In two weeks, Oakland Mills students will start a new semester with new teachers and peers. But how can we make the best of this transition during this time of uncertainty? These are three general tips for starting a new semester, even though most of us will be staying the virtual route.
First, track important dates. Although this tip probably would come in handy when the new semester starts, education blog Gradguard suggests that it would be better to be ahead of the curve when it comes to deadlines than to hear them at the same time as everyone else. Sure, when it came to tracking dates, that’s when those little planners came in handy, but this year is different. At the moment, we don’t have access to those planners, but you have different choices: handwritten calendars and to-do lists are always helpful, or you can take notes electronically on your computer instead. Whichever way furthers your learning experience is the method you should choose.
Second, take care of yourself, physically and mentally. With the rise of mental health concerns, it’s pretty easy for students to lose track of themselves. To make sure you’re not stretching yourself beyond what you can accomplish, blog Page Flutter suggests eating a well balanced meal, including plenty of water, excluding caffeine, and getting enough sleep. They also suggest using good time management, as long as it means anything but overworking yourself.
And the third and final tip: organize, ORGANIZE, ORGANIZE! This may sound a tad cliche, but there’s a lot more you can do even though certain groups will return to a physical learning environment. You could give your virtual workspace a cleaning every once in a while, as an organized desk would be best for learning. In addition, you could also organize your virtual space by creating folders in your Google Drive for your new upcoming classes. This could also apply for when we’re back in the building and you can go out and buy color-coded notebooks and/or folders to easily keep track of your classes. This final mini-tip may seem random, but you could clean your room so you can easily keep track of your materials.
In review, track dates, take care of yourself, and get organized. Unless you’re apart of a group of students that depends on in-person support, you probably might be staying with virtual learning, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of this semester. As long as you follow these tips and abstain from sweating the small stuff, I’m sure that you’re in for a good semester.
For more resources, refer to these sites:
The Scroll 