Everyone is guilty of signing on five minutes before online classes. Although having classes online does not give the excuse to slack on assignments, it’s easy to zone out during class. However, it is still a responsiblity as students to keep organized during the online school year.
- Functional Workspace
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For focusing attention it is best to not have a cluttered desk. Do not have loose papers, large food ideas or too many unnecessary knickknacks. Keeping the workspace clean and neat improves the structure of the studying time.
- Organizational Materials
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Using physical materials for studying helps organize ideas and tasks. For example, use a calendar for weekly due dates. Post-it notes can be used for daily tasks like what time a meeting is. Physical or digital notebooks are important so they can be used to take notes during a lecture.
It is encouraged to go back and highlight definitions and underline keywords to help understand the topic. Whiteboards are useful to use because the tasks can be wiped off after they are done.
- Laptop
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On your laptop there should be limited amount of tabs open. Having too many tabs open at once can be overwhelming and make the feeling of pressure. Start by doing one assignment at a time. It is also easy to be distracted and watch videos. Try not to watch Netflix in the middle of studying because it can mess with the progression of retaining information.
- Noise Canceling Headphones
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Having the ability to focus on one sound at a time can increase the way student can take in information. Noise-canceling headphones are a good buy becasue there are so many sounds going on all at once. Speaking from experience, too many sounds makes a person feel overloaded and or uneasy while working. Having headphones can make the student feel focused and centered in their work.
- Break Time
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Not all organizational study materials are physical. Taking time for a personal break is a key part in studying. Friends can help other students relax by sepending time with them. Having social time with people can take some stress away.
Taking some personal time may include watching YouTube, finishing a Netflix series, making a craft, cooking a meal or taking a nap. It is important to know how to take breaks when needed but also know when to get assignments done.
Looking at these organizational materials it is easy to stay organized while attending Zoom University. If students use any of these tips they will see an improvement. Online classes maybe hard but do not stress out. Take the time to demonstrate these ideas.