Going Back to the Same School but in a Very Different Way.
Why I’m coming back. (And a few tips to make the most of Fall 2020).
Author bio: Nathaniel Haile is BA student pursuing a double major in Political Science and Economics and is currently on an AWE placement working for the Faculty of Arts as the Student Recruitment, Engagement & Communications Intern.
COVID-19 & What it Means for Fall 2020 at the U of A
After talking to friends, family and reading the President Turpin’s announcement last week, it’s clear that when classes start in September it’ll be different from any September I’ve ever experienced. COVID-19 has pulled the rug of normality out from under our feet. Here we are waiting — day by day, week by week — for any news pertaining to our futures.
Here’s what we do know: Fall 2020 classes will be online and we can expect most of these classes to be delivered asynchronously (anytime delivery).
This means there’s a lot of freedom, and responsibility, on its way. Here are some things to keep in mind for fall term.
Know Yourself
Assess and gauge the reality of your circumstances before heading back to school. Ask yourself questions like: What barriers am I up against heading back to school in the fall? What opportunities are there? Is there a healthy way for me to be working from home? Can I afford to return to school? What consequences would there be for taking a semester or year off? Whether I choose to take classes or not, what systems are in place to support me?
Self-reflection and answering these kinds of questions will ensure that you not only survive but thrive.
Why Return?
I know some students are contemplating taking a year off (we came to the U of A for the in-person classes and on-campus opportunities after all), but here are 3 good reasons to return.
- Delaying your degree means delaying graduation. University is a long-term investment and delaying your degree without a solid plan in place (like a work-term, practicum or an experiential learning opportunity) would ultimately delay your future. Power through your degree.
- Student discounts and access to services. Food, professional organization memberships, subscription fees, retail shopping and more. As an enrolled student, you are eligible for savings on your favorite items. The U of A has a lot of services available — make sure you can still access them by taking even just one class!
- Don’t miss out! Regardless of the current level of excitement (or concern) about going back this fall, students will return. Don’t be the one to miss out. Being a student plays a significant role in our identity, and taking a term or year off could leave you with a certain level of emptiness or longing for familiarity. U of A students are creative and resourceful, so even though Week Of Welcome won’t be the same, we are going to find ways to come together!
How Many Courses Should I Take?
There is no right or wrong answer.
- 5 Courses — Full-time obligation. Requires a strong work ethic to keep up with continuous work and conflicting deadlines.
- 4 Courses — Still a full-time obligation but with less intensity. Less conflicting deadlines and still requires a strong work ethic however, there is some room for other commitments.
- 3 Courses — Minimum requirement to keep full-time status. Less conflicting deadlines and there is room for other commitments.
- 2 Courses — Part-time student status. Usually taken if there is another full time or another time-consuming commitment.
- 1 Course — Minimum requirement to keep active student status. It is a great addition to any other full-time obligations you may have.
- Note 1: Going from full-time to part-time may affect your scholarships, awards, bursaries and student loans. Note 2: Some programs require a minimum course-load. Consult the calendar and/or your program advisor to be sure.
Remote delivery might be the opportunity you didn’t know you wanted.
Yara Shahidi is an actor, producer, community activist, and a college student. She made an appearance on The Daily Show on May 14th, 2020, and had an inspiring message for students.
Shahidi said that school being online allows you to understand how your education plays into your life as a whole. She elaborated by asking herself “What are my other interests and how do they align with my life?”. With remote delivery, you can personalize your education in such a way that you can pursue your interests and your education at the same time. By customizing your education, you can build it around other potential commitments you may have rather than building your other commitments around your education.
Taking courses online even has its perks.
Classes will be online, and they will surely be mostly delivered asynchronously. This means there is no set class time, and you get to choose when to “go” to class.
Build a course list any way you want to! No more having to chose between two courses running at the same time, or scrambling to get from CCIS to the fourth floor of Humanities in 10 minutes.
Some courses may be better delivered online. A number of courses require plenty of independent work. This works great for remote deliver. Why?With individual work, there is little to no need to physically be in a classroom, and with remote delivery, you can choose to do that work at any time you want.
Another perk is an opportunity to conquer social anxiety. Have you ever been too nervous to talk to the person next to you on the first day of class? Have you always wanted to form a study group, but reaching out gave you too much anxiety? With remote delivery, go on eClass, look up the participants in your course, and retrieve emails. Worst-case scenario you don’t get a reply or the other person respectfully declines. There’s minimal risk, and when you do initiate contact it’s from the safety net of simply sending an email. If you end up having a zoom meeting with your study group and start feeling too anxious, simply hang up. Building a virtual study group provides you with a support system, helps you make new friends and goes a long way in easing anxiety in social settings.
Remote delivery will give you the gift of time. Saving time on commuting, campus commitments and the general busyness of life pre-COVID-19 will likely create room in your schedule.
