It may seem like a simple thing, but when taking an online course, the main form of communication between you and your professor may be email. Click here to set up your CBU email and/or forward your CBU email to an email address you use more frequently. We advise you keep your CBU email separate from personal email, however, to make it easier to track and find school information.

Canvas notifications can remind you of due dates, text you with important notifications from your teacher and notify you of any changes to a course. But you must set your own notifications to receive these and add your contact information, so that Canvas can help you better keep up with your courses. Click here for a student notification guide.

Even if you can see your Canvas course, you may be missing certain functionality and have difficulty participating in assignments, if your computer is not updated or compatible with Canvas. Click here for tests that can check your computer and recommend updates.

In an asynchronous online course, all due dates for your courses should be clearly stated in your Canvas course. Online assignments are most commonly due at 11:59pm. This is to give you the entire day to complete your assignments. But every course may have different due dates.

• Put all due dates in your planner. Click here to learn how to add Canvas due dates to your Outlook or Gmail calendar.

• Some assignments may close immediately after the time deadline, so you may be unable to submit once it closes.

• Submit your assignment a few hours before the deadline. Allow room for technical difficulties.

• A planner is a must for taking online courses. Here are a few tools that can keep you organized.

• Check into your online course every 2-3 days. If you check in any less, you risk missing announcements/assignments.

Even if it's a corner on a dining room table, carve out a special place where you can study and take your classes. Clean up the learning space every evening when you finish, so that you can start the next day in an organized place. If you must work in a loud or busy environment, wear headphones.

Keep learning resources close by: textbooks, paper, pencils, pens, calculators. Use the most comfortable chair you can find and put some items around the space that make you feel comfortable or happy being there.

You're going to spend a long time in your learning environment, so do your best to make it a place you feel comfy.