Working from home and distance learning have been part of our normal reality since the spring of 2020, and obviously, they have no plans to leave them yet. It’s strange to know that today’s undergraduates don’t know about traditional college life. They are studying online from the beginning. Also, they didn’t have the classic “start” excursions and offline interviews with student organizations. It’s not easy for the elders either.
At the same time, in addition to the obvious drawbacks, the remote control also has its advantages. For example, you can get more sleep and eat better. Some students can now easily combine work and study. Today, we will show you how to take advantage of distance learning and offset its shortcomings.
1. Set Clear Boundaries
The first excitement for everyone when the distance started was that they were able to study and work without getting up. And the first couple is no longer a nightmare. However, listening to the lecture in bed turned out to be not that great. At the beginning of distance education, I often misused it, and a few weeks later, I no longer saw the difference between studying and resting and woke up in the middle of the night thinking of a new appointment.
To avoid such difficulties, it is necessary to establish the physical limits of study and rest: do not study where you rest, and do not rest where you study. It’s also helpful to repeat the usual morning rituals from port life, such as getting up early, getting strong clothes, combing your hair, and having breakfast. In general, do whatever you did in the morning before switching to remote work.
2. Sleep and Eat
Switching to distance learning tends to lead to one of two extreme situations. Instead of taking lessons, students may face social networks, TV shows, or games head-on. Or vice versa: In my case, studying professionally and freely has always begun. Oddly enough, the same hint can help solve both problems.
First, you need to stabilize your sleep. During the offline training, we had to spend a lot of time collecting and moving. Remote training has minimized these time costs. In your free time, you can finally get enough sleep.
The next important point is dieting: breakfast, lunch, and dinner at about the same time. Distance learning allows couples to eat when they need it, rather than taking regular breaks. Take advantage of the opportunity to eat healthier! This is especially important now. The movement has been greatly reduced with distance.
And of course, don’t forget the rest. The deadlines and homework are endless, but in addition, you should end up communicating with friends, hobbies, movies, and TV shows in your life.
And sitting and relaxing a little is never painful. Surprisingly, calm helps you learn more productively and see old problems from another angle.
3. Don’t Forget to Move
Exercise is necessary for situations where you need to sit and spend most of your time. Just 20-30 minutes between the couple you exercise will change your life. If you don’t know how to exercise properly at home, search the detailed exercise instructions website or download the dedicated app. You can also choose the workout period that suits you: 15 minutes or 1 hour. It’s especially great to go out between lectures and play sports in the fresh air.
4. Preparing for Video Call
Remote controls have introduced all students and teachers to a whole new world of video conferencing software such as Zoom, Teams, Skype, and Discord. It may seem like it’s been a long time since everyone mastered everything, but even two years after the pandemic began, curiosity continues.
5. Please do not Postpone the Lecture
Teachers often take notes in online lectures and send them to students. So there is another temptation not to go in pairs. You can hear it later. Missed classes accumulate much faster than we would like, so it’s best not to abuse this opportunity. And to be honest, how often do you see these tapes? Skip the couple only if you really can’t connect, and if possible, attend all lectures and seminars so as not to be postponed.
6. Set up Notifications and Save your Password
By the way, what you shouldn’t put off: Keeping a telework-themed booking calendar is especially important. Otherwise, they will sneak up unnoticed, and one day they will all collapse at once. You can prevent this with Google Calendar, Google Keep, Todoist, Tick tick, or good old notebooks. You also need to set them appropriately so that your calendar and school email notifications aren’t lost among other notifications.
7. Learn how to Deal with Noise
Please try to imagine. You are taking an important oral exam at Zoom and are worried and trying to concentrate. And suddenly, I start digging something in the next apartment. Or, for example, when your brother flirts, you laugh out loud, and you can no longer hear. Of course, you can ask not to interfere with others, but that doesn’t always help. Fortunately, there are special applications that prevent interlocutors from hearing strange noises. Great: Teachers can no longer hear background noise.
8. Upgrade your Technique
If you are studying from home, you will almost certainly need to use more skills. If you’re postponing the purchase of a stronger laptop, it’s time. But what if you don’t have the option to buy new equipment, but you need it? Some of the problems can be solved with gadgets that you no longer use. For example, an old tablet could be the second monitor, and a smartphone could be a webcam. Particular care should be taken when installing a wireless router. The load will increase.
9. Grab the Moment!
The pandemic had a significant impact on student life. Many lectures have moved to the online format, academic performance is upheld by video conferences, and diplomas are awarded in half-empty halls. At the same time, there are many other options you need to use. It has become easier to combine research with work or internships, eat properly, and play sports at home. And remember: the pandemic will end someday, and the useful skills you’ve acquired in the meantime will stay with you forever.