The COVID-19 pandemic has created many hardships for everyone, especially for college students. With the majority of classes being taught completely online, students are struggling to maintain a healthy mindset while trying to succeed in monotonous hours of Zoom classes. Personally, I had a considerable struggle maintaining good grades at the beginning of the pandemic and found myself with little to no motivation. However, at the beginning of this Spring term I have found myself to be immensely motivated. How you may ask? Well, here are my five tips for excelling in online college during the pandemic.
- Develop a Routine When You Wake Up
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Whether you wake up at 8 a.m. or 1 p.m.try to develop a morning routine. Personally, mine is getting up, putting on comfy clothes, doing my skin care, putting on light make-up, and then making a coffee. This has definitely been the best way for me to start the day and makes me more motivated and productive.These are the actions I would take if I were attending school physically.
- Work in Intervals
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After a long day of being on Zoom, the last thing I want to do is stay on my laptop and do homework, but the reality is we have to! I developed an interval system where I work for 30 minutes and take a break for 10 minutes. I continue this system for however long I need to complete my work. This also promoted my mental stability and allowed myself to get more work done with higher accuracy. Decide what intervals work best for you and try the system out.
- Dedicate a Specific Day For a Specific Class
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Some days, even working in intervals for myself just doesn’t cut it. When that happens , I work on assignments for only one of my classes that day. For instance, on a Wednesday, when I am feeling unmotivated to work in intervals, and my first assignment due this week is on Friday for my fashion development class,I solely complete all the readings, study questions, lectures, and assignments for that class. You can do this every day for the week as long as you prioritize which classes have work due the soonest. You can have schedules such as, Monday is for marketing, Tuesday is for fashion textiles, Wednesday is for fashion development, Thursday is for art history, and Friday is for art studio for example.
- Try to Go on Walks
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If you are anything like me, you stay inside 24/7 and only leave the house to go to work. However, this routine can take a toll on your mind. I found that walking really helps me clear my mind and often puts me in a better mood. Usually I walk to a gas station to grab quick snacks or a close restaurant to pick up a meal.. Having a destination to where you’re walking also motivates you more to get up and go outside. This might seem like just a simple, pointless task but you could possibly be surprised by the amount of peace you get from walking and it is also a great way to exercise!
- Set Up Your Ideal Work Zone
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For me, I am not going to get work done if I don’t have an exemplary work space. Developing a routine for creating your study space can be worthwhile. For example, my routine for setting up my workspace involves lighting candles, having a coffee ready, my room cleaned, and my iPad set up to listen to a podcast while I work. Having this space makes me comfortable enough to sit down and work whether it is for only 30 minutes or for several hours.
Online classes are a struggle and it may never become easy however, I hope that you found one of these tips to be helpful. Remember, that it is okay not to be perfect. You may not be getting the best grades or as active in school activities anymore, but you are going through a pandemic! College students everywhere are experiencing this drastic change for the first time and we are all trying our best to get through this. Keep going and stay strong because myself and many others believe in you!