The first thing to decide while preparing yourself before studying is that you need to understand that you may not have a study habit like mine and that is okay!
We all have a different set of routines and that is again, okay! Studying online is the new normal!
However, some tips are common and may 0r may not work with you, but I'm definitely here to help you out in case they do.
1. Understand your virtual classroom.
Just like you would go about in your offline classes, it is important to understand what your online classes are and how they function. Make sure that you know what you are going through and make sure that you read through your time-table beforehand so that you don't miss any class unknowingly!
While in our offline classes, we would navigate through the corridors of our University to reach our classroom, in online classes, you may have to navigate through the corridors of your computer system to log in and reach your class.
Be sure to log in on time, check your connections, and see through your time table to avoid any overlapping of classes or any schedule-related issues. Also, be sure to understand that you may have to log out of one class to join another class, so do it carefully in order to avoid any network error or as stated above, overlapping of schedule.
2. Make sure you have everything ready
Yes! Do understand that as much as you can be inside your home and share a virtual screen instead of a live lecture, remember to treat this as your regular classroom if nothing more.
In your regular classroom, you would be ready with your notebooks, your stationery items, your water bottle, your books and other course materials. You would also go for breaks in between the gaps of two lectures.
Remember to follow a similar routine in your online class.
Keep your notebooks, your study materials, your Bare Acts, your stationery, water bottles and everything else that you require, beside yourself. Keep them close to you as you would, in case of the offline classes.
Never, for a moment assume that these are less important than your offline classes. Although they may not be as regular or as routinely as your offline classes, they are the result of the current circumstances and hence you should take that into account.
They would still matter and they would still be considered in your final grading system. So be sure to be attentive.
3. Be present at least a few minutes before time
Punctuality is the ultimate key. I wouldn't state you need to be to online before half an hour or so. I would just state that you need to be punctual. Be on time. Be a couple or more minutes early so that when your teachers begin with the lectures, you do not miss out on any part of the lecture. Being on time also helps you and your teachers run the classes smoothly.
You'd be waiting in the lobby and sometimes the teachers would not let you in, just like they didn't when you were late to the class. So instead of calling your peers, asking them to remind your professors to let you in, it's always better to be there on time, in the first place. That way, you won't disrupt the flow of lectures of the professors either.
4. Make a time table
Create and plan a schedule. It is important. Not just a study schedule, but also a schedule to involve yourself in other activities. You can adopt a few different activities and involve yourself in those.
For example: You can start journaling, painting, recreational activities and plan them accordingly with your classes.
Draft a time-table. Do a trial test for about a week. If you can stick to the time-table for a week, I am sure that you can continue with that. If the time-table gets too overwhelming, make sure to change it accordingly. Your health comes first- whether physical health or mental health.
Don't ever force yourself to do something if you do not wish to do. Don't let others' achievements be something that you need to follow. Don't ever add things to your schedule which you KNOW that you will not be able to incorporate in your life.
Don't ever follow someone else's footsteps to secure your own. Make your own schedule. It's okay if the only thing in your schedule is to attend classes and study for one hour a day. It's okay if your schedule includes more of exercising and less of studying. Be regular and stick to that schedule.
5. Be attentive and responsive
Probably the whole concept of online learning is to turn off your camera and carry on with other things right? WRONG!
As stated above, never let your online classes be inferior than your offline classes. We must understand, that this is the best we could come up with, at this time of the pandemic. Transitioning from an offline class to an online class is not easy- not just for you, but for your professors too. Which is why, taking things seriously on both ends, is necessary for the classes to function smoothly.
Respond to your professors, ask them details, ask questions as you would in the same way, in the offline class. Do not hesitate for a second. Be active in your classroom.
The drawback here would be that you will not be able to go and ask for doubts or queries post classes, except the moment where your teachers specifically ask you to talk to them about your queries.
This is because, just like you, the professors also have to decide a fixed time to take up your queries online. Things may get a bit difficult and hence, the planning of your study routine is essential so that you can ask your queries in the next class itself.
Being attentive here plays an important role because you may receive the recorded lectures, but your queries can be cleared on the spot too if you're attentive enough.
6. Discover your learning
What do you mean by discovering your learning?
Well, let's be honest, we all have a different method of learning. With the transition of offline to online classes, the methods in learning might also differ.
I used to love learning outside my room. Probably would go that area, in my hostel (dorm) called "common room", sometimes to the library, sometimes to the cafeteria, sometimes just on the rooftop of the building and sometimes on the "jogging track/ grass area" in my hostel campus (dorm campus) and well, many other places that I love studying at.
But naturally, that is not possible at home. While home does give me all the comforts of life, my routine has to completely shift from the one I had at my University.
Naturally, I had to "discover my learning".
For example: While working on a bunch of internships, projects and stuff that required me to learn/work, I had found that the best place for me to study/work was my bed.
Yes, my bed.
As stated in my previous blog, my favourite place is the bed, because it's comfortable and I don't get distracted by uneasiness and I have a portable study table. This is my new learning spot and I have tried and tested this method.
You can "discover your learning" too, by testing your method of learning before the classes actually start in a full-fledged manner and then incorporating the methods in your life!
Hope you find these tips useful, so do let me know if you did!
HAPPY READING!
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