COVID-19 has caused much of our daily lives to change drastically, and this is strikingly apparent when looking at Mississippi State’s fall semester. Many students were surprised to learn that most of their classes have moved online instead of being scheduled in person while they were moving into their dorms, Greek houses, or apartment complexes. The average student has never taken an online class, much less a full schedule of them. Here are some tips I have learned last semester when school closed, and I hope that they can make your semester a little easier.
- Keep a Schedule
Just because you may be not physically going to class does not mean that organization needs to be ignored. Keeping up with all your differing class times, online office hours, and virtual club meetings can be a daunting task without the right technical tools. I use the desktop application Wooven to keep up with everything in my hectic college week, and this app can be connected to any Outlook email account in order to automatically connect Webex meetings to your calendar.
- Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
Health is so critical during this pandemic, so simple measures should be taken during this fall semester by every student. Make sure to moderately exercise at a minimum of 150 minutes a week to maintain good cardiovascular health, and exercise can also help refocus the mind for optimum studying. Make sure to eat fruits and vegetables every day along with whole grains to provide a good complex of nutrients to your body. Water is the beverage that everyone should drink at minimum 8 cups a day to maintain proper hydration.
- Staying Social
Keeping up with friends and family during social distancing is critical to maintaining mental health. Social media can be helpful with this, but it is even more important to call people directly and hear their voice. Using phone apps such as Facetime and Whatsapp can help feel like you are right next to the person you are taking to even if you are thousands of miles away.
~Lucy Meehan