Tips for Online Learning
The prospects of online classes don’t sound bad, initially. A year ago, I would have happily stayed in bed for lecture instead of making the trek from Marshall to Galbraith Hall. But coupled with the social unrest and the global pandemic, this unprecedented transition to the virtual world has completely disrupted all aspects of our lives.
Nevertheless, this is the situation now. So how can we not only survive the shift online, but ensure that this online education is even worth it? How do we readjust and learn to cope with our new isolated realities?
Connecting with People
One of the hardest parts of moving to an online learning environment is losing all of the connections that we’ve worked so hard to create at school. Personal connections are one of the most important things you will get out of college. Our relationships with each other help us succeed, find new opportunities, build lasting friendships, and much more. So how can we continue to still forge these connections through a screen?
Despite my hatred of Facebook, it is one of the most active places to get up to date information on events and connect with students in your classes. Facebook chats are easy to use, and you don’t need to give out your phone number over the internet. If you don’t know where to get started, try checking out your class Facebook group (UCSD Class of 20XX).
Discord
Another platform gaining a lot of traction this quarter is Discord. UCSD Discord servers have been growing rapidly. Discord brings the benefit of being a casual space for people to engage with one another. Joining Discord servers are also a great way to keep up with student orgs (like oSTEM!)
Talk to your instructors
Right now, professors are trying to adapt to the virtual environment just like us. Many of them miss the personal interactions they’d have with students, which they can’t do in a 300 person Zoom call. Going to office hours or asking to meet for coffee over Zoom can help you forge connections for joining labs or getting letters of recommendation in the future. Talking to your professors or TAs can also help them connect more with their students and learn how to tailor their classes towards your needs as a student.
Form Study Groups
Study groups are a crucial lifeline that can help you with your academics while providing that social energy we’ve all been deprived of. All of the above places are great sources for forming study groups. If you’re having trouble finding classmates, many professors and TAs are willing to take the extra step to set something up for their students to interact. Ask your instructors to send out an email asking people who are looking for study partners, or maybe even setting up a Piazza for folks to communicate with each other.
Disconnecting from screens
The shift to online has cut us off from most of our physical connections to people, and that includes ourselves. Staring at a screen from the moment you wake up to the moment you fall asleep has detrimental effects on both your body and your mind. I know personally, I have trouble taking breaks because I feel as though there is so much I need to get done, and the only way to work on anything anymore is online. But taking breaks is another important step to add to your productive schedule.
Listen to music, audiobooks, or podcasts
Personally, I feel very anxious when I have a lot to do and I’m not doing anything. For anyone who faces a similar struggle with disconnecting — listening to music, audiobooks, or podcasts, is a good way to feel productive while resting. One of my go-to aids for disconnecting is the comedic science podcast Ologies with Alie Ward. This is a great chance to indulge in non-virtual hobbies like painting or knitting. Or just lay down and close your eyes while you listen. The important part here is to give your eyes a break from the screens.
Practice mindful meditation
Mindful meditation is also a fantastic way to refocus yourself. There’s a lot to be said about meditation that a simple paragraph can’t encapsulate, but there are tons of YouTube tutorials, podcasts, even apps to help guide you through meditation. The best part is how flexible to time can be, if you have a busier schedule, you can even take just 5 minutes out of your day to practice mindful meditation.
If you don’t know where to begin, Headspace is a great place to start. They also have a lot of great resources on their YouTube channel for guided meditation. Another cool resource is the Plum Village App, which is great if you like learning about Buddhism and the spiritual aspects of meditation.
Reduce eye-strain
In order to avoid burnout, you also need to rest your body — that may seem strange, since it feels as though all we do now is sit, but reducing the strain on your eyes is important for preventing headaches and fatigue. To help reduce eye strain, maintain a proper distance from your screens (about an arm’s length away from the eyes), sit up straight, use proper lighting (not too bright or too dim), and/or increase the font size on your computer.
Keep plants in your room
Being around greenery has a calming effect that can also help reduce stress and anxiety. Also, I have no science to back this up, but my Asian grandmother would always say that looking at something green helps your eyes rest. Keeping plants is also a low time commitment hobby that will help you step away from your computer.
Take physical notes.
Not only does taking physical notes help you remember things more, but it’s a great way to help break up your screen time during online lectures. It also gives you the opportunity to step away from your desk when you study, if you want to take your notes to a change in scenery.
