How to Succeed in Online School

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I was in online school this summer due to COVID-19. Since many of you are faced with a similar situation this back to school season, I decided to share my tips for succeeding in online school.

Make a realistic schedule

With online school, you’ll have a lot more freedom than during in-person school, especially if your lectures aren’t scheduled. This means putting off work and being last minute will be as easy as ever. In order not to fall behind and stay on top of work, I made sure to plan my schedule for every day of the week. I would usually plan my week during the weekend and made sure each assignment, lab, quiz and exam had enough time allocated to it. For example, I had one of my course’s labs due every Friday, so I would reserve every Thursday to work on the lab due the week after. Also, make sure you plan for breaks and non-school events in your schedule! This will help you make a more realistic schedule.

Take notes

Taking notes helps stay focus while listening to lectures. As if staying focused in a classroom isn’t already hard enough, we now have to stay focus in our own homes, 2 feet away from our phones with Netflix, Instagram, Twitter, etc. My way to stay concentrated while listening to lectures is to take good and organised notes. Order some notebooks, pens, highlighters and experiment taking notes in different ways (eg: using colors, flash cards, etc)

Clean your environment

A clean environment leads to a clean mind. I like to take 10-15 minutes at the beginning of the day to clear my workspace. This helps me focus on the work I have to do that day by putting all my distractions away. Doing a little bit everyday can make a huge difference your efficiency.

Ask for help

You won’t be going to classes which means if you need help, you won’t be able to casually ask for help from your friends before classes the next day. If you need help, you need to find other ways to get it. At the beginning of the term, research what tools your school and/or professors have put into place to help students. Also, spend time gathering your friends and building a support system where you’ll be able to ask your questions when professors aren’t available. You can also schedule virtual study sessions with your friends to hold you accountable for studying before exams or quizzes.

Take breaks and breathe fresh air

This one is the easiest one to forget, yet the most important one to do. As I mentioned before, I like to include breaks in my schedule. Taking breaks can actually help you be more productive. When you’re stuck on a problem, go for a walk, do some yoga or go for a run. It doesn’t matter what you do; take some time to do something unrelated to your problem. Also, go outside at least once every day. This will help you keep a healthy lifestyle and improve your focus.

Hopefully these tips will come in handy during your online school term!