How to get the most out of online school!

Right now, there are roughly 10 million school, college, and university students who are working online through Teams or Zoom. Though it can be draining and it’s certainly not being like in an actual classroom, hopefully the end is in sight. Until then, I’ve compiled some ways to help you stay engaged and productive.

My first suggestion would be to have a quick re-read over your notes before you go into the class. By taking five minutes just to refresh your memory, you can get ahead of the curve by being prepared for any questions or tasks you’ll have on it. Because you will understand what’s going on, you’ll be also able to contribute more, and in turn get more praise – there are so many benefits! Being pro-active in the class is a great way to boost your confidence (and general happiness!).

The next thing I’d recommend is to structure your day to minimise screen time. If you are in sixth form or college, you might only have between 1-5 classes day. Try your best to get away from a screen during this time by relaxing, going for a walk, or even doing some household chores that you didn’t get time to do earlier in the week. It might sound rough (who wants to do another form of work in a break!) but I find that I am happiest at the end of the day if I have been productive in lots of different ways. For example, by taking a 10-minute break to clear your floor of clothes and hoover or clean the toilet, you have accomplished another task whilst giving your mind a break. In this way, even if you didn’t achieve much academically this day, at least you ticked some other important things off the list.

Another benefit of interchanging housework and schoolwork throughout the day is that you can actually relax on your days off. This creates more time for you to have a more fulfilling weekend where you can take some time to look after yourself productively. The worst thing ever is to finish work and then find on the Saturday that you have to clean up when you’re supposed to be enjoying yourself. Instead of spending more time on screens at the weekend, why not mix up some time online with some time in a bath, or reading a book you’ve been meaning to read (I’m currently reading Michelle Obama’s ‘Becoming’ – one of the best-written and inspiring books I’ve ever read!), or seeing a friend. Often, by working to ‘give yourself a better future’ can completely drown the present you – so take advantage of the time you actually have to nurture it.

Another important thing to try and do in online school is to have your camera on. You may read this with absolute disgust and think, ‘there’s no way a class of 30 is seeing my face right now!’ – but hear me out. I have seminars (classes made up of roughly 20 people) which can sometimes be the most awkward experiences ever because of the deathly silence and the feeling of no one being there. This awkwardness is often heightened by the seminar tutor saying things like, ‘is anyone there?’ or ‘can you hear me?’, to which there is no response. However, I’d argue that having your camera on can actually benefit you and your studies in numerous ways. Firstly, everyone can see if you’re procrastinating, which prevents you from doing so. Secondly, you’re supporting the teacher, who probably hates talking to a bunch of letters on the screen and will appreciate your brave contribution. Thirdly, chances are, someone else will feel inspired to put theirs on if they don’t have to be the first one. If this doesn’t happen, people aren’t going to remember who it was that did have it on! It’s not like they’re going to be sitting down one day and thinking deeply about that time you had your camera on and ‘how weird it was’ – it’s so unimportant.