So you’ve signed up for a traffic school online, and now you just want to get it out of the way, right? A lot of people decide to take this course online instead of in a traditional classroom setting because they feel like it will be faster, and in some cases that’s true.
But because the course is so convenient, it’s easy to push the work aside, forget about it, and focus on other things until you realize it’s the day before you need to pass and you haven’t even started a single lesson yet!
Just like you can knock out a traditional traffic school course in a matter of a few days, it’s possible to get through the online coursework and take the test so that you can get it done, over with, and move on without any points on your license.
It will take a little bit of self-discipline and a few handy tricks to help you, though, so we’re here to help.
Still Set Aside The Time
If you had signed up for a traditional course, you’d have to block out your schedule and allow for travel time, making sure you don’t put anything else on your list for that day. Traffic school covers a lot of material you’ll already know so you just need a refresher, and it’s possible to move at a quick pace when you’re doing it from home.
The trick is still setting aside time. If you expect to simply fit in lessons here and there, then do that—but don’t fail to write that into your calendar. Seeing the time blocked off to dedicate to the coursework feels a lot different than seeing a wide-open schedule with nothing important, including the course, listed.
If you fail to write in the class into your schedule, you’ll quickly forget about it and end up in a situation where you need to cram all the work into one night. States have a mandated minimum for how long a traffic school class must be, so if you want to get things done quickly then block out that time early on.
Disconnect
It’s surprising how much our phones and websites like social media distract us these days. We’re constantly connected, and while this is generally a good thing it’s bad news when it comes to getting work done on a traffic school class.
When you sit down to get the coursework completed, you’ll be much less efficient when you’re scrolling through social media or texting your friends. Limiting your social media usage will keep you focused on completing the course.
If you’re having a hard time keeping focused, you can try to log out all social media accounts on your phone or laptop while you’re working with the coursework.
If your goal is to knock out the coursework, quizzes, and test quickly then minimize your distractions—especially phones and other websites. Put your phone into airplane mode, or better yet, turn it off! Avoid time-wasting websites and even block yourself temporarily if needed (some apps that can help you with that).
Also, sit down with a snack, a full glass of water, and right after a bathroom break so that you have no excuses whatsoever to get the work done fast.
Find a Comfortable Study Area
Each person is different. Some are more productive when it’s quiet, while some can manage to study in a busy environment like a coffee shop.
Finding the most comfortable place for you to study will help you relax and focus on the lessons. If noise is not an issue, then minimize possible distractions such as mobile phones or televisions.
Choosing a distraction-free area to study increases productivity and will make you finish the lessons faster. When you’re taking your online class at home, choose a quiet place to have quality study time.
Pass The Quizzes
Online courses will have little quizzes in between some of the lessons to make sure you’re absorbing the information and paying attention. Fail these quizzes and you’ll be forced to start the lesson over, which is a total waste of your time. Although it seems like a no-brainer, do your best to pass the quizzes with no missed answers whatsoever.
Your final test will simply be a pass or fail, and it will likely be a cumulation of many of the questions from the smaller quizzes. If you’re able to complete those, then the final test to pass the traffic school course will be a breeze. If you’re a little nervous about passing the quizzes, then move on to our next tip for a little help.
Set a Goal
Most students tend to take advantage of online classes because there will be no instructors and you can take the courses anytime. Thus, most students are not goal-oriented.
Online traffic schools are self-driven, that’s why you need to set primary goals to have a successful online class experience. We understand that traffic schools are boring, however, it’s necessary for you to become better behind the wheels and dismiss a ticket.
If your goal is to pass all the tests, then you must pay attention to the online course and review the learning materials thoroughly.
Knowing your primary goal will keep you on track and finish the online traffic school fast!
Take Notes
While you might be rolling your eyes at whatever coursework the traffic school class has, you can get the work done quicker by taking notes. If you want to do old-fashioned pen and paper then, by all means, do, but there’s a much more efficient way to do this with an online course.
As you go through the lessons, only take note of important points. Still read through the content, of course, and make sure you thoroughly understand it.
Traffic school courses are not only a means of waiving traffic tickets but also make you a safer driver, and copying notes is no replacement for reading through the content. But for those who stress about passing the test, these notes are nice to refer back to when you feel like you’re under pressure.
Most of the quizzes will be easy enough to pass without the notes, especially if you’ve read through the content and done the activities throughout the course. But if you find that you’re stuck on something, open up your document and search for the keywords in the question. Nothing is more frustrating than having the answer right in the back of your mind but not feeling 100% confident in it. Referring to your notes will give you that confidence, allows you to pass the quizzes on the first try, and speed up the traffic school course process.
Should finishing traffic school quickly be your number one priority? No. You want to finish it and feel like you know what you’re doing and that you’re a better driver because of it. If all you do is copy the lessons, Ctrl+F, and answer the questions based on what you find, you’ll just find yourself in the same situation soon enough.
Since many states only permit you to take traffic school once every twelve months, then you could end up with a serious mark on your license. Work quickly, finish the course efficiently, but don’t sacrifice your ability to be a better driver in the future.