In one of the most interrupted years for decades, we have had to make many adaptions to how we live and work in 2020 to cope with the coronavirus pandemic. One of the newest adaptions as a result of this, is the move to online learning at universities. Although some tried to rush move everything online when lockdown hit in March this year, we are now seeing a significant move to online learning with most universities having no or very little face to face teaching until at least January. For both continuing students and freshers, this means learning in a way like no other before, so the approach taken is likely to be very different. Having experienced some online learning at the end of my first year, below I have provided some top tips that helped me get through it and that I plan on using this year.
Manage Your Time
With lectures being online, and many pre-recorded, your university may not have provided you with a strict timetable this year and the temptation to have an extra hour in bed will be significantly increased with the knowledge everything will be accessible later. It is important not to slip into this mindset however, as it often leads you to fall behind as the thought of "I can do this later" continuously lingers in your mind and 'later' never comes or doesn't come in time before the assessment periods.
If you have been given a timetable from your university, I would strongly advise following this regardless of whether it is all on online or you have some in-person teaching. Unfortunately this may mean some early mornings as there likely would have been if this was a normal year, however you will be grateful come exam time that you stayed on top of everything and didn't pile up lectures to watch later. On the contrary, if your university haven't provided a timetable or have only scheduled some parts of your course, take some time to plan your own at the start of term and stick to it as much as possible. Ensure you include anything required on your course and make note of when you have essays/group projects/coursework due, to allow extra time around them.
I would also recommend, irrespective of whether you have a university timetable or not, to create a rough timetable of when you will complete any extra reading, seminar preparation and research for any set work to ensure you fit everything in. This could be in a strict timetable format with timings or could simply be to do lists on different days in a planner or calendar, dependent on what works best for you. It is also vital, perhaps this year more than ever, that you make time for socialising and any extra-curricular activities you enjoy, for example going to the gym or meeting up with a society you're part of. With everything being online and not leaving your accommodation to go to university, it is important you don't get absorbed by uni work and you still do any activities you enjoy, eat properly and get some fresh air.
Set Up A Designated Workspace
Following from my point above, as most learning has moved online, it will become increasingly difficult to separate university from your personal time. As many employees who have worked from home during the pandemic have noted, it becomes very difficult to step away from work as you become absorbed in it when you live and work in the same space. For most students, all university work will likely be completed in their bedroom or elsewhere in their flat/house, which could lead to the issues described above.
Most importantly, I would suggest avoiding working in bed as, although it is generally the most comfortable place to be, it means getting into bed becomes associated with university work which can take away from your downtime. Furthermore working in bed can lead you to becoming tired quicker so work focus decreases and there is a tendency to fall asleep or do something relaxing instead.
If it is possible, I would suggest working at a desk or a table either in your room or elsewhere so when you sit at your designated space you are in the right frame of mind to complete your work and when you are elsewhere you are able to relax. If it is possible, going out to a library or cafe every so often may also help as it provides a change of environment and allows you to get out the house, however with the current situation this may not always be possible so having a designated space is even more important.
Get Rid Of Distractions
Similarly to above, one of the biggest issues of online learning is the significant possibility of distraction as when at home, compared to being at university, you have all your belongings and technology around you. Although you are likely to have some technology with you at university, such as a phone and laptop, it would be very difficult to be sat scrolling through TikTok or watch Netflix, for example, without anyone noticing however if you are watching a pre-recorded lecture, there is nothing to stop you from doing the above as no one would know.
This risk of distraction must be addressed before sitting down to work as even the most hard-working students will switch off at some point and want to go and do something else. Part of this requires motivation and willpower as distraction can never be eliminated, however there are other things you can do to reduce the risk:
Switch off all your notifications on any technology you need - as most learning is online, it is not as simple as turning off the internet or putting your technology away anymore so switching off notifications is a good way to stop you wanting to look at other apps
Use website blockers and apps such as forest to stop you going on your phone and distracting websites - as mentioned, it is impossible to avoid the internet all together however you can block certain websites that you feel you are likely to distract you when working on your laptop and forest works by setting a timer to grow a tree and if you go on your phone while the timer is on you kill your tree (it is a lot more effective at keeping you off your phone than it sounds!)
Have everything you might need, such as books, a drink, snacks, pens...etc, around you - getting up to go and get something provides a perfect opportunity to get distracted and have a break when you might be getting bored so ensure you have everything you need so you can stay focused
Treat It As If You Were At Physical University
Finishing with, perhaps the most important tip of all, is to treat online uni as if you are at university as normal. Combining all the points above, whether university is online or you are attending physical classes, it is important to work your hardest to attain the best degree you can. It is much easier to slip behind when learning online as more self-motivation is required to get out of bed and get dressed with the knowledge that you're not leaving your house. If you treat online university as if it were in person, the only difference you should notice is where you are studying as it should be easy to stay on top of any work you're set and maintain a social life.
It is not just staying on top of work that is important however, with online university (and the current rule of six) you are also missing out on the social aspect of lectures and tutor meetings. Consequently, it is vital you make the effort to stay in contact with your course-mates and tutors to help you understand your content and ensure you have someone to go to if you're struggling. Although you might not be seeing others physically, remember the same support networks are available as any other year and if you need them, use them as you would normally to ensure you get the most out of your degree.
Undoubtedly this academic year will be like no other and the change will not necessarily be easy to adapt to however it will come with time and it is important to remember if you are struggling you will not be alone. Reach out to your peers, tutors, family etc if you need help and I wish you the best of luck for the year ahead!
My Top Tips Summary:
Create your own timetable to make sure you give yourself enough time to complete all your uni work so it doesn't pile up but also to ensure you are having breaks and doing things outside university to maintain your health and wellbeing
Set up a designated workspace to allow you to step away from university work and have some downtime which is equally important for your wellbeing as this might become tricky as we are spending increasing amounts of time in the house
Get rid of distractions - it is so easy to get distracted when you're working at home as there is no one holding you accountable or watching over you and you have access to all your belongings so it is important to eliminate this as much as possible
Treat online university as if it is no different to normal - sit lectures when you would have done, attend all your seminars and actively participate, stay in touch with your tutors and always seek support when you need it
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