Communication and collaboration is a major skill that students need to focus on and it is crucial to understand and improve them. While you might not think that these skills are relevant to your life, I assure you they will be, weather it be in school, the workplace, or even life in general. The reason this may be difficult is because the reader cannot see facial expressions or hear the tone of voice you are portraying, making it hard for the reader to fully understand the context. You should try to master communicating online so that you are not taken the wrong way or misinterpreted!

After coming to college and interviewing for jobs, I have learned that the way you email a professor or a business professional, is completely different from how you would email a friend or family member. When emailing such, you should be formal and avoid using slang words, sarcasm, and any language that could come off as unprofessional. Make sure to include a subject line, greeting, context, closing, and your full name (Link to module). Additionally, for online classes, the only way to communicate with your classmates and professors is through online channels and you don’t want them to have the wrong impression of you! This doesn’t end when college ends because for many careers, you communicate with your coworkers online. If you come off as rude or arrogant through email or online, no one will want to work with you!