From Dropout to Dean’s List: 6 Steps for Students in Online Classes
Online classes have proven to be a challenge for college students across America. Learning from home is hard, but the fact that you clicked on this article means that you are ready to take the next step in your online learning. Maybe your grades are slipping, maybe your mental health is impeding your learning, or maybe you are doing well but know you could be doing better.
I’m a college student like you, and I have had my fair share of problems with online learning. However, I realize that online learning will continue as long as this pandemic does and that we should develop online-learning-specific skills. I spent months looking for methods and solutions specific to improving the online learning process. I asked students, professors, and even deans for their best advice. I implemented their ideas, and my own research to develop tried and true methods for improving grades, mental health, and the general online learning experience. Trust me, from one college student to another, online school can be manageable, all it takes is effort. You’ve already taken the first step.
Organization
Organization is key. Online classes are usually supplemented with assignments and discussion boards in an attempt to simulate the in-person classroom. In a typical, five-course, fifteen-credit-hour schedule, there will be a lot to keep track of. Try to stay on top of your course load. Organizing is a chore, but once you start, you will never look back.
Step 1: Try Google Keep
Google Keep is a free note-keeping website that works perfectly for online learning. It’s simple, it’s easy to use and it keeps your information neat and in the same place.
I recommend making a new note for each class, plus an extra note for school-related tasks, meetings, or emails that don’t pertain to a specific course.
The “checkboxes” feature is especially helpful. I recommend turning it on and making a checkbox for each assignment and task. That way, you know how much work is left, and you get that sense of satisfaction and dopamine rush every time you complete an academic task and tick off the checkbox.
This website is a great way to keep yourself accountable. You don’t want to be relying on Canvas or Blackboard to keep organized. Take your schedule into your own hands, and begin to take accountability for your schoolwork. You will miss fewer assignments, and you will find it easier to stay on course. All it takes is a little planning.
P.S Check out this video if you want some help setting up Keep
Step 2: Create your calendar
Keeping track of multiple courses is stressful. Relieve some of that stress by setting up a calendar. Your calendar can be physical or on an app. I recommend Google Calendar, but any online calendar allows you to schedule all of your classes. At the beginning of the semester, put your class meeting times into your calendar, and you won’t have to worry about missing classes. Recently, I switched from Google Calendar to a physical planner, but anything that allows you to keep track of important dates and times will do. With some foresight and preparation, you can streamline your meetings and avoid stress.
Step 3: Clean your workspace
This is the step that I have struggled with the most. I am a typically disorganized person, but I found myself almost twice as productive when I cleaned my workspace. I transformed my room (where I take my online classes) from a place to relax in, to one that invites hard work and productivity. It’s easy to take your classes in bed, but you will find that working from a clean desk is much better for your grades. Having a clean workspace is one task, and I urge you to extend that to cleaning your living area. I’ve never felt better than when I walk into a clean room, with a clean desk, and know that I am prepared to get work done.
Take care of your mental health
Mental health is ever-so-important. Students are spending more time by themselves, more time in front of a screen, and less time outside. This is a lethal combination that could worsen your mental health. Now, I used to be negligent, and I know that many students ignore mental health in the pursuit of high grades. It’s important to realize that better mental health leads to better grades. It’s that simple. If you are happier, you are more prepared and ready to do homework, and you will approach learning with more optimism. This is a general guideline, and you will notice that these final steps all fall under this consideration.
Step 4: Move
I know everyone has heard this advice before, but trust me. If anything, exercise is inextricably linked to mental health. I used to lift weights to get muscular, but these days, I honestly work out to keep my mind clear and to focus on school. Just by exercising for thirty minutes a day, I feel present and focused at school. This is just a loose example because many people exercise in many different ways. Kick a soccer ball, go for a walk or pick up a weight, either way, you are releasing extra energy and preparing yourself to focus on school.
Step 5: Socialize
Finding community during online school is difficult. Humans are social creatures, and we need to see other people especially during tough times. Online classes can take away the walk to campus and the five minutes before and after class where students socialize. There are fewer campus events, and those that remain are largely online. I recommend planning out dedicated socialization time during your week. This could mean playing chess with a friend on zoom, heading outside with people in your area, or even just calling a buddy. I also recommend joining a club, even if it is online. Joining an online school club will introduce you to new people, with the hope that you all will meet in person one day. It might also give you a sense of involvement and draw you closer to your school community. Rediscover what it means to be involved and social.
Step 6: Find your purpose
This is by far the hardest and most important step. Focus on why you are at college. If you are struggling to find intrinsic motivation, this step is for you. Are you at college because you care about your career, do you want to get good grades, do you want to learn? Find a purpose, and internalize it. It’s easy to get dispirited when there are no on-campus events and life seems to be the same day, seven days a week. Try to recall how excited you were when you got accepted into your college, and focus on that feeling. Do whatever it takes to find a reason to be here and once you find that reason, apply yourself to your schoolwork with that reason in mind. You WILL see results.
So… you have reached the end of this post, but possibly the beginning of a new chapter in your academic story. If you haven’t moved today, go move. What are you waiting for? Open up your calendar, start a Google Keep, do whatever it takes. Online learning is undoubtedly difficult, but it can be managed. I have given you some tools to put in your toolbox, but it’s up to you to take them out and use them.
