By: Luke Worsham

Whether you’re entirely online this semester or participating in “HyFlex” classes, learning virtually is a part of every Belmont student’s life in 2020.

It can be difficult, at times, to stay on track with virtual learning, but I’ve found that there are some good pathways to success that anyone can use.

Here are seven tips to survive and thrive in Zoom classes.

1. Give Yourself Some Grace!

Even the most successful college students fail occasionally. It’s just how things go, especially in a new environment like this.

When you inevitably come up short of some goal this semester, whether that’s getting a poor grade or failing to meet a self-imposed deadline on a longterm project, cut yourself some slack.

This is a message that freshmen especially need to hear. Just because you aren’t succeeding right off the bat in college the way you had hoped does not mean you aren’t as smart as you thought you were or that you went to a bad high school.

All it means is that you’re figuring things out, which is exactly what you need to be doing. Keep working hard and learning what processes work best for you.

It’s also important to understand that almost every class is set up to cater to slow starts and provide opportunities for grade redemptions.

Multiple times, I got a dreadful grade on the first test or exam in a class only to finish with a comfortable A.

Don’t beat yourself up. You’re going to figure it out.

2. Plan Out Your Daily Schedule

Either before I go to bed or first thing in the morning, I will plan out my entire schedule for the upcoming day, hour by hour.

I do this knowing that there is close to zero chance I will end up following the schedule to the letter, but it’s a very helpful process, still, for mapping out tasks and avoiding anything sneaking up on you.

Most of the time, the way my day goes will pretty closely align with what I’ve mapped out in advance.

3. Keep a Good Sleep Schedule

Many experts recommend a rigid sleep schedule—waking up at the same time every day to give your body clock a sense of routine.

As we all know, though, that’s nearly impossible.

Instead, simply make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Having the energy to make it through the day without feeling too drowsy can make a big difference in how you perform in classes, especially when you’re staring at a screen all day.

How much sleep is needed differs from person to person, so play around and figure out what works best for you.

4. Take Notes

Just because you aren’t in a classroom doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take notes.

Even though some professors do record their virtual classes and post them online, you should still make every effort to engage with the material the first time it’s taught. Listening actively by taking notes will aid in memory when exams roll around, and it will keep you from having to go watch the lecture a second time.

5. Raise Your Hand!

I quickly realized once our world went digital back in March that my favorite feature on the Zoom app is the “raise your hand” function.

To do this, simply click the “participants” tab, then the blue hand animation.

I’ve found that using this feature is a great way to engage with the rest of the class and professors.

It’s tough not being able to make eye contacts and shake hands, but speaking up in class and making positive contributions to the Zoom calls is a great way to make digital connections with professors you may have never had before.

6. Take Advantage of the Extra Time

There are some advantages to living in a coronavirus world, and one of them is having extra time.

Think of all the time you’re saving by learning virtually—you don’t have to walk or drive to class, many online classes have an asynchronous component and getting a bite to eat takes just a 10-second walk to the kitchen as opposed to waiting in line at a restaurant or cafeteria on campus.

Would I trade all of those benefits for normal, full-time, maskless, coronavirus-free learning? Of course.

But that’s not possible right now, and it’s important to realize that there is some good coming from all of this.

Use the extra time to your advantage. Whether you want to get more work done, start a hobby or just simply take more time to rest and relax is up to you.

7. Don’t Change Your Study Habits

It can be tempting to become a little bit lazy in the world of virtual learning, but we have to fight that urge.

I think the best way to do that is to keep up the same study habits you would use if we were on campus full-time. Obviously, the way we communicate with our professors and fellow students is different, but your learning routine shouldn’t be.

Especially if you’ve already found a system of studying that works for you, don’t make any changes just because learning has gone virtual.

If you used Quizlet on campus, keep using Quizlet. If you used a study group on campus, keep using a study group—safely, of course.

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel, and keeping your already established routines will make life easier.

Cover image: Angela Lang/CNET