Full-time courses - get the maximum benefit

Interesting is the professional development. It so happened that for 2 years I had to continuously combine work and study.
Continuously - in non-stop mode, spending all your free time. And I had little free time, like everyone else. Therefore, improved and professional skills and learning skills. I constantly wondered how to spend my time as efficiently as possible.

What happened? Tips under the cut.

I apologize for the possible categorical tone. Of course, all the tips need comments, criticism and reworking for personal experience.

Learn by yourself or go to full-time courses?
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Full-time courses - a controversial way to learn. Many people know that certificates are not particularly appreciated. This is only a nice addition to the summary. One teacher said so - an extra certificate may even interfere. They will ask meticulously - if you please, prove your knowledge.
Critics of full-time courses a lot, I will not quote. And I'd rather tell you how to get the most out of it.

1. If you are learning a new subject for yourself, then go no courses. For example, you were a programmer, but you want to become a project manager. You will be surrounded by interested people and it will be easier for you to enter a new topic. If you only want to expand and deepen your knowledge - think, maybe online learning will be enough.
2. Be wary of webinars. Communicating with a lecturer on the Internet is more difficult and slower than in reality. If the lecturer is not a professional, then you can turn into a passive listener.
3. Ask the teacher a lot of additional questions. I asked at least 1 question after each slide. The audience was silent. Let it not bother you too.
4. To ask the first thing that came to mind is ineffective. First ask yourself a question, write it down briefly or type it. Consider a little (about 1 min.), And only then ask. In this case, the response of the lecturer will complement your reasoning, you will understand the topic more deeply.
5. Do not wait until the questions themselves appear in your head. Force yourself to formulate them. This allows a deeper understanding of the material and will be very useful in the future.
6. One of the problems - sometimes they tell what you already knew (even if the topic is new). Do not waste your time - do the exercises, read the additional material. Your time is gold. It is difficult to do or read something while you are actively talking next to you. But you can learn this skill is priceless.
7. Do not expect that your practical tasks will be checked. Sometimes they check, sometimes they don’t. Ask to see parts of the code (for programmers), comment on them, make a review of the code. Show the code to more experienced groupmates.
8. Use any breaks (coffee break, lunch, drive home) to meet new people. What I saw was that people either didn’t get acquainted with anyone themselves, or make acquaintances, and then they get 1-2 new acquaintances. What I did myself - waiting for the beginning of the lectures, I got acquainted with everyone who was within the reach of the conversation from my workplace. On coffee breaks freely approached new people. After finishing the courses, I again approached new people and walked with them to the subway.
9. Topics to start dating - “How do you like the courses?”, “Why did you decide to go to these courses, and not to others?”, “As a teacher?”, “What other courses did you enroll?”. Be a good listener.
10. Be sure to ask the contacts of social networks to continue communication in the future.

New acquaintances help with this:

1. You share experiences, discuss the material covered together.
2. You will help each other after the course if your life and career interests coincide in some way.
3. Personally, my new acquaintances in the courses still help out - to consult, ask for advice, recommend a person, and so on.
4. You are tremendously pumping communication skills.

And how did the other students around me behave (antipattern behavior):

1. They did not ask a single question to the teacher or asked very few questions. I doubt that "everyone understood everything."
2. Inactive (rested) when the lecturer explained the material known to them. The same - in anticipation of the start of classes.
3. We ate, drank coffee alone or surrounded by 1-2 new acquaintances. Returning home alone.

Small bonus advice:
noticed that the coffee break affects the perception of the material. The fact is known - if there is something in the stomach, then part of the energy is spent on digesting food, and not on training. Try eating little cookies / not eating them at all, compare the results.
Share your experiences and attitudes towards face-to-face courses / webinars in the comments. Very interesting your opinion. If the article goes, then I will write a collection of useful tips on self-study.

PS Forgive me for the swollen head, from which you will leave the courses, following such advice. To get maximum results, you have to make a lot of effort.