Tiny Wins That Online Students Deserve to Celebrate

A reminder to celebrate the small achievements that add up along the way to your major goal.

Big milestones, like completing your degree or landing a dream job, are worth shouting from the rooftops. But what about the small victories that get you there? As an online student, you’re balancing courses with work, family, and everything else in everyday life, so those little moments of progress matter more than you might realize.

Here is your official permission slip:

They’re proof that you are moving forward, building good habits, and sticking with it ~ even on the tough days. Here are a few examples that an online student will definitely recognize.

1. Submitting a Tough Assignment You know the one. The essay that ate your entire weekend, or the presentation that made you stare at the screen in despair… Clicking “Submit” on that baby? That’s a win. Bonus points if you didn’t have to pull an all-nighter to get it done.
	2. Making It Through a Long Reading Some reading assignments fly by. Others feel like they were created specifically to put you to sleep. If you’ve ever tackled a 40-page journal article and actually remembered what you read, you deserve a gold star (and maybe a cookie).
3. Logging in When You Really Didn’t Want To We all have days when Netflix, naps, or literally anything else sounds better than logging into the online classroom. If you pushed past that resistance, even just to post a discussion reply, you’ve kept the momentum going. That’s huge.
	4. Figuring Out a Technical Issue From submitting a video assignment to fixing a formatting glitch, conquering a tech hiccup without throwing your computer out the window is worthy of applause. You’re building resilience and patience in the process. It still counts if you ask for help! See tiny win #5:
5. Asking a Question (Even if You Felt Nervous) Whether it’s emailing your instructor for clarification or making a call to your Academic Advisor, asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Every time you advocate for yourself, you build confidence and connection. Online school can be isolating, so don’t forget that there are lots of people here whose entire job is to help you succeed!
	6. Keeping a Streak Going Participated 4 times in your course this week? Met every deadline this month? Even tiny streaks are proof of consistency, and consistency is the secret sauce to success.
7. Balancing School with Life Stuff Cheered on your kid at their soccer game and got your discussion post done? Managed a full workweek and researched for your essay? These balancing acts are no small feat. Celebrate the fact that you’re making it work.

Celebrating small achievements keeps you motivated, boosts your confidence, and reminds you that progress is happening: even if the big goal still feels far away. Every checkmark on your to-do list is a step closer to the finish line.

So, whether your tiny win today is reading one more page, watching one more video from the Additional Resources in your module, or just logging in, give yourself a high five. You’re building the skills, habits, and grit that will carry you across the stage at graduation.

Your turn: What’s one small win you’ve had this week? Write it down, share it with a friend, or include it in your next email to your Academic Advisor. And don’t forget, cookies are an acceptable form of celebration.