Managing Online School
Online school has been tough.
Here are common struggles of online school:
Forgetting about small assignments
Putting off pre-recorded lectures
Increased Digital Distraction
I have experienced all of the above! Recognizing the unfortunate circumstances and future with Covid-19 and that in-person school is far away, I work on motivating myself to adapt more efficiently. Here are the methods that i’ve used to work through online school:
Use a calendar!
This sounds generic, but it’s actually quite helpful. In the past (and as a procrastinator), I tried to use them, but I kept forgetting to add school work and events. As a result, I gave up.
Recently, I tried again, but by using an app - which worked better for me because i’m on my laptop more often. Since the prof’s for my courses released due dates at the beginning of the semester, I immediately added them, and so far - I've been on top of my work! However, I have missed a few quizzes because I missed a few emails. But hey, we all make mistakes!
Put the phone away
You might need your phone if you have an important call or are waiting for something, which is totally okay! But if you don’t, try to put it on silent and preferably away from your desk. This also addresses digital distraction. Since there are no Profs or TAs to enforce putting away your phone, it’s all up to you to have self-control!
Locking social media
There’s a chrome extension called StayFocused that gives you a time limit on specific websites, then locks you for the rest of the day. It sounds strict, but it helps! Also, it decreases feelings of guilt about procrastinating. This is applicable to any studying, but in most situations, the majority of people report that they feel more tempted to check social media, so this feature helps!
Again, this addresses digital distraction.
Skipping Pre-Recorded Lectures
I think a majority of students are guilty of this. Asynchronous classes give us the impression that we don’t need to be pressured into making the class because we won't be missing any content. However, skipping is equivalent to procrastinating as you normally would in-person class. So really, like keeping a calendar, you need to make a habit of viewing pre-recorded lectures ASAP! This mostly applies to domestic students; I understand that international students have other circumstances.
Again, these are all easier said than done! It took me a few weeks to stick to it. I gave up a few times along the way, especially with marking the calendar, but in the end, it felt great!
As a student, it is ok to address that you may feel alone and that your Profs and TAs don’t understand. It is 100% ok to feel this way! However, many professors and TAs acknowledge that they are still getting used to the online platform, so they probably understand more than you think. For one of my classes, the TAs distribute surveys for feedback about stress levels and future assignments. This has been very helpful because they have altered some assignments according to stress levels.
However, this is only from personal experience, so feel free to comment about your own experiences!
Socialization might seem impossible, but many student clubs are offering online events for stress relief! Socialization decreases depression and increases feelings of happiness and inclusion. Again, for Covid standards, this seems hopeless because you do not receive the same face-to-face experiences. However, I have noticed that many of the events have more icebreakers by using break-out rooms for mini-games. The chat boxes are also helpful because it gives everyone the option to express something. It’s ok if the first club doesn’t work out for you. Give yourself some space, and recognize that there are many other clubs!
In the end, online school is still tough, but there are ways to manage!
Good luck with the rest of the semester!
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