Doing an Online MBA has some different obstacles than in-person studies, from making sure they look presentable in a remote setting to organizing their workspace for regular Zoom meetings. But there are many different items that a student can use to enrich their academic experience, no matter where they are in their journey.
Workspace
1) A microphone
Max Springer completed an Online MBA at the University of Maine and has continued to work remotely for the last few years. He recommends a good on-desk microphone as a welcome gift.
“When I was doing my MBA, I was often on the go, so I didn't have a lot of things that would typically be associated with a common desk setup, but one thing that I find really useful to have is a good quality microphone,” says Springer.
“MBA students are going to be taking a lot of Zoom and Teams calls, and having a microphone that can capture your voice clearly is going to make you a lot more engaging, it's going to make you look more professional.”
2) Wired earbuds/headphones
If a standalone microphone is too bulky, a more portable choice like earbuds or headphones with a built-in microphone can be a practical choice. Springer recommends wired headphones instead of Bluetooth options.
“If you're doing a more long format presentation, or you're doing a longer call, to have that extra clarity through a wired pair of earphones with a microphone built in is really good. It'll keep you more engaged in the call, it'll keep the listeners more engaged as you're speaking,” he said.
3) A mouse
A good-quality mouse can prevent carpal tunnel syndrome and generally result in a more comfortable workflow. “If you try to do a full workday on your trackpad, it's not going to be a good time,” says Springer. “It makes you more productive. It makes you work faster.”
Deep work and focus
4) A good notebook
While a good laptop set up is important, having a good analog or digital notebook to work in can be helpful.
“I'm a big fan of digital notebooks… I love my Kindle Scribe because it's got books and note-taking in one device, but on a really practical level, I find the act of handwriting my notes so important,” recommends Dr. Laura Chamberlain, a professor of marketing at Warwick Business School.
Springer agrees that writing by hand can be beneficial.
“As an MBA student, you're going to be spending a lot of time looking at screens, and so it's good for an hour a day to take a step back and scribble down some notes that you have,” says Springer. “I think it's easier on your brain, it's easier on your eyes.”
5) A brick
One way to help your MBA student with deep focus is to gift them a device that makes it a little bit harder to get distracted by their phones. A brick is a device that can attach to a surface with magnets, and will block requested apps on your phone until you get up and touch your phone to the device to unblock them. “It's another piece of friction that stops you from getting up and getting distracted,” says Chamberlain.
6) A physical timer
For MBA students who subscribe to the Pomodoro technique, a physical timer can be helpful for work focus. “I've got an old-fashioned egg timer that I use on my desk for the Pomodoro technique,” says Chamberlain.
Outward presentation
7) Briefcase
It’s important to look professional during any in-person events or business situations, and a briefcase can fulfill that purpose better than a casual backpack.
“As an MBA student, you know, you have a lot of stuff that you need to carry around… I feel like it looks a lot more professional to have a briefcase instead of having the backpack,” says Springer.
8) Professional clothes
Even if an MBA is being done online, it’s important to look professional on any video calls and good professional clothing goes a long way. Springer recommended blue and white Oxford button-downs for men. “It's easy to make them out on a camera, because you're probably going to be taking a lot of web calls as an MBA student, especially one who's doing it online,” says Springer. “They can be dressed up, they can be dressed down.”
Subscriptions
9) Online subscriptions
Services like LinkedIn, and YouTube can all be beneficial, especially with premium accounts that avoid ads and open up extra features. Gifting an upgrade of a service like this can really help an MBA student in their academic journey.
“I think those LinkedIn learning courses that you get through premium are super useful for any MBA student, and also, if they're at the cusp of going into the work field, being able to track applications, get notifications about job openings, see how you compare to other candidates… those are all features of Premium, they're super useful to have,” says Springer.
10) Subscriptions to business publications
Reading business publications regularly can be helpful and necessary during an MBA program, and many of them keep their articles behind paywalls.
Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Forbes, and Bloomberg are all good options with strong reporting and business insight.
“It's good because they give you a recap of what's going on in the business world, so you can get day to day updates about what's going on in a certain industry, certain sector,” says Springer.
Publication access can also help when looking for sources to cite in research projects.
“It'll add an extra layer of credibility to your papers when you're turning them in, and also give you a good resource to turn to if you ever need updates,” he says.
Coffee and Food
11) Anything related to coffee
Caffeine is an integral part of most students’ lives, and easing their access to coffee will be a welcome present, whether that is a cafe voucher, a bag of nice beans, or a coffee making device.
“If your MBA person works at one cafe that they really like, give them a gift card to that cafe to go for free for a couple of days,” says Springer.
“Coffee keeps me going during the day, especially around late afternoon, when you're struggling to keep focused. Having that extra jolt at the end of the day is just nice.”
12) Restaurant vouchers and meal service subscriptions
When MBA students get busy, it can make their lives easier if you gift them something that makes it easier for them to eat. Restaurant vouchers for a place they enjoy going out to are nice, as are meal subscription services that deliver meals to their house. “All those kinds of things are really practical and useful,” says Chamberlain. “We all need the gift of time.”
Katie Nadworny is a writer based in Istanbul, Turkey. Her work has appeared in The Atlantic, National Geographic, BBC, Politico, and many other publications.
