Bridge courses are crucial for students who are between educational levels or attempting to enter disciplines that are highly competitive. Completing bridge courses during employment or whilst tending to family and personal responsibilities is difficult but can be accomplished with certain levels of planning and time management.
Because of their asynchronous nature, bridge courses rest somewhat easier on students. They consist of highly interactive web-based learning platforms, real-time teaching webinars, project submissions, collaborative assignments, and collaborative learning.
Understanding the Bridge Course Burden
What differentiates bridge courses from other courses?
Bridge teaching is perhaps one of the most different from routine academic work that other courses are more defined and, therefore, rigid. They are more concerned with the acquisition of positive learning such as developing appropriate work habits, relationship management, and especially time management which is, when one hasn't studied in a whilst, makes the course more difficult.
The design of the bridge courses includes the following components:
- Weekly engaging modules along with other activities
- Optional live virtual sessions (which are recommended)
- Regular evaluations and exams
- Group work activities
- Components with unstructured learning activities
Underlying each course is the assumption and expectation of spending 15-20 hours of dedicated work. The detailed breakdown includes the following:
- 3-5 hours of recorded or live classes
- 6-8 hours of readings and preparation
- 4-6 hours of coursework and projects
- 2-3 hours of collaborative learning in discussion sessions and group activities
Strategic Planning: The Groundwork for Your Success
Step 1: Carry Out a Time Audit
Prior to your enrolment, your course of actions should include gathering relevant information and analysing your current obligations:
Weekly Allocation of Time:
- Employment (including travel): ___
- Time with the family: ___
- Chores: ___
- Rest (recommended 56 hours): ___
- Hygiene and food consumption: ___
- Current social activities: ___
Engaging in this activity exposes your actual free time and assists in setting effective targets.
Step 2: Design a Skeleton Plan
Fill in your project deadlines, including the calculated weight of each for your final mark, in a monthly planner. This method ensures deadlines are met whilst prioritising work with heavy academic weight.
Schedule Draft
- Monday: Job + Evening Block (Study for 2 hours)
- Tuesday: Job + Completing Assignments
- Wednesday: Job + Attending Live Sessions
- Thursday: Job + Reading, Summarising, and Revising
- Friday: Job + Completing and Taking the Weekly Quiz/Assessment
- Saturday: Family Time + Extra Study
- Sunday: Revision, Planning, and Relaxing
Step 3: Choose the Fixed Non-Relocatable
Which attendance obligations can be classed as rigid and fixed as compared to those that have flexibility:
Always Scheduled:
- Core Work Hours
- Timings for the children's school
- Any set Medical Arrangements
- Scheduled Family Commitments
Relocatable Items:
- Free Time
- Any Socialising
- Timings for House Work
- Specific Study Places
"Most students who do not pass bridge courses do so not because they do not have the capability, but because they do not have the ability to set the right priorities. I always tell students to think about what they must do and what is nice to do. It becomes easier to make the right choices once you know what is necessary to achieve success."--- Professor James Thompson, Community College Network, Academic Success Coordinator
Your Time Management Should Work
The SMART Goal Concept
Set realistic goals for each work and each field of study using the SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound). This avoids over commitments and ensures that progressive development can be maintained.
SMART Goal Example:
- SPECIFIC: Finish the assignments associated with Module 3
- MEASURABLE: Obtain 85 and above for every component
- ACHIEVABLE: Put in 8 hours of work over the course of 4 days
- RELEVANT: Crucial for the upcoming midterm exam
- TIME-BOUND: Submission is due on Friday by 11.59 PM
The 80/20 Rule in Action
You may also wish to apply the 80/20 rule (or the Pareto principle) to prioritise the most important activities. What is the 20% of activities in the bridge course that will give you 80% of the learning outcomes?
You should spend minimal time on these items (Minimise):
- Discussion boards (optional)
- Readings (additional)
- Assignment (non-graded) socialisation
- Notes (overly excessive)
Time Blocking Techniques
Complete Maximally Efficient Focus Blocks:
Deep Work Blocks (90-120 mins)
- Finish (work) assignments
- Study (prep) sessions
- Start (for) exams
Medium Focus Blocks (45-60 mins)
- (from) Lectures
- Readings
- Discussion (members)
Quick Tasks (15-30 mins)
- Response (for) Emails
- Quizzes
- Planning (for schedules)
Managing Multiple Commitments Effectively
Work-Study Integration Strategies
Discuss (with) Your Employer:
- Set time frames for (the) conversation and ask (the) manager
- The objectives (you) wish (to) accomplish
- To assist (you) in structuring time frames
- At which (you) will be uninterrupted
Enhancing (the) Work Environment:
- (During) lunch, use (the) time (for) light studying
- (Whilst time in) weak listening to plays, some lectures will be recorded
- Notes (you) open, in (the) gap (between) meetings
- During (the) unoccupied time, set (to) complete quick tasks
Family Integration Strategies
Involve (the) family by personally letting important people in the home find (the) ways to assist like shared household tasks or by sadly watching intercepted in the buffer time study time.