Use that time to work on the things you always told yourself you would. Want to be more grounded and intentional? Start a meditation practice. Do you dream about starting your own business? Do the research for that business plan you’ve got in your head. Is there a specific skill you want to learn? Marketing, better writing skills, how to sell yourself as a brand on social media. There’s so many free resources available right now (or at a discount if you’re a student!) — attain those skills!
In an unpredictable economy, do you want to learn how to separate yourself from fellow graduates? Learn the basics of coding, excel, the stock market, etc. Find out what skills are essential to your desired field and take some time to learn those skills. Please note that I am not saying to go put your life savings into a business or the stock market. What I am saying is if those things interest you, take an hour or a half-hour or even ten minutes a day or week to get a better understanding. As Tony Robbins says,
“Knowledge is not power. Knowledge is potential power. Action is power.”
We are university students and the whole premise of us attending school is to gain knowledge and potential so that come life post-graduation, we can act on our knowledge to gain power. GET YOUR STOCK UP.
Okay. I’m in for returning to school. But now what?
Consistency + Effort + Delayed Gratification = Success
For the best odds of finding success this fall have a healthy routine. This can look like waking up to prayer or meditation, going for runs, and having a consistent schedule for completing schoolwork. Regardless of what your routine looks like, you must be consistent, you have to put in consistent effort, you have to sacrifice some anti-productive things in your routine, which delays your gratification, but will help you find success.
Establish a schedule, follow your healthy routine, be productive, disciplined, and excellent — this will create a path to success. What this looks like in each of our lives may look drastically different but the underlying principles are universal. By no means does this equate to you grinding every waking hour of your day. This is a reminder that success requires work.
Also, recognize that success requires rest. If you do not schedule consistent resting periods, your body and mind will naturally determine that for you. Schedule breaks and rest periods so that you are in control of your productivity.
Being successful all by yourself is difficult.
Make it easier on yourself by establishing a support group to keep yourself and others accountable and motivated. Whether it’s a friend group or a study group from one of your classes, have some kind of support system in place to help you navigate these unpredictable times. The support systems you have in place ensures your productivity, mental health and support. It also does the same for others in the group. Don’t be the only one being pushed, push others too.
Another system of accountability is having a calendar with things you want to accomplish for the day and checking off each productive day. This will ensure that you stick to your goals because missing a checkmark does not feel all that great. A link to one of these boards can be found here.
Limit Your Distractions.
With all this talk about productivity, distractions need to be acknowledged. Our smartphones, computers, social media, YouTube, Netflix, etc, make it easy to fall into a time loop of “one more”. Before you know it, a half-hour, an hour, maybe even two have gone by. This can put you behind and discourage you. Remember, a bad day or week won’t throw off your long term goals. Figure out a game plan to get back on track and even more importantly, put a system in place to not slip again. (Emma Hole wrote a fantastic article on how to develop a healthier relationship with your smart device which can be found here.)
Incorporate distractions into your schedule as a reward for following your routine. For example, when I have a productive morning hitting all my targets, I watch an episode of one of my favorite shows on Netflix with my lunch.
Create a Healthy Workspace
This may not be possible for everyone but try your best to identify a space where you can work with little to no interruptions. Make this space your own.
Put up motivational quotes, add color, plants, or anything that makes that space something you can call yours. It is important that you only work in this space. For example, if you make your workspace your bed, you would eventually feel tired because your brain associates your bed with sleep. Make it a space only for work. If you are having trouble creating this space, there is a guide on how to make your space a productive one. The link can be found here.
Be Productive
Regardless of the combination you choose between courses, pursuing your goals, or following up with any other commitments you have, be productive. Take any additional time you have, and use it to get ahead. Set your goals and do your best to follow them. We are all going through this crazy time and when you look back, ask yourself, what did I accomplish? Turn the negative aspects of COVID-19 into positives by being able to say, I was productive during my time at home. Remember, if you fall behind or short of your goals, don’t be discouraged. Learn from your mistakes and use them as fuel for future goals.
Rest and Mental Health
In the end, please remember that you aren’t just going to school from home but you are at home during a pandemic trying to attend school. Your physical, mental, and emotional health are more important than anything else. Be kind to yourself and don’t judge yourself based on how you see others coping. Your success should not be compared to when things were normal but your success is based on your current circumstances and how far you came. Here is some advice for everyone during this pandemic.
- Everything can’t be all hustle all the time. It is okay to rest. (And remember if you don’t set time aside to rest, your body/mind will choose for you!)
- Regularly check in with your support systems not only to let them know how you are doing but to provide support and check on how they are doing. Getting through this together is better than going through it alone.
- Reality checks are important. How am I coping? Should I drop a class? Am I getting enough sleep? Is my routine sustainable? Can I handle this? Check yourself. Only you know your limits and what you are capable of so be honest with yourself.
Resources
Below are some great resources to check out both on and off-campus.
On-Campus:
- Academic Success Centre
- Accessibility Resources
- Career Centre
- Centre for Writers
- Peer Support
- Sexual Assault Centre
- Other Student Services
- Undergraduate Student Service Office (USS)
- This blog — UAlberta Arts Insider
Off-Campus:
