Maricel Mañoza is studying at EU Business School’s online campus. She is from Manilla, in the Philippines, and now lives with her family in Phonm Penh, Cambodia. Maricel is studying for her EBBA whilst working as Director of Development, Communication and Marketing at non-profit organization HOPE worldwide. The organization runs two hospitals and three medical centers in Cambodia.
Maricel kindly took time out of her busy schedule to share some helpful tips with anyone already studying online or considering taking an online course.
Why did you choose to study online?
It is my desire to complete my degree and studying online means that the time I have available, where I live and being a spouse, parent and a full-time employee and entrepreneur, is no longer a barrier to achieving it.
What advice and tips can you share with students about staying motivated?
Remember why you started – when your ‘WHY’ is bigger, the ‘how’ becomes smaller.
Have a vision – at the end of the day, what keeps me going is a picture of a woman looking up with a smile on her face in her graduation gown and holding a certificate to her chest. I envision this woman especially when things get tough, saying to myself that I dream it, I believe it and I will achieve it!
What advice and tips can you share with students about keeping in touch with classmates and academic staff?
Establish a support group of fellow students who you can freely collaborate with. It is important to create that feeling of connection in this exciting and challenging journey of online schooling.
Feel free to contact academic staff to ask for advice to clarify any concerns rather than assuming the answer or filling in blank statements. You’ll find that you feel a lot brighter having reached out, rather than not asking and remaining in the dark.
What advice and tips can you share with students about studying effectively at home?
Avoid studying in bed, it really doesn’t work. Find a study space at home or in any place that moves you away as much as possible from distractions (noise, clutter, TV, gadgets).
We can’t do everything or help everyone. Have a conversation with family members, especially with kids, friends and colleagues, to prepare them for your limited connectivity, visibility and participation at get togethers, parties and with extra projects whilst you study. Arrange the support you need, especially at home.
Eat well and stay healthy, even if you may not be able to get enough sleep during the course. The person who will take care of you after the course is the person you are today.
– look after that person! Listen to your body, prioritize your health when necessary and communicate with academic staff if there are any mitigating health issues that arise.
Can you share a highlight from your experience so far studying online at EU?
To be honest, it has been a difficult endeavor because I am attending webinars between 11pm and 3:30am when my body clock is tuned to rest. However, tasks that seems insurmountable in the beginning can indeed become possible. I have managed it because the support, the interesting exchanges, the experiential business learnings and the real-life experiences of professors and fellow students around the world makes studying interesting and engaging.
I’ve also been able to immediately apply the lessons learned to my decision-making, which has given me a competitive edge at work.
What advice would you give to someone who has just started studying online?
You are not limited to the position that you occupy today, studying online is investing your precious time to innovate and increase your value while becoming more relevant in your business, workplace and beyond.
What’s the best thing about doing a course online?
The best thing is the utilization of technology to create a virtual space that connects life-long learners around the world.
Increase Your Value With EU’s Online Programs
If, like Maricel, you’d like to increase your value and become more relevant at work or more prepared to start or scale your own enterprise, EU’s online campus offers a range of courses to support your progress. Not only that but our expertise in providing distance learning has been recognized by CEO Magazine for six consecutive years – our Online MBA remains #1 worldwide.
And online learning does not have to be an isolating experience; we use cutting-edge technology to provide students with an interactive experience so that they can collaborate with peers and professors, and graduate with a global professional network. Each term an on-campus week brings online students and faculty together to network, attend lectures and visit sector-leading companies, to forge lasting connections and to build knowledge and understanding of company culture, challenges facing businesses and the latest innovations in the corporate sphere.
Online students are supported by our incredible careers department who offer guidance during the program and after graduation, to ensure EU alumni have the best possible experience and are able to use their new knowledge and network to move forwards with their chosen career path.
