. Having a designated study space signals your brain it’s time to focus, and it helps separate study time from your life outside of school.
2. Gather School Supplies
Just because you’re an online student doesn’t mean you don’t need the back-to-school supplies of your grade school days.
Many online students still prefer to take handwritten notes and print out readings or papers to edit over editing on screen and taking digital notes on an iPad.
If you prefer pen to paper, make sure you have the basics:
- Highlighters: I like the Stabilo Boss Original Pastel Highlighters
- Black pens: My favorite are the TRU Ballpoint Stick Pens in 0.7mm
- Lined paper: Mead Loose Leaf Paper
- Binder: Avery 3-Ring 1″ Binder
For my complete list of must-have supplies, check out the post The Essential School Supply List for Online College. It covers the tech, study tools and accessories I recommend to help you start the semester fully prepared—and it includes a free printable checklist!
3. Complete the Online Student Orientation
Most online colleges offer a student orientation (accessible online through your student portal), and I highly recommend taking it. These orientations are often optional, but completing it will save you a lot of time later.
Put aside 2-3 hours (they cover a lot of information) to save yourself from clicking around at 11:00pm trying to find the answer to a simple question.
MY TIP: Take notes as you proceed through the orientation, because I guarantee you won’t remember everything later.
4. Complete the Online Learning Management System (LMS) Orientation
Online college courses are delivered through an online Learning Management System (LMS) where you will access your course material and submit assignments.
Different from the student orientation, a LMS has its own orientation that will walk you through how to use it.
Some of the most common LMSs that colleges use are:
- Brightspace
- Moodle
- Blackboard
NOTE: Each LMS is tailored specifically for each college, so if you’ve used Brightspace at one college and are now a student at another college, the platform may look and function slightly differently.
5. Order Textbooks and Course Materials
Some online courses include a digital version of the course required textbook, while others require you to order a physical copy.
Or, if you prefer a physical copy rather than digital, make sure you order it well in advance of your course start date. Many colleges operate on reduced summer hours, so give yourself plenty of time for your books to arrive.
If you need any other supplies such as course specific software, be sure to order or download those as well.
NOTE: Shipping fees may be extra, especially if you live in a more remote area. It’s one of the hidden costs of online college that came as a surprise to me.
6. Order Your Student Card
YES, ONLINE STUDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR STUDENT ID CARDS! Make sure to request one to take advantage of every student discount you can.
It doesn’t matter if you’re 24 or 44, there are endless companies that offer student discounts regardless of age.
7. Set Up Your Technology
As online students, our computer is our classroom. Take some time to make sure you have everything you need and that everything is working properly—especially if you’ve purchased new hardware or downloaded new software.
Devices
Run any required updates on your computer, tablet, smartphone and apps. The last thing you want is to be forced to run a major update right before class starts, only to have it cause unforeseen access issues.
Internet Connection
Thoroughly test your internet connection. If your internet seems weak or slow, make a plan to fix it now instead of during your first week of classes.
You may need to invest in a faster internet plan with higher Mbps (megabits per second), a Wi-Fi extender or ethernet cable to plug your computer directly into your router for a more stable connection.
External or Secondary Storage
Having a secondary backup of all your coursework protects you from losing everything in an instant. This is something I find most students skip because of a “that won’t happen to me” or “I don’t think that’s important” attitude. All it takes is one virus, one hacker incident or one organizational data breech (ie. your college) for your entire online life to be wiped out.
Get yourself a Portable External Hard Drive to backup your Cloud or computer files regularly.
MY TIP: If you’re planning to continue to a Master’s or PhD, you will thank yourself later that you have a complete backup of all your past coursework, assignments and papers in the palm of your hand.
Headphones
Whether your prefer corded, over-ear or earbuds, headphones for online college are a must if you want privacy or have others in your household to consider. They’re also necessary if you plan to study at a cafe or library and need to listen to lectures, YouTube or your study playlist.
Webcam
A webcam is required to take proctored online exams. That is, remote exams supervised by a third party. The built-in webcam that comes pre-installed in your computer is fine for initial checks, but your exam company may require an external webcam to view your workspace, body and hands for the duration of the exam.
Microphone and Speakers
Test your microphone and speakers as you’ll need these to work properly when participating in live classes, Zoom meetings for group projects and any one-on-one assistance you require from your professor or tutor.
Install Required Software
Many colleges offer Microsoft 365 free to students, so you’ll need to download your license and set up it on your computer. Some courses require course specific software, so make sure you’re aware of what you need so it’s up and running before the first day of class.
8. Set Up Your Student Email Address
I was surprised how long this one took me. With password and access setup and just learning where to login to actually access my inbox felt like jumping through hoops.
Hopefully it isn’t as difficult for you!
9. Complete Paperwork for any Student Medical Plans
If you’re eligible or have opted into any student medical plans, complete the necessary paperwork and take note of any account or plan numbers.
10. Review Your Course Syllabus
As soon as your syllabus or schedule becomes available, spend 1-2 hours to read it thoroughly. It covers everything you need to know: the course outline, grading policies and evaluation, exam information, how to contact your instructor, required materials and more.
