As the summer begins, many of us find ourselves being flung into an unfamiliar setting: online summer classes. While online classes can be unnerving, these tips and tricks can help you succeed and stay on track in the virtual world. After all, online classes give you the opportunity to be in charge of your education.
Schedule your day
Are you a night owl or an early bird? Find out when in the day you’re most productive and plan out your tasks for each day of the week. To-do list apps, like Todoist or Google Tasks are very helpful to keep yourself on top of things. Make sure to make time for studying, self-care and taking breaks.
Time your study sessions
Don’t just work hard, work smart. Break your work up into chunks. Try the Pomodoro Technique: work for 25 minutes, take a five minute break, and then resume working, for balance. Don’t leave things for the last minute so you don’t get overwhelmed. Never submit something right before it’s due. Lastly, utilize your resources. Apps like Microsoft OneNote or Notion let you take notes and keep screenshots of your textbooks and lessons to study later.
Create a study space
One of the best ways to be productive is by creating a study space. First, find a quiet and comfortable spot to work in, whether it is a desk, a couch or sitting on the porch. If you like music, create a study playlist. Lastly, stay organized. Create folders on your computer for each subject and store your work for each one, respectively.
Self-care
Practicing healthy habits will ensure your success even when you’re working from home. Make sure to eat. Set times for meals and snacks. Sleep is also super important. Go to bed at a good time and get enough sleep. Most importantly, take care of your mental health. This is understandably a stressful time. So it’s important to look after your mental health and not fall into an endless social media hole. Stay focused and take care of yourself.
Stay connected
Make sure to stay connected with your friends during this time through video chatting, texting, and social media. If you have friends taking the same class, make a virtual study group. Even if you’re not with your friends in person, make an effort to study with them, video chat and be productive together.
