Tips for Navigating Another Online Semester

For most college and graduate students, the start of a new semester also means the start of a new online semester. It has been just shy of a year since COVID-19 took over the world and moved most classroom learning environments to virtual. In this blog post, the Cap & Co. team has cultivated a list of tips aimed at helping you persist during a challenging time.

Tips for Navigating Another Online Semester:

1. Just because classes are online does not mean that interaction with your peers and professors needs to stop. Take advantage of faculty office hours and getting to know your classmates, even though it’s virtual. It might feel weird at first and not the best way to connect with others, but do not let this stop you from taking advantage of your college/graduate school experience. 

2. Set a study / reading / writing schedule. Try to balance out your screen time. You might not want to write a paper using your computer or laptop right after a 90-minute online class. Set a plan to read a hardcopy book, article or publication and try no-screen study breaks when you can.  

3. Similar to the last point, try your best to maintain a routine. The best way to feel a sense of normalcy in this very unusual time is to find pockets of schedule and routine -- whether that’s a daily afternoon walk, a morning at-home workout, waking up at the same time everyday, or calling a friend or family member right after your 10 AM class, creating a consistent cadence will also help you navigate your new normal.   

4. Find a productive workspace that is not your bed. It can be tempting to rollover and open your laptop to log into your 9 AM Monday morning class, but try and treat online classes as much like real classes as possible — this may mean getting ready, even if you’re not leaving your room and moving to a desk area or common space.

5. The most important thing is to stay connected. Of course, being safe and socially distant should be a priority, but safely find ways to spend quality time with others. Here are a few socially distant ideas for you and a friend (with masks on!) to connect whenever you need a break from online classes:

   1. An outdoor walk around campus or at a local park

   2. A picnic on separate picnic blankets with your favorite takeout 

   3. An outdoor coffee date 

   4. Going to a drive-in movie in separate cars but parked next to each other 

   5. For more ideas, click here.

Even after implementing all these tips, you might still experience “Zoom fatigue”, which is totally normal. Check out these ideas on how to combat below!