As soon as my university announced that the rest of the semester will be moved online, I will admit that I was feeling sad and unsure about my success in my classes. This semester, I had some of the best professors that I have taken in my college career, so, naturally, I was devastated. Thankfully, every single professor made the transition very easy for me and they were all extremely understanding with my classmates and I. However, I did certain things that I would like to share that continue to help me stay on task. The pandemic has not only caused commotion in the school world, but it has brought to light all of the stress and anxiety that students face. These tips will not only provide help for your classes, but it will also help your mind at ease.
- Stay Organized
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This point is probably the most important. I keep a planner that I divided by class and I write down all of the assignments and order them by their due date. I also write down the test dates in a different color to make it stand out.
- Make a Schedule
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Within my planner, I organize my time to make the most out of each day. This semester, I only had class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Some professors upload assignments well in advance, while others only upload on class days. I do not have any Zoom call meetings for any of my classes, therefore I was able to make a schedule on my own time. In my schedule, I get up at a reasonable time ranging from 7 am-9 am. After that, I give myself about 30 minutes to eat breakfast. After breakfast, I get ready for my day. Putting makeup on and getting out of my pajamas make me feel more productive and help me get started on work. After I am ready, I start doing homework and give myself 15-minute breaks after each class that I have to do.
My professors have not given me an extreme workload, so I am usually done by 2 or 3 pm. I obviously take a lunch break in between and this routine is what I do two times a week. After school work, I will do small workouts just to stay physically active and relax for the rest of the day.
- Have a Designated Work Space
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Having a designated workspace will make you feel more productive and will give you the organization a student needs. Avoid using your bed to do work because being on your bed can result in feelings of distraction. Leave your bed for sleeping at night.
- Stay Active
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As college students, we are used to walking to class throughout the day. Having that taken away from us so abruptly can cause us to be less active. Try to be active for at least 30 minutes a day. Walking, jogging, swimming, and home-workouts are all safe and fun ways to stay physically active all while practicing social distancing. Exercise releases endorphins, which boosts your mood and enhances productivity.
- Get Enough Sleep
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My sleep schedule has definitely gotten worse since I left campus. I have been attempting to go to sleep before 12 am every night and I am slowly getting better at it. Getting enough sleep will increase productivity the day after.
COVID-19 has definitely thrown a curveball to students everywhere, but there is no reason to be struggling with online school work. Every single person has different methods that have worked for them and the tips above are a few that have worked for me.