Being cooped up in the comfort of your sheets may have seemed nice at first, but fighting the desire for distractions at every corner is more difficult than you may think when you’re learning remotely. The pandemic has affected the majority of people, and students can especially attest to this; spending your hours staring at a screen and yearning to socialize is an excruciating adjustment for most students to make. As you finish up the end of another socially distanced school year, try to make the most of the situation with these easy tips.
Take time to maximize your online learning
Widely available technology calling your name nearby has proven to be a distraction for most students in remote classes. To avoid distractions and maximize your learning, you should create a strict set of rules for yourself to enforce self-discipline and learn regularly. For example, make it a routine to turn off your phone, television, and other devices to avoid any temptation. Making a point to participate in class regularly could help your focus exponentially. If you find yourself getting bored, ask a question on the subject to help your understanding. Maximizing your self-discipline will not only help you in the classroom but increase your efficiency with everyday tasks.
If you find yourself to be a rule breaker, taking breaks and rewarding yourself is the best route to take. As a former procrastinator, I can attest to the Pomodoro Technique when studying or completing homework. With this method, you work consistently for 25 minutes in complete focus, where you then take a five-minute break to recollect yourself and avoid the frustration of overworking. After you set and follow your routine, you should reward yourself with something you enjoy. Whether it’s something small like watching a movie at the end of the day or something more exciting like buying some new clothes, these rewards create a mindset to continue being efficient. Continuing this practice every day will encourage your mind to get used to it.
Related: The Most Important Thing to Do in Remote Learning
Realize the correlation between mental health and online learning
Both online and in-person learning face serious challenges regarding mental health. With online learning on the rise, you should use this time to focus on allowing yourself time to restore a positive and healthy balance. If you stress regularly, consider finding out the source of your stress and attempt to find a way to cope or find a solution.
Getting exercise daily is important not only for your physical health but your mental health too! In my personal experience, the act of getting up, walking, and putting myself together was enough to jump-start the mindset of efficiency. For those who have gotten used to staying in their bed and eating unhealthily in quarantine, getting up may feel like a chore. But video chatting with your friends, talking to your family, and walking outside safely could drastically improve your mental health. With your mental health intact, online learning is considerably easier.
Make inadequate lessons understandable
When the jump to online learning first happened, many students felt their teachers’ lessons were harder to understand. When this occurs, the best thing to do is to ask questions and have the teacher or professor re-explain if necessary. However, this still isn’t enough for some students—you may need more depth to the lesson. Fortunately, the internet is your virtue. There’s a wide variety of resources online to help you further understand any subject. Searching for a trusted YouTube creator to help you gain more depth on a lesson may help you greatly. For example, if you have trouble comprehending your Biology lesson over Zoom and the teacher isn’t available to help, searching for a video on the internet by a trusted creator could help you understand it from a different perspective. If you still don't understand or just want to check in on what you learned that day, never be afraid to ask your teacher for a one-on-one video call, email your questions, or visit their virtual office hours.
Related: Video: Adjusting to Online Learning
Being a student during the pandemic is hard, but changes to your lifestyle could dramatically help your chances of success. By practicing self-discipline, ensuring your mental health is great, and achieving a better understanding of hard lessons, you can take advantage of online learning. Keeping a positive attitude and continuing to work hard will help you achieve the mindset of succession—and it’s never too late to make these changes!
For more helpful advice to get you through the pandemic, check out our COVID-19 student resources page.
