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Create a schedule for your class meeting times, homework, co-curricular assignments, and work tasks to keep yourself organized. Here are some different ways you can keep an updated schedule:

Planners

Online calendars

Daily to-do lists

Task reminders

These are all really helpful ways to stay on track with your assignments and deadlines and meeting times. The second part once you create your schedule is to ACTUALLY stick to that schedule. However you need to hold yourself accountable - whether that means to reward yourself after completing each task, or enlist the help of your siblings, parents/guardians, or friends to keep you on track with your responsibilities.

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Attending classes from home may mean that you have to navigate a hectic household. Siblings, pets, roommates, and other distractions can make focusing on schoolwork very difficult. If you are able, find a place in your home that is secluded and/or has very little opportunities to be distracted. This could be your bedroom, a home office, a space in your basement, or maybe even an attic. Set up this space so that it is conducive to your learning and will allow you to be able to really focus on your work with as little disturbance as possible.

Additionally, speak with the members of your household about the need to have times throughout the day where the noise level is low. You could potentially create a schedule with everyone you live with to alert them of those times. Being transparent with everyone you live with will allow them to understand that they need to help you eliminate as many distractions as possible while virtual learning is happening. If you are unable to find a distraction-free space in your home, utilize headphones and/or earplugs to drown out the noise that could be distracting you.

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Adjusting to a virtual format of learning is extremely challenging, even more so now that the way we communicate with one another is different. Instead of being able to just pop into someone's office if you have a question about the homework, or raise your hand in class, utilizing emails, chat boxes during lectures, and scheduling meetings are vital to successful communication.

The biggest tip for effective virtual communication is: TIMING. Do not wait until the last minute when the exam is next week or the next day to try and schedule a meeting with your instructor. Do not wait until the week the assignment is due to try to schedule a time to meet with your group because everyone's schedule may be different. Be proactive about communicating with your instructors, classmates, advisors, etc. in order to ensure that there is ample time to work on the assignment or study for the test.

Another tip for effective communication is: ETIQUETTE. Having proper etiquette is essential to communicating effectively. Do not start your emails with "hey!" or "what's up?" Be as professional in all your email correspondence, even if the recipient of that email is not. It is better to be too professional than to come across as if you do not care. Leave texting lingo (LOL, GTG, LMAO, IDK, etc.) out of an email or any written correspondence with your instructors, advisors, or any other campus personnel. Steer clear of using contractions ("I'm" should be "I am," "I'll" should be "I will," and so on) in all writing, email or otherwise. With your classmates, a great rule of thumb to go by is, if the subject you are emailing/chatting about is schoolwork related, that correspondence needs to be professional.

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This one is super important! Taking courses via Zoom or Teams or BB Collab brings a new set of difficulties that are out of everyone's control. Technical difficulties during class times are bound to happen at some point throughout the semester, as well as simply not being able to comprehend the material. It may seem daunting to interrupt the instructor to ask a question or to be the only one to speak when the instructor leaves time to ask questions, but it is very important for your sake and for the instructor's sake that you ask any questions you may have. It will allow your instructor to gauge how much of the material was understood and it will give you an opportunity to get a better handle on what is being taught.

The great news about taking virtual classes is that if you are uncomfortable speaking up, you have the option to type your question into the chat feature for the whole class or even for your instructor privately. Be sure to take advantage of the time spent with the instructor for each of your classes because that time is limited due to quarantine.

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Along with asking questions, seeking additional support is essential to your success with virtual learning. The Learning Center is a phenomenal resource to take advantage of any time, but especially now. Virtual and drop-in tutoring sessions, Student Success Seminars, academic coaching, and learning accommodations are all features you have access to at the Learning Center. You have access to Quizlet, Study Edge, and time management forms on the BW Smart page on Blackboard. Additionally, your academic advisor can be a huge help in providing tools to adjust to virtual learning. You may be thinking that you have a handle on everything since we have been in a virtual format for almost a whole year, and that may be true. There is no harm in seeking out resources that make this time even less stressful.

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While this is called "Zoom fatigue,"  the term can be applicable for all virtual meeting programs. Zoom fatigue describes the tiredness, worry, or burnout associated with excessive use of virtual platforms of communication. Check out our page  to gather strategies on avoiding Zoom fatigue here: https://padlet.com/lrncntr/zoomfatigue

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Get up, take a breather, go get a drink and a snack, stretch your legs, relax your eyes, go for a walk. We have gotten accustomed to staying in one place at our computers and working in between classes and meetings, and that is extremely detrimental to our physical and mental health. Everyone needs a moment to disconnect and relax their brains, so make sure to plan time to step away from your laptops and other devices in between your responsibilities.

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Be honest with yourself; how are you feeling? Checking in on your emotions and stress level will be a huge benefit for your mental health. We are not meant to be isolated for extended periods of time, so this quarantine has caused a huge strain on all of us whether we know it or not. Journaling is a really great way to have an accurate and up-to-date record of how you are handling virtual learning and virtual school. If you do not want to journal, simply taking a moment at the beginning or end of each day to ask yourself how you are doing can be very impactful on your emotional awareness.

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Everyone is on the same level of learning in this moment of adapting to virtual learning. No one was prepared for a global pandemic to hit us so severely, or at all, so take comfort in knowing that you are not alone. We are all learning how to do college in this way, and we all will need to depend on each other to get through this rough time. With that, having patience with your instructors, advisors, and fellow classmates when errors or delays happen is extremely important. Pass on the same courtesy to your peers as you would want them to show you. We will all get through this together!

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source: https://divethru.com/how-to-tell-someone-your-pronouns/