For many, August marks the beginning of a new semester. It’s an exciting time! But with many classes being online due to the current pandemic situation, it is easy to get overwhelmed when faced with a new, unfamiliar mode of education. Here are three tips to help you manage your online school-related anxiety.
1. Stay Organized
Staying organized is my #1 tip for every semester, both online and on campus. Usually, we assume that we can just remember big dates and assignments. Still, it’s so easy to get caught up in our everyday lives.
Buying a planner or using an online calendar to mark all your important due dates and events will help you eliminate that issue and stay on track with school work and other planned activities. Making sure all your frequently used programs, such as Google Drive, are cleaned up and organized is extremely helpful as well!
2. Ask Questions
When starting a new semester, there is a lot of information to take in at once. With all the syllabi and class expectations, things can get disorganized and information can get lost easily. Asking your professor clarifying questions on assignments will give you peace of mind, and ensure you are fully informed on the expectations and procedures of every professor.
Not to mention, it will show the professor that you care about their class! Just make sure to check the syllabus to find your answer first; many professors dislike when students ask questions that are clearly answered in a syllabus.
3. Stay Mindful
When a new semester begins, the influx of work and assignments can make the idea of taking care of ourselves seem low on our list of priorities. Life begins to get busy, and as a result, we tend to forget about our own well being. Staying mindful is a good way to help manage school-related anxiety.
Mindfulness can be practiced in many ways; it can be as simple as sitting down and reading a book, or taking some time to meditate. These activities will give you time to breathe and relax, while also giving you the opportunity to collect all your thoughts. In the long run, giving yourself time to recoup and rest will help you do your best work.