Being an out of state student during this time is really difficult. Especially when deciding if going to your university with COVID-19 and an impending school-wide shutdown is worth it. For me, the choice was essentially made for me. The week of my move in all my professors switched my classes online and I made the thought, along with my parents, that if I had no in person classes, being on campus was both a waste of money and time for me.
I thought taking classes from home would be a piece of cake. Being able to see some of my high school friends that attended universities in my state, being able to see my parents more frequently, being able to venture to all my favorite hometown coffee shops and restaurants, it sounded amazing!
What I didn’t consider was how big of a distraction these things could be. I’ve had to balance seeing my friends (while being socially distanced), spending time with my family (which got kind of old after a while because of spring quarantine with them), and making time to visit my favorite coffee shops (with a mask of course), all the while still remembering that I’m actually still a college student was hard.
I’m still trying to balance it all. It’s hard to remember that I’m in college while I’m away from my university and the atmosphere it brings. So here are 5 tips that have helped me and might help you:
- Set multiple alarms
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This is probably something most of you might do anyway to wake up for in person classes. But I found this helpful because I constantly find myself sleeping in and almost missing my zoom classes!
- Make a checklist and don’t do anything fun until you’ve gotten through what you need to
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This has helped me a ton! I’ve found myself going to my zoom classes then immediately after going out and meeting my friends or going to get coffee, forgetting that I actually have work to do.
- Constantly check emails and canvas
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It’s so easy to feel lost and like you are missing out on important information when you aren’t on campus and being able to access the types of resources that universities have for students. Checking emails and canvas keeps you up to date and in contact with your professors in case you ever miss anything!
- Take time for work and play
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Have days where you do work and get things done and days where maybe you don’t have a zoom class or zoom meetings to attend and use those are your weekly days to unwind and have fun!
- Stay positive!
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I know that since I’ve been home I’ve experienced so much FOMO (fear of missing out), and it’s really made me sad to see my friends who are on campus hanging out, getting food, studying together, or just enjoying the atmosphere of our university. It can really get to you. But just remember you are home for a reason! There is a pandemic around and it’s probably safer to be home then on college campuses anyway. There is always next semester or next year!