It is a truth universally acknowledged that online classes are much harder to get through than in-person classes. Having to depend upon unreliable technology and having to study in confinement might make you want to give up on school altogether. But hear us out: you got this. It might not seem that way right now because we can’t imagine what online school might look like. But, like with anything, if we are patient through the adjusting period, we will be able to understand ourselves as learners and embrace online learning. So now how can we get through the adjusting period? While each one of us learns differently, there are some general things we can do to help motivate ourselves for online classes:
Ask Yourself Why
Why are you in school? Why have you enrolled in online classes in the first place? Why is learning important to you? Why is it important that you graduate on time? Depending upon how you approach education, these questions would have different answers. But they are all relevant to your personal motivation for being in school. You might be in school for purely learning purposes, or to advance your career, or both. If you can pinpoint these reasons (maybe write them down) you will find yourself focusing on the big picture. And online classes might be the inconvenient but necessary brushstrokes in realizing that picture. It will take a bit of self-coaxing but associating online classes with realizing your long-term goals will help create a sense of responsibility that might motivate you to make the most of them.
One Day at a Time
Online classes are pretty similar to in-person classes in the sense that not every class is going to feel the same. Some days the content of the lecture will be enough to grab you and ground you to the class but other days you would zone out and think about the futility of everything. If you don’t feel like you’re gaining anything from your first online class, try to remind yourself that not every class is going to feel that way. The more time you give yourself, the more familiar you grow with the course content, your professors, and your style as an online learner. As long as the good days outweigh the bad ones, keep holding on. If the bad days seem endless, consider talking to your professors and academic counsellors. Either way, take online learning one day at a time—just because everything is not going to immediately fall into place doesn’t mean it never will.
Know Thyself
Try to question and understand yourself as a learner. Consider your strengths and limitations. What helps you as a learner? If you crave social interactions in a class, consider pitching the idea to your professors or classmates. If you want to clear things out with your professors, sign up for virtual office hours. The fact that every interaction has become digitalized might seem like a good reason to not interact at all, but if you decide it’s something you need as a learner you might be able to push yourself in the right direction. Thus, it might be worth evaluating your strengths and limitations as a student to become more self-aware regarding your learning needs and to make the most of online classes.
Be There
Be present. A good motivator would be to actually attend your lectures for when they are scheduled. Avoiding absenteeism also goes for asynchronous courses as you should try to log in to the course site on set dates to avoid the “out of sight, out of mind” situation which can easily happen with online classes. The more present you are, the more the class will feel ‘real’ and that directly translates into greater motivation to perform.
Birds of a Feather
Class discussion boards, Facebook groups and other social tools can help you to connect with other like-minded students. When we work in isolation we might think we are the only ones struggling but interacting with our classmates creates a sense of support and solidarity. Making the extra effort to connect with your classmates outside of lectures will not only help you socialize but also allow you to share common concerns and perspectives and help you grow as a learner.
Once You Make Your Bed...
...Try not to lie in it! Our mind tends to associate our beds with sleeping, hence doing school work on our bed is almost always counterproductive. Most of us are now living at home and can’t access the library. So having a study space wherever you are living becomes important. Try to create a neat study space that inspires you to study more effectively. You should also remember to take frequent breaks. Strategic breaks can help you absorb the material better and save you from feeling mentally drained (sadly, binging an entire season of your favourite show in a single sitting doesn’t technically count as a strategic break, but hey, we’ve all been there). Since we are overdoing screen time with online classes, try taking a walk, cooking, listening to music, or exercising as alternatives to watching Netflix.
Details and Schedules
One of the good parts about online classes is that you have some flexibility to create a schedule based on personal convenience. So utilize those planners and Google calendars and create a detailed game plan—mark those due dates and set time aside to think about your assignments before you start working on them. Making a schedule might also spur you to ask yourself which courses require more attention and the areas where you might need extra help. Working out these details will make the course load less overwhelming and help break everything down into feasible tasks.
Celebrate the Little Victories
University culture tends to become synonymous with romanticizing struggle while undermining success. Firstly, it’s not okay if you feel like you are struggling by yourself all the time. Consider seeking help from your family, friends, professors, and the mental health resources available. Secondly, remember to reward yourself for little achievements. Reached your weekly goals? Celebrate that. Got good feedback on an essay? Celebrate that. Sought help when you were struggling? Celebrate that. Showed up for class even though you had no motivation to do so? Celebrate that too. The more you recognize your effort, the more you motivate yourself to aim higher. So reward yourself for taking the steps to help yourself.
Now that we are managing everything from the confines of our personal space: school, work, family, etc., it is easy to give in to the sense of futility that this pandemic has brought upon us. Motivating ourselves for even doing the little things might be harder. While with online classes you have a chance for assuming greater autonomy in your learning, without the physical class structure, school might not feel like school. However, remember that there will be an adjusting period where you will have to discover yourself as an online learner and things will get better afterwards. You will often have to push yourself to commit yourself to online classes and we hope these little tips will help make being an online student a tad easier. Go easy on yourself but also remember to seek help when you need it. Like we said: you got this!
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