By Fiona Tran ‘23
After the long and well deserved summer break, I am sure that we are all ready to head back to school. But wait, something seems different. Instead of coming to school everyday and having fun with our peers, many of us are at home, and our classes are all held online for the time being. While the novelty might be interesting for the first few days now that we all are moving up to a new grade and course materials are unfamiliar, things have the potential to get boring very quickly around here.
As a remote student, I really dislike the fact that I am missing out on the things that any normal high school student is supposed to be experiencing right now. I know that for the time being, or, at least until the spring semester, I will be at home, back in Vietnam. Though, things have gotten better for me, because I have found a way to enjoy the remote experience as much as I possibly can. Here is how I do it, and I hope that these tips will help you out as well, remote or not.
Find a study buddy
Though this might seem like an obvious tip, I don’t think people utilize our amazing social circle enough. Having someone who is also remote like you will definitely make the experience of studying online a little easier. I would highly recommend reaching out to a friend that you know who’s also studying remote, and set up a time where you can study together. If you know that your peer is also staying in the same country as you, reach out and set up a date to have socially distanced hang out. Studying online does not necessarily mean that your social interaction is limited to just online.
2. Learn to communicate effectively with your advisor/teachers
Reaching out to my advisor about the different problems that I was struggling with proved really effective while I navigated my way through the school year for the first two weeks. I learned that by not sharing your problems with someone who will clearly have the ability to fix it will not fix your problems for you. If you’re struggling with a class, ask your advisor to communicate with your teacher to give you extensions and lower the workload for the first few weeks as you get back. If time zones are too difficult, reach out to your advisor to also talk to your teachers to make adjustments accordingly. No teachers and no advisors will refuse to help you out. In fact they are always willing to accommodate in order to make your learning experience the most effective.
3. Take a timeout from electronics
No one wants to be sitting behind a computer screen nine hours in a row, and I would assume that you would not like that too. Zooming a lot can be very exhausting. Mentally and physically. Find a slot of time in the day, or in between classes to take a break and stay away from your computer and phone. This will give your eyes a break and will make you feel like your life is not just surrounded by technology. Personally, I find that taking my pet for a walk and playing with him takes my mind off of technology. This is also another thing that people might find weird, but reading also helps a lot as well.
I hope that all of these tips will help you all thrive and navigate your way through the virtual school year a little bit better, and please please remember that taking breaks for yourself is healthy, and you should always prioritize your emotions before anything else!