How much of our daily school routine should remain the same during quarantine?
With the Covid-19 pandemic still at large, most of us are facing virtual classes for the Fall 2020 semester. Zoom university is no joke, and we are all doing our best to maintain our health, wellness, and sanity while taking our courses online. From professors demanding that we turn our cameras on, to family members interrupting us during lectures, remote learning is an obstacle that we have no choice but to face head first. While many students seem to prefer on-campus classes, there are also multiple students who have been enjoying taking classes online! As much as I would love to be in person for a more “hands on” college experience, I truly believe that it is important to put our safety first. With that being said, virtual learning is not an easy adjustment to make, for anybody.
If you are anything like me, you might have more trouble getting to your online classes on time, than you would for getting to your in-person classes. Hear me out; when you go to class in person, you do your best to get there early so that you can sit in your “unassigned assigned” seat, and so that you have enough time to unwind and get yourself situated before the class begins. I usually have a cup of tea with me, and if it’s an afternoon class, I might have my snack/lunch with me as well. However, doing classes from the comfort of my own home is a completely different ballgame! I do not have to worry about being early enough to claim my seat, because my bed is my seat! If I am hungry, I just walk on down to my kitchen and grab food, and if the class is early in the morning, I typically just turn my computer on seconds before the class begins. While being at home for my courses allows me to be in the most relaxed state possible, it can also lead to a bit of procrastination and laziness in terms of being prepared and alert in the virtual classroom. Because of this, it is important to have a consistent schedule, and to plan out daily tasks for the days that you have classes! The same way that you would wake up a few hours before the school day begins and put on a nice outfit for in person learning, it is highly recommended that you do that same exact thing while you are remote. Take that shower, eat that breakfast, and get dressed up! This action alone will already make you feel more motivated and equipped for the day.
Schedules, planners, and alarms are also very useful during this time. I know we all buy these cute school year planners, and claim that we are going to use them to write down our homework, and make to-do lists. I also know that nine times out of ten, those planners are too heavy to keep in our bags, and we wind up letting them collect dust in the corner somewhere. This semester is the perfect time to invest in a fun planner, so that you can stay on top of your assignments, and plan for when you are going to do each piece of work. Always keep the planner in a visible place- somewhere that you will always see it, and be reminded to do what is on your list. Many teachers and professors are at home bored too, so they increase the amount of work for their students to complete within a certain amount of time. I am pretty sure this creates more work for them too, but to each his own, I suppose. Regardless, you want to be able to keep note of your due dates; that 11:59pm deadline waits for no one! Setting alarms on your cell phone can be helpful as well. Being consistent with your wake up times can be challenging, but when you have an alarm labelled “Wake Up Girl!” set for every morning, it makes getting up on time a little bit easier! I have about three of these alarms… sometimes I turn the first two off to catch up on sleep!
2020 has proven itself to be an unpredictable year. While we cannot plan out most of our lives like we have been used to in the past, we can control how we plan out our school day, even if it is online! Take advantage of being at home, and utilize planners, schedules, and alarms to ensure that you have a relaxing, comfortable, and efficient semester-all on time! Remember, you have both the beauty, and the brains, so don’t be afraid to let it shine!
Notes from a BB girl,
Ariana :)