Before writing this I thought to myself: “What should I write for my first article coming back after a 3-month quarantine, a non-existent summer and currently still in a pandemic?” I want to take some time to talk about my nervous state about my hopes to finish in time for my graduation plan. My plan is to graduate in Spring 2021, but with all of these thoughts about the pandemic and zoom classes, and partially having to teach the majority of the content to myself, life has been putting me in a position where I feel like everything is overbearing. I also want to write this particular article of my thoughts to reach out to those in a similar position, or those overall just feeling overloaded— even though we’re just completing the first week of this quarter.
As a Middle School Education major, the majority of our curriculum and degree includes us interacting with students face-to-face. But due to the pandemic, and also the majority of schools having transferred their learning to remote learning, changes have occurred. This being said, it has put a panic notion on us education majors, fearing that we wouldn’t be able to complete the field experience portion of our degree. But even though many changes are occurring, I know that we can get through this with the help of our other classmates, our professors and our hard-working administration.
The next few bits are just some tips or actions I’ve been doing to help stay on top of my assignments and crazy schedule:
1. A Sort of Agenda or Calendar
This helps organize your assignments for the week. I usually fill in my calendar on Sunday while looking at the syllabi of each of my classes. As I see what needs to be read and completed, I insert it into my computer’s calendar. I’ve recently also switched from a physical notebook agenda to my digital calendar. Since I basically use my computer every day, having the reminder appear the moment I turn on the screen is a useful tool.
2. Having a 5 Subject Notebook
Having all my notes in just one big notebook is the way I’ve been keeping all my paperwork and notes together. I remember when I had my classes divided into different notebooks, and I would misplace my notebook and have a mini heart attack as I struggled to look for it. So for this quarter, I decided to keep ALL my notes in one place.
3. Staying up Late
This might not be for everyone, but since I’m more of a night person, it’s the best option for me; I’ve been staying up late to complete homework. Personally, I prefer to do my homework when the world around me has turned off their lights. I can be a person who gets distracted easily, so I prefer doing my work during the night when there is little-to-no noise. This might also be due to the fact that I live in a small space with my family, so it’s difficult having the peace and quiet one needs when it comes to doing school work. But even if you are staying up, MAKE SURE YOU ARE STILL GETTING SLEEP!
I hope you all stay safe and are making sure that you all are getting as much rest as possible, staying hydrated and eating well! Have a good day my lovelies!