I started the last semester of senior year with high hopes of breezing through the semester and graduating. Unfortunately, my Senioritis didn't hit until social distancing changed my classes to online. Here I've listed five tips as to how I've been surviving my last semester without crashing and burning.
1. Attend Your Classes!
Unfortunately, attendance is still a thing for live classes. One of the most crucial steps to surviving the rest of this semester is ATTENDING them! Teachers will be much more willing to help you with any questions or concerns if they see that you've been attending the online classes. Pro tip: keep your camera off if your teacher allows it-- that way you don't have to worry about your appearance!
2. Use A Calendar!
Switching from making lists of work to using a calendar has been one of the best steps I've taken regarding school! It's a lot easier to see your whole month outlined than it is to keep up with a weekly schedule. In order to make the most of my calendar, I write down all deadlines and scheduled meetings, then add work and tests. Color coding has also helped me with separating the important stuff from the rest.
3. Give Yourself Time!
It's hard to hear it, but the best thing you can do for yourself if you have morning classes is to wake up on time! Wake up at the same time you would if you were on campus. Even though you don't have to worry about makeup and getting ready, you'll be thankful for the extra time. This routine allows you to have enough time to eat breakfast, put on a presentable t-shirt, and let your brain wake up and adjust to learning.
4. Study Space Is Key!
A comfortable, functional space does wonders for a stressed-out student. When your space is tidy, your brain will not hyper-focus on the mess and distract you from school. For example, if your desk is strewn with papers, food, cups, and dust, you won't get much done. However, if your desk is clean and tidy, you'll have less clutter to distract you. We're probably all guilty of deep cleaning our rooms to procrastinate work; but if everything is put away in a neat fashion, you'll be good to go to focus all day!
5. Reward Yourself!
This is, arguably, the most inmportant point. If you don't reward yourself after a long day of concentrating and working, you will dread the next school day. An easy way to cut this corner is to reward yourself. This can mean anything from TV time to Internet browsing to having a piece of that candy you love! After every major task, take some time to "treat yoself" and do something that relaxes you. A candy bar after a three-hour workshop is never a bad idea.
