I’ll be the first to admit that online classes can be really hard to manage. I’m constantly being distracted by other things, tuning out, being uncomfortable and really not liking a class that I would normally enjoy. If you’re still struggling with online classes, here are five tips that will help make whatever environment or situation you’re in study-friendly!
- Designate a “Study Space”
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It’s really important to have an area where you do your online classes, study and do homework that’s separate from where you do other things. It can be confusing for your brain to do work where you would normally relax and you’ll find yourself not being able to focus or be productive. For example, if you take online classes in your bed, your brain and your body are telling you to sleep or watch Tik Tok. It can also work vice versa and make it difficult for you to fall asleep or relax in your bed. It may be difficult, but really try to find a space that you can designate for doing schoolwork- it will change your life!
- Make it Cute!
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Once you have your designated study space, make it cute! It doesn’t have to be boring and stressful. Decorate it however you want, so that it’s fun for you to do online classes in that space and you actually enjoy it! Some ideas are to print out pictures, use post-it notes, put up a cute calendar, hang keychains or other knick-knacks or decorate with a plant. Once the space is fun for you, doing classes and schoolwork will be so much easier!
- Stay Organized
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Because so many classes are virtual, professors are trying to compensate for the lack of time and connection by adding more work. It can be really hard to keep up with it. It’s also difficult to keep track of classes that meet in person sometimes and then virtually other times. All of these factors make it incredibly important to stay organized. With classes being conducted this way, I think it’s really important to have and use a planner. Sticky notes are a huge lifesaver too!
- Get Blue Light Glasses
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Blue light glasses saved my life. The blue light that comes from your computer is really harmful to your eyes and can create blurry vision and headaches. The blue light glasses block the blue light coming from your screen to protect your eyes. You can get them on Amazon for under thirty dollars! Because of how much we are staring at our computers during this crazy semester, I highly recommend purchasing a pair of blue light glasses.
- Keep it Clean
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Keeping the area clean where you do online classes, homework and study is really important. When your space is messy or cluttered, you become unproductive and your brain can be distracted. If you want to be able to focus and take your online classes seriously, you need to treat your space and yourself with the same care and determination.
This may be a very different and difficult time, but we can get through it together. Online classes don’t need to be such a struggle. Just keep these five tips in consideration when setting up your space for online classes and studying!