For anyone taking a few or all of their classes online, I feel for you. As if school wasn’t difficult enough, it got a whole lot worse this year. Here’s some tips to get you through the rest of the year:
1. Write things down
For some reason it feels much easier to miss due dates in online school. The best thing I did for myself this semester was take full advantage of my daily planner. When you receive a syllabus for your class make sure you look through it and note any important dates in your planner. You’ll be so prepared for due dates and if your professors don’t talk much about due dates during class, you will still know what assignments are coming up. This also goes for any other important dates.
2. Hold yourself accountable
Don’t just write stuff down. Make sure you follow through! If you know you have an important assignment coming up, don’t leave it for the last minute. When you see the note in your planner, get started on it. No one will give you constant reminders to get it done so you have to make sure you hold yourself accountable for getting work done.
3. Time management
Managing your time between school, work, and friends can be so difficult. Writing things down and getting organized can be beneficial so that you know what has to get done and you can get the stressful work and school stuff out of the way. Then you can have plenty of time for yourself to relax and see important people in your life as well.
4. Eliminate distractions
Being distracted while you’re in your Zoom class is SO EASY. Of course, you can’t eliminate every distraction but try and put yourself in an environment that helps you focus. For example, go in a room where you can be alone, or go to a workspace where it’s quiet and you’re able to really focus. For me it’s also hard to resist using my laptop for non-school related things like shopping or social media but you just have to remind yourself that those things can wait!
5. Participate in your classes
Finally, for me, participating in my classes has been a huge thing that has helped me to stay engaged in my Zoom classes. It’s definitely harder to participate in some classes than others, but if you have the opportunity to speak in class or participate in any way, take advantage of it.