- Set certain hours in which study time will be respected by all the family members
- Assign children age-appropriate responsibilities
- Plan family time on the calendar with no study activity scheduled
- Provide childcare support during exam time
Personal Wellness Maintenance
Achieving the balance between work and study requires looking after one's mental and physical well-being which includes sleep, exercise, proper diet, and breaks.
Building Your Support Network
Get in touch with classmates by creating study groups with other adult learners to boost and share your accountability.
Support Network Components:
- Motivational study partners
- Family members for emotional support
- Understanding work colleagues
- Advisors for academic advice
- Mentors for professional guidance
Solutions and Tools Required for Maximal Productivity
Technology and Tools for Efficiency
Time Management Tools:
- Task management: To do list, Any.do
- Scheduling: Google Calendar
- Concentration: Focus, Forest
- Time tracking: Toggle
Study Skills Tools:
- Note taking: Obsidian, Notion
- Flashcards: Anki
- Virtual study sessions: Zoom
- Cloud file sharing: Google Drive
Communication Tools:
- Collaboration: Slack
- Team messaging: WhatsApp
- Emails with attachments
- Presentation video tools
Establishing a Productive Learning Framework
Home Learning Setup:
- A designated area for study that is isolated from other distractions
- Study Light and study furniture that improves posture
- Vital materials that are kept close
- Strong connection to the internet with reserve options
Learning On the Go:
- Streaming accounts for lectures
- Lightweight stored darker older books
- Commute friendly study software
- Remote file saving devices
Resolving Frequent Obstacles
Obstacle 1: Not Doing the Task and Losing Willingness to Work
Solution Plan:
- Think first, then tackle a big task
- Spend 2 minutes working on each task
- Set a reward for each goal achieved
- Count the number of tasks done visually with a chart
Obstacle 2: The Quantity of Knowledge
Solution Plan:
- Concentrate on the objectives before learning
- Make brief documents for every topic
- Employ active recall rather than passive reading
- Limit information sources to essentials
Burnout and Fatigue
Solution Strategy:
- Take regular breaks (Pomodoro Technique)
- Keep a regular routine for sleeping
- Engage in brief exercises regularly
- Follow and practise tension-reduction strategies
Social Isolation
Solution Strategy:
- Become a member of virtual study groups
- Keep in touch with colleagues regularly
- Plan and organise leisure activities every week
- Share your experience with your circle of friends
"Bridging gap courses with other activities does not require more time, rather, better choices on how you spend your time. The students who do well in this are those who study during their peak energy times and rhythm to their daily life." --- Dr Sarah Chen, Educational Psychology professor, Stanford University
Conclusion
Intentional planning, with realistic expectations and consistent action are the solutions to bridging the gap of other life commitments with bridge courses. Defining and having clear goals on what to achieve for work, study, and personal life will enable a person to work with maximum efficiency.
The strategies listed in the guide provide a basic structure, yet your circumstances determine what will work. Your life should still have other integral elements whilst you work towards achieving educational goals, though balance does not mean achieving everything in the same way.
Small changes should begin with weekly assessments and tailored modifications for optimal results based on your learning and life adaptability. If determined and meticulous, you can, within reason, tackle your other key responsibilities in tandem with successful completion of the bridge course.
Your future education and promotion opportunities will be quite beneficial from how you manage these competing priorities. Remain goal-oriented and practise self-care during the tough times, as well as acknowledge the steps you take in achieving your objectives.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours should I study for bridge courses daily?
Most successful candidates usually allot 2-3 hours daily for bridge course work during the morning and in the afternoon. This is more effective than cramming on the weekends.
Can I work full-time whilst taking bridge courses?
Yes, many students manage full-time jobs and bridge courses. The planner has set time frames, obtaining thorough study techniques, communicating with the planner, and planning at work. You may need to cut back on overtime and social activities during the more difficult courses.
What should I do if I fall behind in my bridge course?
You must try to contact the instructor on time. Many programmes can give you a deadline for an assignment for a certain period. This is crucial, you must act swiftly.
What practices would I adapt to keep motivation during the course?
Setting and achieving weekly milestones, small rewards, and connecting with other students on similar journeys are an effective means of motivation. Setting and remembering your goals whilst visualising the future that course completion offers can be a good motivator.
Should I stop doing other activities whilst doing the bridge course?
Some commitments are worth keeping whilst others can be selectively slashed. Activities that relieve stress and provide social interaction should be kept, whilst those that serve your goals should be paused.
Student Testimonial
"Seeing the situation as impossible is what I struggled with the most, whilst trying to complete a bridge course along with a full time job, and raising two children. The game changer for me was micro study sessions, and involving the family in my goals. My family helped me to create small study sessions" --- Maria Rodriguez, Bridge Course Graduate and Current Engineering Student