The Pomodoro Method
For those who like to keep heavily productive schedules the Pomodoro method is a great way to manage your rest. The idea is — you set a timer for how long you want to spend working on a task, somewhere between 25–40 minutes, and turn off all distractions to work. When the timer goes off, you take a 5 minute break, try to step away from your computer, stretch, pet a dog, maybe even meditate. Repeat this 4 times, then take a 15–30 minute break and repeat the entire process.
Especially with asynchronous classes, life can be difficult to navigate without a clearly defined schedule. This study technique can be very helpful for anyone who enjoys having a very planned out schedule in their day-to-day lives.
Build a morning routine
With our physical spaces being limited, having routines brings back an aspect of control to help you fight off that cabin fever. Having a solid morning routine get you up early and sets up a productive mindset for the rest of the day.
Drink water
If you don’t already have this as part of your morning routine, I highly recommend keeping a full glass of water next to your bed to drink when you wake up. Rehydrating in the morning is important to get your body moving and gets rid of the grogginess almost instantly.
Set app limits
If you have trouble with staying on your phone too long in the morning like I do, try setting time limits on your apps so you feel motivated to save your media time for night. I typically set my Instagram and Twitter to 1 hour time limits every day.
Write things down
Online classes can be extremely overwhelming, especially with asynchronous classes, I have a very difficult time convincing myself to start working when I have so many other tasks I need to accomplish. Writing things down is a great way to help declutter your tasks and take things one at a time. Either in the morning or at night before you go to bed, make a to do list on your phone, a post it note, a word document, anywhere!
Ask for help
If being trapped in your house still has you unmotivated, don’t be afraid to ask for help! Schedule low priority meetings in the morning to encourage you to get up. Ask a friend to call you in the morning; if your friend is also trying to get up early, it will give you both a reason to get up in the morning!
Actual Study Tips
Of course, we can’t forget about studying! With online classes, studying can be extra tedious. Spending additional time in front of a screen is not something we want to be doing. But with healthy study habits, we can maximize our time spent online and feel more confident taking time to step away.
Don’t write everything down.
One of the best parts of online learning is being able to take screenshots. Instead of trying to write down everything on the screen, taking a quick screenshot can help alleviate the stress of getting all the information and helps you focus on what is actually being said. Focus your attention during a lecture on engaging with the material, not creating the perfect study guide.
Furthermore, taking notes on what is being verbally shared is more important than what is physically on the slide. When going back to study, it’s a lot easier to search through slides than it is to re-watch a lecture to listen for a phrase.
Watch asynchronous lectures without rewinding
When I had asynchronous classes, I often find myself pausing and rewinding to try and comprehend every single phrase uttered by my professors. Do NOT do this. Pausing and rewinding to nitpick details won’t help you grasp the concepts, and it often took hours for me to get through a single lecture. Simply watching asynchronous lectures aren’t the best way to retain information.
Learning is a process, re-watching a professor repeat the same phrase isn’t as productive as trying to apply concepts on your own. After you watch lectures all the way through, summarize the material in your own words, try to apply the concepts to practice problems, or write down some questions to discuss with your professor or TA in office hours. Engage with the material, don’t just listen to it on repeat.
Don’t take notes while reading
Taking notes slows down the process of reading making assigned readings feel much more overwhelming. Try to focus on understanding the concepts when you read and only jot down questions. This will help keep you engaged in the reading, and it gives you a chance to interact with your instructors. If you do the readings and go to their office hours with a list of questions, your instructors are sure to be impressed.
Most importantly, prioritize yourself.
Regardless of how you choose to study, it’s important to do what works for you. Everyone is different, so what works for some people may not work for everyone. And full disclaimer, I’m no expert in online schooling, these are just a few tips and tricks I’ve picked up from experience.
Although this article was about tips for online schooling, you might notice that the majority of these tips aren’t actually about studying. The most important key to success is one that is often neglected in an intensive schooling environment — taking care of yourself. Education is meant to help you grow and uplift yourself; your academic performance is not something that defines who you are. The letters on your transcript do not determine who you are, you do.
There are external factors that make online schooling even more difficult, outside of our control on a individual level. If you or anyone you know needs help, the link below are COVID-19 resources for UCSD and San Diego for mental health, food insecurity, housing insecurity, laptop loaners, etc.
