These past couple of months have been hard for me, especially with the transition to online school. I am an extrovert in every way in my life. It’s hard for me to not be interacting in the classroom, since I love talking. Talking with my friends and acquaintances made me realize that many others are also feeling the same. What I can say, however, is that this semester I’ve been able to adapt much more in comparison to my first semester. So, I’ll let you all onto some tips that have made a difference in semesters.
One thing I had to learn quickly is that my space wasn’t adequate for school. My room wasn’t comfortable enough for me to be in for 8 hours straight, just doing school work. The first thing I did when I got home from school was add planners and calendars, just like I had in my dorm. I jazzed up my desk as well – I put up pictures of family and friends, drawings from my grandfathers, and a giant initial with positive quotes. I also got candles to light around the room, and added cushions to my chair.
Another thing I did was promise myself that I would only have one day in bed for class. I noticed that my work ethic suffered when I tried staying in bed to do work. To be successful, I had to separate the comfort I found in my bed from the work I had to do, and it changed the way I worked. I’m not saying to never do your schoolwork in bed, but be strategic. Significant assignments should be done at a desk, and smaller tasks can be done in your bed.
Hobbies and university involvement became so important to me after being sent home, since I couldn’t meet new people in person. Another important tip is to go outside of your comfort zone. I was reserved during much of my first year because I thought that I could apply to different organizations my second semester, but then COVID hit. A lot of organizations had to change their applications. When I realized that I wasn’t going back on campus the next fall, I started applying to different organizations when I saw their applications were open, because there would be more people I could talk to and connect with on the phone. Through the organizations I got into, I started writing, and I even had the new opportunity to lead an organization, which was terrific. I also started baking, which was weird at first, but is actually peaceful, and I found out that I was pretty good at it. Find spaces where you can interact virtually, so you do not feel completely alone, and start hobbies that are out of your comfort zone, because they allow you to explore venues that create new experiences.
One thing about motivation is that it can’t come from anyone else but yourself. Sure, other people can help, but ultimately, you make a choice to get up and start changing. School was hard in person, and it’s hard online – that won’t change. Make sure to use the resources given to you to make things easier on yourself. Allow yourself to take a break from staring at a screen, or having to listen to other people talk for hours at a time. Lastly, do not be afraid to try new things – Google is your best friend.