More and more people are relying on online education to earn their degree, and it’s no wonder. The traditional classroom is being outmoded, even in public education. A full one million elementary, middle, and high schools in the U.S. currently offer online courses. Colleges around the globe are moving to hybrid online/campus education models to better suit the needs of their students. Studies have shown that online education actually helps contemporary students learn more effectively than traditional, face-to-face learning.

All that aside, what’s the best part about earning your degree online?

You Can Make Your Classroom Anywhere, Anytime

The Internet is everywhere. Whether you’re still fiddling with that old cradle modem or streaming class lectures on your phone, you can learn anywhere you can get online–and today, that’s pretty much everywhere. Here are a few fantastic ways to take advantage of online learning:

• Road Trip! Love to travel, but think you have to wait until after graduation? Think again. Drive across the country submitting assignments at coffee shops, downloading lectures at national monuments, and doing homework during those long stretches of open road.
• Raise Your Kids. Don’t miss class to take care of your children. You can be a great parent and a great student at the same time. Write that paper during nap time; sneak in a quick study at the tee-ball game; and don’t worry about day care.
• Keep Your Day Job. Just because you’ve got a 9-to-5 doesn’t mean that you can’t go back to school. If you’re looking to change jobs, sneak in study time while you’re at work (not recommended if you’re gunning for a promotion).
• Get Campy. This one is along the same lines as road tripping your way to a degree, but it’ll be slightly more difficult to find signal. Fortunately for you, many national parks have lodges that are all wired up for your Internet needs. Why not spend the semester hiking the Pacific Crest Trail? If you do it right, you could be in gorgeous Yosemite Valley in time for your midterms.

A Few More Ways to Make Online Learning Awesome

• Pants Optional. Dressing for success in an online degree program means being comfortable. If that means posting to the class discussion board while you’re chillin’ in your underoos, so be it.
• Five O’Clock Somewhere. Yeah, you can bring a beer to the lecture; it’s your living room. Better yet, bring the classroom to the bar and plug in your laptop for happy hour. Just keep in mind that you aren’t your sharpest when you’re hitting the sauce.
• But the Game’s On! You don’t want to miss the big game, but you really need to attend the live chat before the test. No problem. Flip on the TV, and settle in for some sporty studying. Tip: Don’t type “gooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllll!!!!!” accidentally, no matter how excited you are–you’ll totally blow your cover.

There are plenty of other ways to make online learning a blast, and we’re sure that you’ve figured a few out. Show us your classroom for a chance at $1,000. Your video doesn’t need to too long (shouldn’t exceed two minutes), and it doesn’t have to be professional (we want to see where you learn, not how awesome you’ve gotten with video editing software).