Everyone’s favorite class headline: “Virtual on Zoom.” It’s the hard truth and unfortunate reality for many of us college students this fall. Thanks to our good old friend Corona, campuses look a little different, and they could quite literally be your bedroom desk or your kitchen table. Zoom fatigue is very real, leaving everyone to wonder how we’ll possibly make it through the semester without rubbing our tired eyes out. However, with a few tips, Zoom classes can feel a bit more manageable and even enjoyable.
1. Get out of bed
While it might be very tempting to open your laptop in bed, having a computer at a desk or elsewhere will help focus your mind on class. By staying in bed, chances of feeling tired will be much higher since, after all, beds are for resting and Netflix-watching, not college classes.
2. Set up a nice Zoom space
Creating a nice area for classes will help with motivation. Who wants to sit at a cluttered table, surrounded by a mess while watching their computer? Organize the space, set up cute post-it notes, quotes, knickknacks, or study supplies, and keep the area light and cheerful.
3. 3 Words: Blue Light Glasses
These are a serious game-changer with Zoom or any type of prolonged screen activity. Blue light glasses work to block out fatigue-inducing blue light emitted by screens, allowing wearers to focus longer while avoiding the dreaded mid-day headache crash often associated with excessive screen time. Find cute and studious styles on Amazon for as little as 17$.
4. Establish a Routine
Even though Zoom classes make for an easy commute, it helps to still keep a morning routine. Get out of bed, shower, get dressed, and get ready for the school day ahead. Creating a good routine helps make the day seem more familiar and regular, even if it is far from it.
5. Create a Mood Board
Going along with creating a nice space to work, have fun making a mood board of pictures, magazine clippings, stickers, or anything else that inspires creativity and happiness. Mood boards are great since they are personal and really add a lot of color to an otherwise dull workspace.
6. Treat Yourself in Class
It could vary from professor to professor, but most are totally fine with students drinking or eating during class. Now, maybe don’t have a full-on three-course meal during Psych 101, but having a small snack of treating yourself to a latte can actually help with concentration and make the class so much more bearable. And remember to drink lots of water!
7. Lights, Camera Angle, Action
Awe, the pesky Zoom self camera. I know we are all so self-conscious about how we look on that screen. Try to optimize and test out the lighting surrounding the computer and see where the lighting works the best on-screen. It helps to prop the laptop on top of a few books or a box at your desk if the camera’s at an unflattering angle. There is also a touch-up feature under video settings because, admit it, we all want to look our best on that ~gallery view~ screen.
8. Avoid Serious Multi-tasking
Multi-tasking during Zoom classes has a big appeal. You can play games, text friends, shop online, but having a phone right beside the computer is an annoying distraction that will make the class even harder to focus. Try to keep the phone away during classes, or limit the number of times you check it. Staying alert and focusing during online classes gets so much harder when 50 other things are going on around you, so try to stick to the class and task ahead of you (literally)!