Virtual Learning as a Trillium College Student
Who would have thought that earning a college diploma would simply require me to log in and learn from home? It’s easy, it’s interesting, and it’s investing in my future, all from the comforts of my living room.
I didn’t have to uproot myself, figure out transportation, or even parking.
I didn’t even have to take on added expenses to buy new clothes or a new backpack… I’ve saved a ton of money by enrolling at Trillium.
My career path is clear, and my future is already looking brighter by simply logging in to my online learning platform.
Four mornings a week, I’m greeted by my instructor, I open up the chat to say hello to my classmates, and the live teaching begins. This wasn’t what I (or any of us for that matter) had planned on for my ‘college years’, but I’m able to remain focused and get my work done, usually while nibbling snacks and wearing my slippers.
Half the time, I only dress from the waist up and keep my pajama pants on for comfort, but I have to remember to turn my zoom video off before I stand up so no one notices. Let me tell you, that is NOT the case for some of my classmates- LOL!
Having a live instructor in a virtual learning environment to deliver all theory-based learning somehow makes the online experience feel like a real, in-person classroom.
Lectures move at a normal pace, and it feels almost as if I have a private instructor since all our computers are muted to keep the lectures free from distraction and background noise until participation is required.
To make it fun, I’ve even started a weekly tally for how many times someone says, “we can’t hear you, you’re on mute.” If I could put a toonie in a bin every time I heard that phrase, I might just be able to buy the college when this is all done.
But all kidding aside, I’ve never been someone who thrives under pressure. I hated when an instructor would call on me, and then all eyes in the classroom would be staring straight at me.
Being at home, being relaxed, and in my own personal space allows me to feel more confident learning the material and doing the assignments and tests.
The bonus is that I will complete my course faster than if I’d gone to a public college, and because of the condensed schedule, I will be able to get out into the workforce a lot faster than if I’d made another choice.
Now, I have yet to see a naked human run through the screen or hear a child singing at the top of their lungs in the background during a lecture like some online blogs profess, but there have been many funny moments as we all adapt to virtual classrooms and the magic that is Zoom.
I am by no means saying this has been a walk in the park. With my loss of part-time employment when the pandemic first hit, I didn’t have extra income or savings to pay for my courses, but my Career Coach helped me realize my tuition was an investment in my future. A Trillium College Student Finance Planner helped me to secure the funding necessary to complete my course; it was so helpful to have someone to help me navigate through all the paperwork. With the schedule being the same start and end times each day, it allows me to take on a part-time job in the evenings, and I don’t feel like I’m falling behind as I know I can fit everything in, including studying.
Another advantage of instructor-led virtual learning and one of the greatest reliefs during this pandemic is that I don’t have to wear a mask, I don’t have to wash my hands ten times an hour, and I’m 100% safe in my own home.
When my alarm goes off every morning, I simply head downstairs, pour a bowl of cereal and make myself a coffee while I boot up my computer and log in. Sure there have been times where the instructor will talk for a few minutes only to realize his mic was muted, or someone accidentally spills coffee on their keyboard and lets out a shriek of horror, but by the end of class, we’ve accomplished our learning objectives and that’s what matters most to me.
