With the alarming spread of Covid-19 around the world, one of the first measures taken to contain the spread of the virus was to shut down educational institutions. As a result, many students had to return to their homes and continue their classes online.
This abrupt change of the setting wasn’t unproblematic for students. They were used to seeing their home as a place where they rest after an exhausting day and spend time with their families. However, this pandemic forced them to get out of this mindset and use their home both as a “school” and in some cases a “workplace.” Many people have had difficulties adjusting to this new environment and using it as a study place. If you’re one of them, here are a few tips for studying from home during these trying times.
1. Create a Study Schedule
One of the many benefits of brick-and-mortar education is that it creates a routine for the students. They know when they are expected to go to classes and when they can dedicate themselves to studying. With the pandemic, this order and structure were disrupted. Now students have to take online classes, as well as study and do all other tasks related to their school responsibilities from home. While for some students studying from home might not seem like a big deal, those that are getting a hospitality degree find it problematic as they can’t get the hands-on experience they need from home.
The best way to stay on top of your studies is to create a schedule. It will help you create the routine that normally the school brought. In the schedule, you can include the time you’re dedicating to the studies and the breaks you’re going to take during the day. The schedule might help you divide your to-read-textbooks in small chunks so that you don’t get overwhelmed and make it more straightforward for you this whole learning experience.
2. Get Comfortable
Being at home at all times might tempt you to stay on your pajamas all day and study on the bed. Even though it sounds pretty comfortable, it would be better for you to get comfortable in a desk or table. A dedicated study space can help you get on a study-mode, unlike bed, which most people associate with rest and sleep. This space can be a desk in your room or even the kitchen counter if that works for you. One other important element is the lighting of the room. You have to make sure your studying space has good lighting as it can affect your attention.
3. Inform Your Family Members That You’re Going To Study
Being surrounded most of the time by your family members might tempt you to start conversations with them when you should be focusing on your studies. For this reason, you should talk to them before you start your studying session and explain to them that you need time to finish your school tasks, and during this time, they shouldn’t distract you unless it’s an emergency.
4. Take Breaks Regularly
Sometimes you might get carried away with your studies, that you can forget to take some time for yourself. You’re going to be way more productive if you take time out of your studying schedule to relax. Taking regular breaks from your books and screen isn’t only helpful to your productivity but also your health. When we talk about breaks, spending your break on the phone doesn’t count. You should do something that doesn’t involve screens so that your eyes can relax. Since you can’t get out of the home to get some fresh air, you can always do some yoga stretches or some simple exercises for your neck, shoulders, and back.
However, those breaks need to be sensible as you can quickly forget what you were working on and extend your short break into hours’ long break.
5. Turn Off Distractions
Besides your family members that can enter your room during your studying sessions, sometimes phones and other devices can be a distraction too. You can be reading, all too focused, and your phone can go off, disrupting in this way your train of thought. That’s why you should turn the devices off before you start your studying session. Even if you don’t want to turn them off for some reason, you can always mute them and put them out of your reach.
6. Reward Yourself
Studying during these times might feel difficult and pointless knowing what the world is facing. That’s why you should reward yourself for every effort you make to read or finish assignments. How you decide to reward yourself is entirely up to you. You can give yourself an extra hour to binge-watch your favorite TV series, take a nap, or eat something you don’t let yourself consume daily. Rewarding yourself can reinforce good habits while simultaneously treating yourself.
7. Don’t Hesitate To Ask for Help
We’re living in unprecedented times and is entirely reasonable for you to feel overwhelmed. The uncertainty of this situation, the stress, and anxiety have impacted even the best of us. That’s why you shouldn’t feel bad or inferior if you believe like you’re behind on your studies. You can always ask your colleagues and instructors for help. Everybody including the teachers is trying to be as understanding and empathetic as possible.
There you go, the seven tips on how to study from home during the pandemic. We know that you’re already doing your best to stay productive during this difficult time. However, we believe that with these tips and just a little motivation, you’re going to pull it off. We believe in you.
Diana Bajraktari is a writing enthusiast and loves to write about topics that tackle educational issues. As a former student herself, she spends most of her time writing about student experiences and personal development. She hopes that through her writing, she’ll be able to help students to get the most out of their studies. Currently, she’s writing for the University of the Potomac blog.