Self-study for an online bartending school works great for some but is not for everyone. Here are a few important considerations when thinking about signing up.
Internet access & a computer
Not everyone has the same access to a computer and the internet. Some will be able to learn at home on a desktop, in a cafe on a laptop or at your local library on a public computer. You can even watch this bartending course on a smartphone.
Working independently
The structure of this bartending course is laid out logically and methodically but there is no one in the room with you to offer encouragement or accountability. You have to be able to work independently. It requires an extra measure of self-discipline and motivation to get through all the course materials on your own.
Staying on task
It is easy to get distracted by texts, Instagram messages and Twitter notifications. The list of possible distractions goes on and on. Do whatever you need to rid yourself of these distractions and dedicate your allotted learning time to the course.
No peer discussion
The social aspect of learning in a physical classroom with others is not available with distance learning. The instructional videos in this bartending course are not the same as a real person. If interaction is what you crave, then you will have to look for it elsewhere.
Time commitment
To become good at anything you must commit a certain amount of time each week to learning and practice. This bartending course is based on a two week, eight hours a day, hands on training program. You don’t have to be that intense because you can set your own pace with online learning. But if you don’t make a time commitment of at least four hours a week, you won’t absorb the materials or you will simply lose momentum.
Self-motivation
You must be able to read all the materials, complete the exercises, memorize the cocktails and work through the educational videos on your own. No one is going to make you do anything and you won’t do it on your own unless you really want it. This is generally true of any kind of learning but more so online. Know that you want to learn how to bartend and then go get it!
A quiet place
Lastly, choose a quiet place to complete your work. It is difficult to learn with loud distractions taking away your attention. If it is too loud at home with your family around, go to a cafe. When the cafe is too loud, go to the library. I have never found a library that is too loud to concentrate.
Is online bartending school right for you?
If you have read through all these considerations and are still nodding your head, then an online bartending school may be a good fit for you. Or maybe you just need to change one thing like where you decide to do your learning or how to structure your time to fit this course into your schedule.
