Hello, hello, everyone and welcome to my first blog post for the Writing Center. I was actually supposed to make this post months ago, but as with most things this year, I put it on hold.
2020 has been a little rough for all of us. Personally, I had to put aside a theatre production I was in, a May term I was really excited for, and a variety of other fun events that are TBD. I'm sure all of you reading can relate. However, one big thing that I let slip last spring was my grades. My productivity dramatically dropped once school closed, and it was a real struggle. This semester, though, I'm determined for things to be different.
I have been doing a lot of things to help with my productivity and efficiency this semester, and I'd like to share some of them with y'all! Here we go:
1. Don't stay in bed all day
I know, I know, with so many online classes why not just Zoom from bed? It makes you lazy, that's why! This semester, I have been forcing myself (no matter how much I DO NOT want to) to get out of bed and actually sit at my desk for online class or homework. It really helps to separate the two spaces in my tiny dorm: desk for working, bed for relaxing. This one simple change already vastly improved the amount of work I was able to complete in a sitting.
2. Prioritize
With most classes online now, it's easy to consider the work for those classes to be not as important as work from other classes. DON'T DO THIS. This is an easy trap to fall into and it's probably the quickest way to start failing your classes. What I like to do is make a TO DO list on a sticky note and place it right on my laptop below my keyboard. This way, I can always see it while I'm working and I'll always know in the back of my mind what I need to get done. I also make sure to organize them based on priority, e.g. what is due soonest, what is worth more points, etc. I make sure to check off assignments as I finish them and let me tell ya, there's nothing more satisfying than crossing off a big assignment that's been sitting on my sticky note for a while.
3. Make use of the resources available to you
Just because classes are online doesn't mean that you're on your own! It's definitely more difficult to reach out and find the help that you need this semester with the large emphasis on social distancing, but don't let that discourage you! In my experience, professors are just as if not more responsive to student's troubles this semester. If there's a certain class that's causing you trouble, take the time to get in contact with that professor to see if there isn't any additional help that could be provided to you. Along with that, tutoring and the Writing Center are still available this semester online! You can always easily make an appointment with someone online, and they will be able to assist in just the same way as in person.
Now, these were just a few tips that I've come up with, but they don't account for everything. This semester always presents new and difficult challenges to overcome, but my biggest piece of advice is to just take things step-by-step. Letting your problems pile up is exactly what I did last spring, and I definitely regret it. So don't do the same! Get yourself out of bed, figure out what you need to do, and then do it! And don't be afraid to ask for help when needed. Well, that's all I have to say for this blog post. Thank you all for reading, and good luck to everyone for the rest of the semester!