Pay close attention to due dates (if you don’t have self-paced courses), participation requirements and assignment details. Write down your instructor’s or support center contact information so you know how to reach them when questions come up.
MY TIP: Make notes (or bookmark pages) for important information as you go, such as how many business days your professor has to grade your assignments and how the midterm and final are structured. I wasted so much time coming back to these pages before I learned to write it down!
11. Create a Study Routine
One of the biggest self-discipline lessons I’ve learned as an online student is that without set times to study, it’s incredibly easy to procrastinate or underestimate how long long you’ll need for each module.
Start by looking at your syllabus (or the course description if the syllabus isn’t available yet) to get a feel for how the class is structured.
Look for things like:
- Are there graded discussion posts?
- Graded or ungraded quizzes?
- Big projects worth a significant portion of your grade?
- Are assignments written papers or question and answer style?
- Does the course have a final exam or final project?
Understanding the course structure helps you decide how much time study time you realistically need each week.
Then, build your schedule around your life: work, family and other responsibilities. Write down specific days and times when you’ll study, even if it’s just one hour at a time. Blocking it into your planner or digital calendar helps you hold yourself accountable.
For example, I make studying a non-negotiable part of my morning routine because that’s what I’ve found works. best for me. I get up, make coffee, sit for a few moments and then study from 6:00am – 8:00/9:00am daily.
MY TIP: As a very general guideline, it is suggested that most undergraduate courses require approximately 12-15 hours of study per week, per course. However, more difficult subjects like STEM may require you to put in 20+ hours of study per week. I found this to be true when I had to take statistics for business and economics as one of my required undergraduate business degree courses.
12. Update Your Planner
Before classes start, set up your planner. Add important dates like assignment deadlines, quizzes, exams and any live classes. Also block out regular study blocks each week so you already have dedicated time set aside for coursework so life doesn’t distract you.
13. Set Academic Goals
At the start of every semester, I like to think about what I want to accomplish beyond completing my classes. Having a few clear academic goals gives me something to work toward and helps me stay motivated when coursework starts to feel overwhelming.
For example:
- Achieving a certain GPA.
- Completing graded assignments ahead of time.
- Improving your writing or math skills.
- Networking with classmates by reaching out.
- Being consistent with your study routine.
I like to write my goals down and keep them somewhere I see daily, like in my planner or set as my desktop background. It helps remind me why I’m putting in the work, especially during those days when motivation is low.
14. Prepare Healthy Meals
This is a big one, and something that can make or break my days. You brain needs food for fuel, and always having prepared meals (or ingredients) stops you from ordering takeout or grabbing whatever’s available when hunger strikes.
That burst of sugar is definitely needed at times, but make sure it’s alongside proper meals that nourish your body.
Keep a running grocery list, make a few freezer meals and plan out a few days of meals in advance to keep full and ready to focus. This can take some time to get right, so preparing the summer before online college starts will decrease stress in the fall.
15. Create a Budget
If you don’t already have one, create a budget to cut down on financial stress and make a plan to save to give yourself some breathing room.
16. Get a Job
If you plan to work full or part-time while studying, consider finding a job before classes begin. Starting work during the summer before online college starts gives you time to settle into your new role, learn your responsibilities and establish a routine before adding coursework to your schedule. It’s much less overwhelming than trying to adjust to a new job and a new semester at the same time.
17. Apply for Scholarships
It’s easy to assume that scholarships are only for recent high school graduates or those attending traditional on-campus programs, but that isn’t the case these days. There are plenty of awards available for online students, adult learners and those returning to school after time away.
Summer is the perfect time to work on scholarship applications before coursework begins. Set aside an afternoon to research scholarships, gather any required documents and note deadlines in your planner.
Even a small award can help cover textbooks, technology or other educational expenses especially if you’re on a tight student budget.
18. Make a Plan to Romanticize Your Study Journey
One of my favorite ways to stay motivated, especially as an online student, is to make studying feel like something I look forward to rather than just another item on my to-do list.
Maybe it’s brewing your favorite coffee before you log in, creating a playlist for focused work or adding a few cozy candles to your study space.
Remember that the opportunity to study is a privilege, and you’ve worked hard to get here!
The goal isn’t to be perfect or aesthetic all the time—it’s simply to build little habits you love that help you feel excited to sit down, sign in and make daily progress toward your goals.
Head to the post The Ultimate Guide on How to Romanticize Studying for my simple yet practical ways to make your study journey feel more enjoyable!
19. Schedule in Relax Time Before Classes Begin
I’m a huge proponent for balance, so take some time to relax and enjoy the summer.
If you need some idea inspiration, check out the post Summer Before Online College Bucket List: 24 Memorable Ideas Before Classes Start.
A Little Preparation Goes a Long Way
When I first started studying online, I had no idea what to do to prepare.
I thought I could wait until the weekend before classes to get everything ready. I’d scramble to order textbooks, clear off my cluttered desk, figure out my schedule and promise myself I’d be more organized next semester, which did nothing to help my stress levels.
Now I have a simple back-to-school routine and checklist that I follow every summer, whether I’m starting a new program or returning for another semester. I couldn’t imagine the summer before online college without it!
All the best—you got this!
Are you starting online college this summer? Let me know in the comments what courses you’re taking!
