So you got the email. The one that says something along the lines of “we’re so sorry and we know this isn’t what anyone wanted but we will be fully virtual this semester for the safety of all students and staff…” etc. And now you’re either going to be spending the semester at home or in your new apartment just a stone’s throw from the campus you won’t have access to. Maybe this isn’t your ideal scenario, but it is the card we’ve been dealt. Classes are online this semester, now what?
Any ideas you had about the semester and what it would be like on campus, throw that out the window. It isn’t happening and those plans are not worth thinking about. Things are going to be different, and that’s okay.
Whether you’re a first-year student or not, the fall is not going to be the same as the spring. A lot of universities previously offered changes to grades with everything that was happening in the spring, but that likely isn’t going to be an option this fall. You’re starting out online. You’re staying home. You’ll end the semester where you started it, and thus you need to be on top of things – potentially a lot more so than you were in the spring.
3 Things to Do When You Find Out Your Semester is Online:
Start thinking about your Wi-Fi and where you can work in your home.
Personally, if I try to go to class in my bedroom I have about a 95% chance of being frozen or kicked off the Zoom within the first twenty minutes. Yes, it is unfortunate. If some areas are better for a Wi-Fi signal than others, take that into consideration when planning where you’re going to work. The last thing you want is to be scrambling on the first day of classes to find an open space in your house that will work, only to find that nothing available is really conducive to going to class!
Do you have to find the most perfect space right away? Of course not! Personally, I think I’ll bounce between a few different spots in my house this semes
Get a Planner.
You’re going to need to be able to time manage
I love my Simplified Planner by Emily Ley, which sets out a daily time table and to-do list for me, as well as a notes section! My planner is always by my side, I couldn’t imagine making it through the past two years without it and have already set up my new one for this year! I really like being able to see a visual representation of how my day is filled, it makes scheduling appointments and meetings way easier. There’s also tons of space on each page for whatever you need!
Assess Your Technology Needs.
Do you need noise-canceling headphones so that you can better concentrate in class? Do you need a printer? Are your earbuds on their last legs or is our charger hanging on by a thread? Now is the time to reassess what you’re going to need for back to school, so that come your first virtual class, you’re ready to start learning! If you’re purchasing a new computer, consider the need for a webcam, a headphone jack, and the screen resolution – after all, you’re going to be sitting around staring at that screen a bit more than you would during the typical fall semester!
This semester will be unique, but isn’t every semester?
I hope these three tips help set you up for a great semester online. Do you have any recommendations for things that will help you prepare for the fall? Let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you.
If you know someone who is stressed about the fall and the fact that their classes are online this semester, send them this post to provide a bit of guidance and let them know you’re thinking of them. And of course, if you want to keep up with my semester online this fall, follow along on Instagram @andpajamas!
Guess what, friends?
Related: College Planners: How I Set Up My Simplified Planner
