lol its that time…and I know we need to get it together, enjoy this guide and live by it! for everyone who is falling behind in online classes, good luck! <3
write down all of your tasks
now order them by deadline on a different sheet
create a very strict schedule
this schedule needs to be unrealistically rigid, we have to aim high when motivation is low! I would take a look at the Kharma Medic 4 hour block schedule, this one will make you dream big
aim for longer focused periods
plan to do the harder things in one study session and the smaller things in a different study session, don’t mix!
it’s up to you which one comes first
do not take breaks whenever you feel like it
do not take breaks whenever you feel like it
do not take breaks whenever you feel like it
you need to keep yourself on a schedule to fix this situation
hide your phone, self explanatory- it might be the reason you are in this mess in the first place!
being behind in an online class is both better and worse than being behind in an in person class. first, examine what resources are available to you:
lecture recordings *golden*
so how do we leverage all of these resources to our advantage?
These are a pot of gold, if you have them, listen carefully - WATCH THEM!
I found myself 5 lectures behind in one of my classes, and it wasn’t pretty, what I did to recover this is as follows:
stop feeling bad for myself
realize that the class moves on whether I’m ready or not
calculate how long it will take to watch each lecture
block each lecture into my calendar and force myself to go as if I am attending class in person
turn on study stream (this is amazing, it is an online study room on zoom, sometimes you’ll catch your favorite study tubers there too!, makes it feel like you’re in class!)
actively recall information
pause and quiz yourself about topics you took notes on every 15 minutes of the lecture
if the professor is doing something like math or coding, actively solve problems and work while watching.
DON’T TRY TO MULTITASK WITH RANDOM TABS OPEN
clear your tabs, only have what you need open, even use a blocker if you need to.
realize how critical this is for your grade, remember why you need to catch up
textbooks are also wonderful resources! especially if your professor uses it as a reference for test materials. here’s how to use them when you’re behind:
do your textbook readings before watching the lecture on that specific topic
if it is a math or cs (something like that) textbook that gives you problems to solve, do them as you are reading
ask yourself after each few paragraphs about the information, dont take notes on the textbook- paraphrase and summarize your understandings after each page
active recall is everything
remember that your professors have done way more school than you have (most likely lol), they have been students, and most of them can sympathize with falling behind. Yet, they still of course want to feel respected. Get through as much content as you can while utilizing
tutor.com (free with many library cards)
and then write down your main questions to take to your professor’s office hours!
If you are falling behind for a valid reason (anything other than laziness), being honest to your professor is also a great option. Sending an email to them could even open you up to some resources they have that you maybe didn’t know about!
Leverage TA office hours in the same way, but you can be more casual with them! They are a really great resource as students are usually more approachable!
I hope this helps someone! Stay safe, study hard, and I know you can do it! <3
reblog to help a friend ;)
