As a student, taking classes is the most important task in order to further your education and receive the degree in which you desire. There are two common mediums of taking classes: the traditional in-person class in which a student goes to a specific location for class during a scheduled time and the not-so-traditional online class in which a student may fulfill the components of a class completely online. There are positives and negatives to each medium, but there have been countless arguments of which is best. Many people feel as if in-person classes are better and some may even dread taking an online class. As a student who has taken both online and in-person classes and who is currently taking a summer class online, I am a major advocate for online classes for many reasons and in the past year here is what I've noted as some of my favorite things about online classes.

1. Easy contact with professors

Although some students may argue that it's easier to ask questions to professors after their in-person lecture, other than at that specific time it may be hard to get in touch with them. In an online class, professors make it very convenient for students to ask questions through email and other methods of communication. Professors are almost always on their emails, so they have quick and easy access to view your questions and reply promptly.

2. You can watch the lectures as many times as you want

Typically, in order to view the lectures of the class online, professors will post videos of the material for students to view and do assignments based on this material. Videos of lectures are very advantageous for students because they can view them as many times as they would like. Countless times have I been in an in-person lecture and couldn't quite see or understand what was being discussed and I would've wished I could "replay" the material to simply view it again. In an online class, you can! When you're able to replay the lectures as many times as you would like, you may understand the topics better and may get a better grade on the assignments.

3. You don't need to leave your dorm/apartment

One of my favorite things about an online class is I can literally come to class in my pajamas because all I need to do is log on to my computer. You don't need to get up early, get ready for class, and worry about being late because if you don't feel like leaving your dorm or apartment, you don't have to!

4. Most tests are open-note

Unless you are required to electronically sign a document that you will not look through notes while taking tests for this course, you are free to double check your answers as much as you'd like or skim through notes while testing. Most professors even let you know that you're allowed to look through your notes to help, which is essentially unheard of in an in-person class. Being able to look through notes while testing relieves testing anxiety and allows you to take a deep breath and answer the questions as best as you can. This also gives you motivation to pay attention during lectures and take good notes because they will be your lifeline while taking the tests.

5. You do the assignments on your own time

This reason may be why a lot of people don't think online classes are for them, but it's something I've really enjoyed by taking classes online. Usually during the first week of class, the professor will post a syllabus of everything that's due and when those due dates are. Then it is up to you to get the assignments done on time. You can do them a week in advance or five minutes in advance. If you are feeling extra motivated, you can even work ahead in order to get things done sooner. This is really convenient because if you're busy with other classes, you are aware when everything is due which can relieve much stress.

6. Less group work

If you are more of an independent learner, online classes may be perfect for your learning style. Much of the work done on online classes are individual and there is essentially no group work because the class is on the computer. The biggest form of "group" work on an online class may be online discussions such as peer reviewing essays and general exchanges about certain topics.

7. You feel more self-motivation with completion of work

As previously mentioned, online classes are very independent. It is up to you to watch the lectures and complete the assignments and tests by the due dates. There are barely any assignments that are "busy work" and each assignment counts. As a student, there's nothing better than the weight being lifted off your shoulders when you turn in an assignment. Students who take online classes may feel a great sense of self-motivation and satisfaction when turning in assignments and tests because of the independence associated with online classes.

8. It's the future

In this day and age, technology is becoming more and more prominent all around us. Colleges are started to let students get their degrees completely online rather than needing to come to class everyday. When students get their degrees, sometimes they decide to go back to school in search of earning another one to get a better job. In order to prepare for the future of schooling, a student should take at least some online classes to be familiar and comfortable with the way online classes work so they will be less intimidated to take them if needed in the future.

9. You get more time to explore campus rather than being in a lecture hall

If you would rather not do your online classwork in your dorm or apartment, your campus is your lecture hall. You will be able to explore places around campus, such as coffeeshops, libraries, or other common areas that you can study and do work rather than go to the same lecture hall each day. This is a great way to be more acquainted with campus and find the best spots to do work for all your other classes as well.

10. No intimidation by other students/professors

Walking into a big lecture hall will 300 people in your class can be very intimidating for some. There's nothing worse than having a question about the class material and not being able to ask it in a large lecture because you don't want to disrupt the whole class with a question. Also, you are basically competing with all of these students in your class if the class happens to be on a curve, so that can increase stress and pressure to need to do well. In an online class, you could be in a 300-person class without even noticing, which is definitely a lot less scary. This way you can focus on your own work without worrying about the statuses of other student in your class.

11. They may be more effective

Although this is very controversial, there is research in support that online classes may be more effective than in-person classes. In an article written by The New York Times, the writers summarized a study in which researchers found that students performed better in online classes than in-person classes. They tested this by comparing scores of tests in the same class but with different mediums: online versus in person. They tested students over many years to get the most valid findings. There are also studies proving that classes that are face-to-face are more effective, but research is still taking place.

Granted that if a student is paying for tuition at a university and is living on or near campus, it is disadvantageous to take all online classes, but it's good to have a mix of both. In the end there is no "better" choice between the two and it also depends on what type of learner you are. With these reasons stated above, a student who knows they are taking an online class in the future semesters to come should not feel intimidated and rather should feel excited to try something new which may be more enjoyable to them.