Learning to Balance Military Life and Online School
For many students with military experience, starting an online degree can feel surprisingly unfamiliar. Not because they aren’t used to structure or hard work. In fact, it can be the opposite. They’re trying to figure out how to fit school into a life that is already highly structured.
In the military, you know what you’re supposed to do and when you’re supposed to do it. Online classes sometimes work differently. Your professor may give you a deadline, but they aren’t necessarily going to tell you when to sit down and do the work or how exactly to get from point A to point B.
That adjustment can take some getting used to.
Ryan Wagner, Director of Marketing and Sales at RushHour Karting, Adjunct Professor in WVU’s online Integrated Marketing Communications, M.S. program, and a U.S. Army veteran (2004–2008), has seen this firsthand.
“What they’re struggling with the most is finding the blocks to fit within the responsibilities they already have going on,” Wagner said. “How do I fit this into my already busy lifestyle?”
The good news is that you don’t have to leave the habits that helped you succeed in the military behind. You just have to use them a little differently.
A Few Missed Points Aren’t the End of the World (Even if It Feels Like It)
One of the biggest adjustments can be how you think about academic performance.
A low score on a quiz or discussion post can feel like a much bigger deal than it actually is. For military-connected students, that concern can be even greater when grades are tied to education benefits or financial support.
Wagner has had students reach out to him early in a semester worried that they’re already falling behind.
“My grades have been really bad! I’m concerned!” they’ve told him.
His response is pretty simple. “It’s only been 3 weeks!” The point isn’t that grades don’t matter. They do. But one bad assignment doesn’t determine how you’re going to do in an entire course.
Wagner compares it to military training. “It’s like going to the rifle range, right? When you’re in practice and miss the target, it stinks and you’re frustrated with it, but it’s not the qualification moment. You still have time to put everything together and succeed when it counts.”
The same thing applies to an online class. Early assignments are a chance to figure out what your instructor expects and make adjustments. You’re learning as you go, and there’s room to make mistakes.
Find a Rhythm That Works for You
It’s easy to assume that someone coming from a highly regimented military environment would have a hard time with the flexibility of online education.
Wagner sees it differently. “I don’t think it’s that these students struggle with the level of flexibility and the lack of rigid structure of the online programs,” he said.
The problem is often finding a place for school in an already busy schedule. For someone balancing a career, family, school and other responsibilities, the question isn’t necessarily how to become more disciplined. It’s where to put school.
Wagner’s advice is straightforward: “Get closely connected to your calendar and box these blocks off and stick to that.” Don’t just put “school” on your calendar. Figure out what you actually need to do and block out the time for it. That might mean setting aside time for readings, discussion posts, assignments, research or studying. Then treat those blocks like commitments.
“They already have a high level of discipline,” Wagner said. “Once that event is on your calendar, hold yourself accountable to that. Regardless of what’s going on around you, live within that.”
That’s really the goal. You don’t want school to be something you’re constantly trying to remember to get to. You want it to become part of your normal routine.
Get Comfortable Asking Questions
Another adjustment can be the relationship between students and professors.
Military culture places a strong emphasis on hierarchy and authority. The relationship between a student and professor is different. You should treat your professor with respect, but you also need to be comfortable talking to them, asking questions and letting them know when you don’t understand something.
Wagner has seen military-affiliated students carry some of that formality into the classroom. “It drives me nuts when students call me sir! Just call me Ryan,” he said with a laugh.
But it’s about more than how formally you address your professor. Wagner wants his students to become comfortable communicating with people in authority without being intimidated by their position.
“You’re going to be working with executives in every single space that you can think of,” Wagner said. “You have to be comfortable there and you can’t freeze up just because someone has a big title. They need to hear what’s going through your mind because they’re counting on you to get the job done.”
That includes asking for help. Students who are used to being self-reliant can sometimes wait too long to ask a question. By the time they reach out, a small problem may have turned into a much bigger one.
Wagner encourages his students to ask questions early. “You’re supposed to ask questions and be innately curious to succeed in this field,” he explained. “Asking for help doesn’t mean you can’t handle the work. It means you’re taking responsibility for understanding it.”
Your Military Experience Is an Advantage
Adapting to online education doesn’t mean leaving your military experience at the door.
Wagner sees many of the skills developed through military service as an advantage when it comes to succeeding in graduate school. “These students are used to pressure,” Wagner said. “It’s a different style of pressure, but they’re equipped to handle it. They absolutely are.”
One example he uses comes from his time in Airborne School. The training was divided into three phases. During the first two weeks, he didn’t always understand how all of the individual exercises connected to the ultimate goal. Then came jump week, and suddenly it all made sense. The preparation had done its job. “It’s the same holding yourself accountable to the steps of learning the program and the process and the operations that go along with it.”
Online education can be similar. The individual assignments, discussions and other components of a course may not always feel important in the moment. But they are preparing you for what comes next.
“It just becomes a part of your body, your tempo, your muscles, your brain, your mindset. It becomes part of your everything,” Wagner said.
Wagner’s final advice: “The point isn’t that military experience makes online school easy. It doesn’t. The pressure is different, and the environment is different. But you already have experience with discipline, preparation and performing under pressure. The challenge is figuring out how to apply those skills to a different environment. Give yourself room to make mistakes. Build school into your schedule. Ask questions when you need help. And don’t be afraid to use the skills you already have. You already know how to follow a plan. Now you get to build one that works for you.”
WVU is proud to offer discounted rates for available online undergraduate programs, as well as a longstanding partnership with the Defense Information School (DINFOS) to help make a graduate-level education in the MS IMC program more accessible to military-connected students.
Want to learn more? Reach out to the WVU Online team to see what program option can help you get closer to your goals.