by Molly Barresi

As the world moves online, students across the world have had to adjust to learning from home, and for many, it’s not an easy adjustment to make. All our lives, we’ve learned in a classroom with our peers by our side and our teacher in front of us, but this year is so different. We learn alone through a screen. It’s harder to focus. It’s harder to stay motivated. It’s harder get good work done. But here are five tips for how to stay on top of online school (and how to kick its butt while doing it!)

1. Have a designated place to work: This should not be your bed. Find a place that works best for you to focus. This may be your kitchen table, a desk, a countertop, even the floor of a specific room. Make sure it is comfortable enough for you to sit while in class or doing work and it has enough room for you to keep what you need close by (notebooks, textbooks, pens, etc.). If you have a consistent place to sit, focus and learn, it will help you feel a little more productive.
2. Set a schedule: Similar to your class schedule, make a study schedule and stick to it. One thing students feel they struggle with during online school is the lack of structure. Setting a schedule to study like you would you set a class schedule will make it feel easier to sit and get work done if you have designated time to do it.
3. Set rewards: Think of something you enjoy doing. Plan to do it after you get an assignment done. But you can only do that activity after your work is complete. It will help provide motivation to get things done.
4. Find a change of scenery: I know I said make a designated place to go your work, but there is nothing wrong with going out to get your work done. Where were your favorite spots to work on campus? Go there! Not at school? Find a safe place near your home to get work done, like a coffeeshop or the local library.
5. Make time for yourself: Burnout is real, especially since many schools eliminated breaks to shorten the semester. Make sure you make time for downtime and things you enjoy. Share a meal with friends, take a nap, or go for a drive. Do what makes you feel relaxed!

Molly Barresi is a senior public relations major from Cincinnati, OH. She is part of Belmont University’s Public Relations Bateman Team for 2020-2021, the Boulevard Team and Belmont PRSSA. While she enjoys writing, she is passionate about crafting and conducting meaningful social science research. When she isn’t getting too excited about a research project, she can be probably be found at McDougal’s Chicken on 21st Avenue.