Trying to achieve success in your online classes during times like these can be challenging. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed with a pandemic spreading worldwide. However, as classes continue to take place online, studying should be a part of your daily schedule.
Here are a few study tips to help you overcome the challenges online education brings, be productive, and stay at home worry-free.
How to Be Successful in Online Classes
Knowing how online classes work can help you get ahead and easily manage your studying time. Although many of the standard rules applied in traditional classes apply to online classes, sometimes it can be hard to keep the same enthusiasm.
That being said, to make the best out of online learning, you will need to take it seriously. Remember that online classes should serve as a guide to what you will be studying on your own later.
Take notes
Much like in a traditional classroom, it’s important to listen to online lectures carefully. However, it’s impossible to remember all the information you hear in lectures. That’s where note-taking can prove very helpful, especially when you start to study the material.
Notes can help you remember what you need to highlight during your studying. It can be hard to learn the material on your own, but having some guidelines and points of focus can go a long way during a study session.
Ask questions
Don’t be afraid to ask what you don’t understand. If you have classes online in real-time video format, then asking questions shouldn’t be hard. You can wait for your professor to finish the lecture and ask them about what wasn’t clear to you.
However, even if your lectures are pre-recorded, don’t hesitate to reach out to your professor via email or ask one of your classmates for help. Remember to do so respectfully and following the online etiquette guidelines.
You should know that you can also contact the instructor to ask for an extension if you find yourself distracted or overwhelmed to finish your assignments and turn them in on time. They’ll surely be understanding. Most of the teachers are trying to be as sympathetic to their students as possible during this health crisis.
Never assume online coursework is easier than traditional coursework
Competition in online education is just as fierce as traditional education. Each school wants a high success rate, and that means including challenging and comprehensive courses to prepare you for the workplace. Just because you aren’t in the instructor’s direct line of sight doesn’t mean you can slack off.
Online education demands participation, original insight, and completed coursework. Make sure you are mentally prepared.
Study Tips for Online Students
It may take time to adjust to the idea of being home all the time and having to study there. It may also seem challenging at first. However, this shouldn’t discourage you.
If you have trouble finding the motivation and willpower to get on with your studying as before, there are a few tricks that you can use to make the process easier.
Create a schedule & commit to your learning
Having a schedule can prove invaluable when you’re studying from home. It’s a good way to keep track of how much time you spend learning, and it can help you create a routine. Therefore, you won’t have to overthink about organizing your day because you already have a set time for when you have to take time to study.
However, having a schedule is not enough on its own. You will have to cultivate a commitment to your learning by taking notes, repeating the material to yourself, and taking online quizzes to test your knowledge. By doing this, you will have a clearer idea of how much you’ve learned.
Keep in touch with your classmates & professors
With classes taking place online, the contact with your professors and classmates might not be the same. Still, you can keep in touch with them virtually.
It’s advisable to form virtual study groups with your peers, as this can help you stay on track and see what everyone else is doing. There are several platforms on which you can hold your meeting, discuss ideas, analyze the material, and share study tips. Staying in touch can make online learning seem more effortless.
It’s also good to keep in touch with your professors, so you can stay up-to-date with reading lists and ensure that you have the right lecture slides and notes. You can also contact them if you’re having trouble with a certain area of the subject.
Create a comfortable study space
If you are not used to studying at home, then creating a study space to fit your needs is essential. Creating a space where you can focus will help you get into a study mindset and make progress easier.
You should identify an area within your house where it’s comfortable for you to study. Make sure you have a desk where you can fit your laptop and notebooks. You can then adjust the space in a way that makes you feel most motivated. That can be with flowers, motivational quotes, good lighting, etc. Additionally, it would be good to have all the things you may need nearby so you won’t have to get up and search for them now and then.
Take breaks
When you are studying in your living space, taking breaks is just as important as putting the time in. You may have heard this advice time and time again, but keep in mind that studying without breaks won’t be as qualitative as you may think. The more you put your brain to work, the more tired it gets, and the harder it becomes for you to process what you’re reading.
Creating small breaks around your schedule can help keep your mind fresh and make it easier for you to focus on your reading. Take some time away from studying every hour or so to do any indoor activities that you enjoy. This will help brighten your mood and keep you fresh when you return to your studies. However, be careful not to get carried away and extend your break time.
Use online resources & ask for help
Having trouble with a particular area of the subject is normal. Thus seeking help should be a part of your studying process.
Although you don’t have real-life contact with your peers, you should contact them if you’re having trouble with the material. The same goes for your professors, as you shouldn’t hesitate to send them an email and ask them to clarify anything you might find it confusing.
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Apart from your professor and classmates, you can also seek online help from various tools and platforms available. There are many YouTube channels and online courses with field-specific videos that have in-depth explanations on certain subjects. Additionally, you can turn to homework applications if you’re having trouble with your assignments.
Don’t underestimate yourself
This is no longer the age where online education is the easy way out. This is the time for education in any capacity. You chose this route because you know you deserve the best. You’re ready to tackle education even though you are already managing a busy schedule, so don’t ever sell yourself short.
Education, in all forms, is a step in the right direction, and you deserve to expand your potential. Enroll, work hard, and reap the benefits!
How To Be Productive at Home
To make the most out of the time you spend studying at home, you need to stay physically active. However, that can prove to be hard when you’re conditioned to spend most of your time at the same place. Nevertheless, when you are trying to get into an active mindset, there are some things to keep in mind that will help you do so.
Clear the clutter
Sometimes when you are in a ‘study zone,’ something as small as a chore can take your mind off and make you lose focus. Taking unplanned breaks during your studying time can be very distracting and throw you off the course. The mess, on the other hand, can be equally distracting. It’s been proven that a messy house can cause stress and anxiety. That’s why it would be best if you cleared up the room and the desk where you study so that you won’t get distracted and will be able to process all that you learn. In this way, you won’t take unplanned breaks, won’t let the mess affect you and your studying process and will keep your house clean.
Exercise
It goes without saying that exercise can make you feel more energetic and ready to take on the day. This is because physical activity releases hormones that help you feel relaxed and focused, allowing you to be more productive during the day.
Even if you can’t put in one hour of intense exercise, as you would at a gym, you can always opt for at-home workouts. There are many Youtube channels and various online sources to help you with this. It doesn’t need to be a long session, you can do a 10-minute workout, and it will help with your overall productivity level.
Avoid your bed
It may seem like a good idea to try to study on your bed, but more times than not, it turns out to be counterproductive. The same goes for most afternoon naps after a morning study session. Often, it turns into a long nap, and you realize you’ve slept for hours. Take it as a general rule to avoid your bed while you’re studying. It’s best to have a chair and a desk, so you can sit up and pay attention to the material without feeling groggy.
You should also avoid staying in pajamas all day, as it can create a sense of laziness and put you in a mood where you don’t want to do any studying. Instead, try to dress as you would when attending a traditional classroom or library. This can help create a frame of mind for taking your studies more seriously.
Staying productive and achieving success in online classes can seem like a hard task to tackle. Although sometimes you may lose motivation and feel tired, there are many things you can do daily to prevent that. Whether it is taking notes, sticking to your schedule, or avoiding your bed, it’s important to stay healthy and try to do your best during this time. We wish you luck with your online learning!
