Distractions from Online Classes
How do you survive online classes in the time of Covid-19 pandemic? Distractions come in many forms. You have social media as a constant nuisance – because we can’t keep ourselves off the phone these days – and you have all sorts of housework demanding to get done.
Instead of a teacher calling on you in the middle of class, a family member comes knocking to ask you to help out with the meal. Or, you might spend more time scrolling away on social media apps with your videos off and mics on mute.
I don’t blame you – our homes are hardly the most conducive of a studying environment. But it can get in the way of your studies.
In the middle of class, choose to block social media websites and apps for a set amount of time. Turn off your phone. At the very least, turn off the push notifications for social media apps. If you can, put it in another room.
Talk to your family members and pull up a schedule of your classes. Mention that you have to take a while to prepare your devices before attending a Zoom call. Tell them what you can do around the house and when.
After classes, chances are you have an overwhelming amount of deadlines. Once again, distractions do you no good. Tasks can pile up one after another! You might forget a chunk of requirements.
I like putting all of my requirements written on a whiteboard stuck to my bedroom wall. All of them have corresponding deadlines. Once I finish with one assignment, I can erase it away. This way, I can keep track of what I’m doing – and what’s left to do.
Turning off your phone or blocking social media can help in this situation as well. Take notes and keep your place tidy.
You can also do the Pomodoro Technique! Focus on your work for 25 minutes, then take a break and do whatever you want for five. Then come back. As schools completely shift into online classes, students have had their fair share of struggles.
Many struggle with the lack of resources: faulty devices and fluctuating Internet connections can impede the learning process. Some students wrestle with distractions, sleeping schedules, and time management.
After nearly six months of online learning, many students still clutch at straws to remain on top of schoolwork. I was one of them! On a more personal note, it seems miraculous to have somehow juggled my academic, professional, and home life all at once.
Our situations are far from ideal. We’re left to cope. If you’re still at a loss on how to make your student life better, I can share a few tips below.
#1 Trick your brain into sticking to a routine.
There are days our bodies insist on not functioning. A good chunk of this is exhaustion, may it be physical, emotional, or mental. A pandemic combined with the transition period of getting into online classes while somehow managing to set aside time for home and personal obligations is more draining than we think.
A set routine can help. Do you remember how you worry after spending several months in a summer haze, and all of a sudden you have to go back to school? It all sorts itself out after a few weeks because your body becomes accustomed to a routine.
You know you’re supposed to wake up at a specific hour to be in your first class in time. You get used to knowing where you can go on campus, what to do, who you’re bound to see around now and then.
With online classes, it’s harder to focus on schoolwork. Firstly, you’re not in the proper environment. Secondly, there seems to be no need for a routine at home. You leave this place before you turn on a “study mode” in your brain, and where you get to rest afterward.
Trick your brain to get into that studying mode back. Set an early alarm like you would if you were going to school. Spend time getting ready for the day. Dress up and put on makeup if it helps!
Then, focus. Allot study hours during the days you don’t have a lot of classes and take frequent breaks.
As humans, we rely on predictability. Try to stick to your set routine as much as possible! It can reduce your stress in the long run.
#2 Eliminate distractions
The last sentence of my previous tip doesn’t work with many distractions.
You’ll be surprised at how much you can finish in the span of such a short time. Spending twenty minutes on a task seems a lot less daunting than thinking that you have to spend one hour on every subject. In reality, you’re putting a lot more time – it just doesn’t seem like it.
#3 Rest, even when you feel like you don’t deserve it
Or rather, especially then. With the number of looming deadlines, Zoom calls to attend, things to do around the house – you’re going to feel overwhelmed. Feeling overwhelmed will not help anyone trying to survive online classes.
It’s tempting to pull an all-nighter to do everything at once. It’s tempting to keep working to the point of skipping meals. They only sound like good ideas. Once you try to power through your workload without a single break, your productivity lags. You won’t focus as much and classify the information you’re looking at when you study. As you slow down, the amount of work you finish is a lot less. You end up frustrated at your body for admitting defeat, and you end up a lot more tired and cranky.
It also doesn’t do any good for your overall health. Once you’re sleep-deprived – and probably hungry at the same time – you’re going to be sluggish for hours. If there’s yet another deadline to meet in several hours, you’re stuck in the same cycle.
Take breaks – nap, have a meal, go for a walk. Make sure that these breaks are to nourish your body and mind! Don’t treat endless scrolling on social media as a break. You want to survive online classes? Reserve your energy for activities that can actually strengthen you and not drain you.
Time management is also essential. Remember the Pomodoro technique? You can utilize that for your rest and productivity. If you want to take a long break, go for it. Just see what’s left of the day to focus on your goals.
#4 Don’t forget to reward yourself
A reward system may also be for you. Think of small rewards: an episode of your favorite Netflix show, a gaming session, your favorite food. Pace out rewards as you work to encourage you to finish until the very end. It also makes the learning process fun!
It also helps if you keep weekends clear for rest and entertainment unless there’s a pressing requirement to fulfill. At least, you can section out your time for both work and play.
The Final Word
Remember: we are living in extraordinary times. We cope with what we have, thus, we work with what we have. We can complain all we want – but at the end of the day, it all boils down to persistence and resiliency.
As for someone who just decided to give myself another go at a failed attempt to have a medical career, the first order of the day starts with how to survive online classes.
For the working class who needs a physical office outside the home, it is time to adjust to the needs of the times.
Don’t set unrealistic standards for yourself. It’s not that you can’t achieve them. But anxiety, deaths, and uncertainty surround us every day of our lives.
We’re working on getting to the other side. Until then, keep yourself safe and well-rested. No grade is enough for you to trade your health and well-being.
We hope you like these tips! Feel free to share your student experiences and other advice with us.
