Our Fall Quarter begins today, and I thought I would share five tips to help you get through it smoothly!
- Go to Your Classes
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When I say this, I don’t mean log on to zoom and go back to bed; I mean really go to class. Actively engage in them. Whether they are being run synchronously or asynchronously act as if you were in an in-person class. Sit at a desk, have some coffee or tea to sip on while actively listening to your classes, ask questions, jot down some notes, and stay off your phone! If your classes are run asynchronously watch the videos or study for that class in its given time slot. If you signed up for English 101 on Tuesdays and Thursdays at one, watch your videos on Tuesdays and Thursdays at one. This will help you establish a proper schedule, and help you keep on track for the rest of the quarter.
- Take Care of Your Mental Health
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I know you’ve probably seen this everywhere (it has been all over my Instagram timeline for the past six months) but that is because it is so important! Listen to your mind. Don’t over work yourself. When you feel frustrated with yourself remind yourself that what we are going through is not normal, so it is okay if you don’t feel normal. You don’t have to pretend to be okay all the time! At the beginning of the pandemic I felt lost, alone and worried. I was feeling so unaccomplished. I was able to talk to someone who gave me great advice. He told me that sometimes it is okay to take a mental health day, whether that means not studying for a day or refusing to look at your phone for 24 hours. Do whatever you need to make sure you are okay. If you need to find someone you trust and confide in them. Tell them how you feel and ask for help or advise. Reaching out to others does not make you weak; in fact, it does the opposite. People who acknowledge they need others are the strongest of us all. You have a community, use it.
- Take Care of Your Physical Health
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Taking care of your physical health is just as important as taking care of your mental health! When I refer to physical health I’m not just referring to working out, I’m also referring to eating healthy. This does not mean eating a salad three times a day because that is NOT HEALTHY, what I’m saying is that you should be mindful of keeping a balanced diet. To be your strongest, and most focused/ determined self you must be feeding your body with the right nutrients it needs. In addition to keeping balanced eating habits, one must exercise. I have learned that the only way I can stay mentally sane if I have to stay at home all day every day is if I do something active. Jump rope for a few minutes, skate around the block, go on a jog, do some yoga. Just do something with yourself, sitting in front of a laptop/ TV all day is not good for us. I have also learned that if I am physically active on a certain day, I feel accomplished and thus more willing to do the rest of my tasks.
- Keep Yourself Accountable
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Another big part of remote learning is being able to keep yourself accountable! I know that it seems like we have a lot of time on our hands now that we can’t really go out, but this idea makes us more likely to procrastinate. Make yourself a study schedule, set up a calendar and create reminders for yourself. If you tell yourself you’ll do something, do it. Do not procrastinate and fall behind. It is so much harder to catch up than to stay on track in class.
- Be Patient With Yourself
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Like I said before, what we are going through is not normal. There is no need to act like it is. Remember to be patient with yourself when things go don’t got the way you hoped. Don’t forget that you can use setbacks to make yourself stronger and more successful. Take it one day at a time.
Wishing you luck and sucess for this quarter and the rest of the academic year. You’ve got this!