MY STUDY TIPS FOR ONLINE CLASSES
- Sit in a bright room.
Sit in a well lit and airy room. If you can’t sit next to a window, switch the lights on or light some candles. You’ll feel sleepy if you’re sitting in the dark.
- Comfort is key.
You can always optimize your comfort levels by wrapping a blanket around yourself. Seriously, blankets are a game-changer. So are socks. If you can, use a chair pad and keep a footrest next to you so you can prop your legs onto it.
- Exercise.
You can flex your fingers and toes every once in a while, stretch, massage your neck and shift in your seat. A constant position will make you more lethargic.
- Study with friends.
Study with friends on Zoom. Also, StudyMate is an app that enables you to study with people in a group.
- Do something fun once in a while.
Seriously, even if it’s scheduled, do something fun. Online classes tend to be very routine! Wake up, attend classes, do the assigned work, go to sleep and repeat. While routines are helpful, they may burn you out. To prevent this, participate in fun activities like going for a walk, painting, reading, meditating or dancing.
- Keep your phone far, far away.
Unless you’re using your phone to attend class, keep it across the room. You can keep a timer running on one of your productivity apps, as well, while attending class so you’re less inclined to use it.
- Work out a sleep schedule.
Since you’re spending more time staring at a screen, you’re bound to feel more exhausted. Hence, you need to increase the amount of sleep you get. Slowly adjust your sleeping schedule every day, say by sleeping ten minutes earlier than usual till you’re able to stick to a time where you get seven or so hours of sleep before class begins!
- Keep your snacks nearby.
To satisfy any hunger pangs, keep a light snack near you. You could keep an assortment of nuts, healthy cookies, toast or a smoothie! In addition, keep a big bottle of water on your desk and drink from it frequently!
- Wear a hair mask during classes.
Take online classes as an opportunity to take care of yourself. Moisture and wear a hair mask. It can be as simple or as fancy as you like. Personally, my favorite hair mask is a banana and coconut oil concoction that I apply generously. However, since I need to look presentable during class and for comfort, I usually wear a coconut oil hair mask and call it a day.
- Wake up at least an hour before class.
Wake up at least an hour before class. Complete your regular morning routine and have your breakfast. Get some fresh air, even if it’s just standing near the window. Before classes start, make sure you’ve completed all the assignments due, revise the topic completed last class and read the topic you’re about to start.
- Take a social media break.
Personally, this tip helped me immensely. Online classes were exhausting in itself and paired with social media, the news and so on, it was overwhelming. Since we are so dependent on our phones, staying offline is a dream that is not really possible now.
However, you can reduce the time spent on your phone. Instead of using Youtube, switch to Spotify. That way, you’ll get to listen to music without getting distracted. Delete some of your social media apps! If you cannot do without social media apps, limit your daily usage. Treat yourself with a chocolate chip, for example, everytime you stick to the time you allocated for yourself.
While being self-aware is extremely important, your mental health should not be ignored for its sake.
- Spend time with people.
Connect with the people around you or be more present in your interactions. I do this by sending emails to my friends and calling them. Even when we were busy, we would join a Zoom call and work on our individual projects. On the weekends, plan game nights/movie nights held via Zoom. My friends and I watch movies using the screen sharing feature via Zoom and play multi-player games like Skribbl (website) and Pictawords (app)!
- Be Organized
Organize all your assignments, exam papers and other similar resources into folders when you receive them. Ensure your phone and computer files are saved directly on google drive. This will ensure that you have all your data in case your phone crashes. Note down any deadlines announced in class on a sheet of paper and stick it on your wall. Set alarms to remind you on your phone, as well, to give you that extra nudge.
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