Hello everyone! I hope the first week of online classes went well for everyone. It’s a hard transition and a little weird to adjust to, I know, but there are little tips and tricks that will help you stay organized and focused so you can finish this semester strong.
- Make a Schedule (And Follow it!)
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Having a schedule is one of the most important things as long as you follow it! To stay organized and on top of your work, you will need a schedule, almost like the one you had back at school, get a paper and put down the times you will meet with your professors and plan your homework or study time around that. Having a set routine is extremely important; it will help you make sure you are getting everything done on time, and also it will get your brain in the right mind space to do work.
- Have a Designated Study Area
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Working from your bed is a no go! This will not only prevent you from being fully focused, but it can also mess up your sleep schedule by tricking your brain into thinking that your bed is where you do work instead of sleep. After you find a good study space in your home, leave all of your school supplies there (in an organized manner, of course) so that you know that when you are in that space, it is time to do school work.
- Get Rid of Distractions
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There are numerous distractions in our homes, which can make studying there very hard, but it’s not like we have other options; parents, siblings, roommates, pets and chores are all distractions. Make sure you tell other people that live with you what your study times are so they do not distract you, keep your pets in another room no matter how cute they are and how hard this might be, last but not least make sure you have done all of your chores or plan on doing them after your homework. Having constant distractions while you are trying to study will prevent you from learning and retaining the information you need, so bye-bye distractions!
- Make Buddies With People in Your Class
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This is something I always try to do, find someone in your class that you can go to for help with class-related materials, and make sure they know to come to you for questions too. This is super helpful in writing classes so you can have someone read your work before you turn it in. Having a buddy editor will ensure that your work is free of silly mistakes that we usually miss when rereading our own work. You don’t have to be at school physically to do this; you can exchange questions via text, FaceTime, email or even zoom!
- Track Your Study Time
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Make sure you are tracking how much you study. Did you know over studying is a thing? This can cause stress and anxiety, something I am sure not many of us need more of. It is very important for you to ensure you are studying enough, though, and to do that you should track for how long you are studying. This can also help you figure out when and how long to take breaks for!
I hope these tips are helpful and you can use them for the rest of this weird online semester! Happy studying everyone!