Is it better to take classes online or in person? It’s a question I’ve thought about a lot lately — not theoretically, but practically. In a real-life, calendar-filled, work-and-family kind of way.
The debate around online vs in-person classes isn’t just about convenience — it’s about how we learn best and why continuing to learn matters.
Over the past few years, I’ve experienced both formats firsthand. I completed my WSET Level 2 online first, then later took an in-person course. Same certification. Same material. Completely different experience.
And somewhere between digital textbooks and tasting glasses, I realized the bigger lesson wasn’t about format.
It was about staying curious.
My Experience With Online Classes
When I enrolled in WSET Level 2 online through Fine Vintage, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I assumed it might feel passive — a few recorded lectures, some independent reading, maybe a quiz or two.
It wasn’t like that at all.
The course was structured and interactive. There were video modules, live Google Meet sessions, a digital textbook, practice questions, and a formal exam at the end. It required discipline and attention. It felt serious.
What stood out most was the flexibility.
I could study early in the morning or after dinner. If I didn’t fully grasp acidity levels or needed to revisit grape regions, I could replay the lesson. Pause. Take notes. Come back to it the next day. There was no commute, no parking, no rushing across the city to make it on time.
For theory-heavy learning, the format worked beautifully. It felt efficient and focused. I absorbed information quickly because I controlled the pace.
Online learning, when designed well, removes friction. And when friction is reduced, consistency becomes easier. But it also demands something from you.
There’s no physical room to walk into. No instructor noticing your expression. No classmates prompting deeper discussion unless you engage. Online learning works best when you’re internally motivated.
Fortunately, I was.
My Experience With In-Person Classes
When I later took the course in person, I immediately felt the difference.
The material was familiar, but the environment changed everything. Discussion flowed naturally. Questions sparked new questions. Instructors adjusted based on the room’s energy. You could see confusion and clarity in real time.
And then there was the tasting.
Wine is sensory. It’s visual, aromatic, tactile. Comparing notes face-to-face added nuance. You heard someone describe a flavour you almost detected but couldn’t name. You observed how others approached the tasting grid. You refined your own perception through conversation.
Online learning gave me knowledge. In-person learning gave me texture. Neither replaced the other. They deepened each other.
The Part That Hit Hardest
The most powerful moment in that in-person course didn’t come during a tasting discussion. It came in a casual conversation before class.
Three people shared that they had made it a personal goal to learn something new every year.
One year, one of them learned French.
Another year, someone picked up guitar.
Then came wine certification.
Not for work. Not for a résumé. Not for status. Just because they didn’t want to stop growing.
That mindset stayed with me. Learning wasn’t a career strategy. It was a lifestyle.
At Home: A Different Format, Same Commitment
Meanwhile, my wife is beginning her ASL (American Sign Language) course online this April. It’s teacher-led, with live sessions and tutorials. There’s structure and accountability, even though it happens at home.
For a language course, that blend makes sense. She’ll have guided instruction and space to practice in real time. And practically speaking, it fits our season of life. No commuting. No logistical gymnastics.
The format supports the commitment.
And that’s the real point.
Pros and Cons of Online vs In-Person Classes
Online classes offer flexibility and access. They make it possible to learn from anywhere and revisit lessons as needed. For adults balancing work and family, that flexibility can be the difference between enrolling and postponing indefinitely.
But online learning requires self-discipline. It can feel isolating if engagement isn’t intentional. Without structure built into location and time, momentum must come from within.
In-person classes offer energy and immediacy. There’s something about sitting in a room with other adults choosing growth that elevates the experience. Hands-on subjects — wine tasting, music, language, art, movement — often deepen through physical presence.
Yet in-person learning demands scheduling, commuting, and sometimes higher cost.
Neither format is universally better.
They simply serve different needs at different times.
The Bigger Question
The debate around online vs in-person classes is interesting, but it might not be the most important question.
The more important one is this:
Are we still choosing to be beginners?
As adults, it’s easy to live inside competence. We know our routines. We know our strengths. We know what we’re good at.
Learning something new disrupts that comfort. It reminds you what it feels like not to know. To struggle. To improve. To build confidence slowly.
That’s healthy.
It strengthens cognitive flexibility. It builds humility. It keeps you interesting — not just to others, but to yourself.
A Word on Fine Vintage
For anyone curious, I’ve been doing my WSET courses through Fine Vintage. What I’ve appreciated is that they offer both strong online structure and meaningful in-person experiences. Starting digitally and then deepening the learning in a classroom made the process richer overall.
But the most important part wasn’t the format.
It was starting. And then continuing.
Final Thought
Online classes give you flexibility. In-person classes give you connection. But lifelong learning gives you momentum.
So maybe the better question isn’t which format is superior.
Maybe it’s this:
What are you learning this year? Because in a world optimized for consumption, choosing growth — in any format — is still radical.
And it’s worth it.
