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In the beginning of online school (college, not high school), I didn't think about it- I was just so excited to be in college, so I always had the energy to do my work. As time went by, obviously staying motivated became much harder with the rapidly increasing workload. To this day I still don't manage my time very well, nor do I have much motivation; my only motivation is my drive to move forward and closer to my career. The thought of being forever stagnant scares me enough to move me through time. As for time management: I have a reward and punishment system which I live by. Simply put, when I finish my work- I have free time and I'll maybe treat myself with a food item or buy something, if I don't finish my work then I face the antithesis.

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Doing school from home has been a real challenge for many students, as written in the article, including myself. I agree with what this article says about how it is hard to make your home a place for work when that's not how you usually see it. I have struggled with this throughout the semester so far, but I have also found ways to get through it and make it better. It has been hard for me recently to stay motivated and get my class work done, whereas at the beginning of the school year I was more excited and motivated. I work 5 days a week so I find very little free time to get everything done, but that has taught me time management. I have learned that I have to use any time I have to work on my school work, even on my 30 minute break I will do homework in my car. I think through all this I have learned good study habits because I have been forced to do my school work totally different than I am used to. What things have you done to manage your time for online school and to stay motivated?

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The online learning environment has been very hard for most students experiencing it. Like Alyssa Ashford, many people learning remotely from home, as well as people that have to work remotely from home, have many distractions around them on a day to day basis. Whether it is siblings, parents, pets, or neighbors and other background noise, it can be very hard to focus. One thing that Alyssa has done that is very smart is make a planner. Normally in school, you have a schedule you follow every week, go to class, eat around the same times, and have a pretty consistent sleep schedule. However, with most classes being asynchronous, meaning that you can work on your own time as long as you turn things in by the due dates, it can be very easy for kids in online school to be unmotivated and get off of schedule. Alyssa has made a schedule that will help her accomplish her goals and get the grades she wants, which is why I encourage anyone in online school to do the same thing. My question is, what kind of schedule or other things have you done to help you go through online school?

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Ethan - I agree that the transition from entirely in-person classes in high school to all online in college has proven to be challenging. I also feel that we didn't really have a chance to say goodbye properly to those that we grew up with and the teachers that were so prominent in our lives for four years. I also had a very difficult time with time management and organization when we first started and I actually missed a few meetings due to a lack of communication between professors and students. However, I have definitely grown in those aspects and would say that online school has been beneficial for me in that I am able to complete all my assignments as I please before the due dates and have better organizational skills. It has especially been challenging for me in that transparency in requirements of professors is still not that great in this form.

Michael - I'm glad to hear that you are having a good time and classes are going very well for you. I agree with your statement about how you are doing a lot better than you initially thought you would in an online setting as it has been better than I had originally expected. However, I think that I personally would benefit more from in person instruction, as I am a very visual learner. It is no doubt difficult to learn visually behind a screen instead of in person. Despite this, I do think that I have benefited in some ways from this chaos. Because everything is online, I am able to finish all my homework (or most of it) before dinner and then have time to hang out with my friends at night. I have also learned much better time management and organizational skills because of the pandemic and confusion with online learning.

Jake - I totally understand the situation that you are in right now. The pandemic certainly provided so much extra stress and anxiety in what is already a stressful transition from high school to college. Though I now have a much better understanding of D2L now, I still struggle with other softwares not provided by Michigan State like Google Classroom as I have never used it before and the setup is completely different. It is reassuring to know that we are not the only ones struggling with online school, but it is still just so challenging, especially when it comes to getting help with an assignment you may not understand. Sharing the internet with many other people has also proven to be difficult as I have been kicked out of classes because of my connection. To answer your question, I would say that colleges should record all of their lectures and post them all to D2L for those that have trouble with internet and also providing more sources and TAs for every class.

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If you would have asked me nine months ago what my life would look like now, my answer would certainly be nothing like the truth. This has been such a surreal experience for everyone and the future still seems so uncertain, especially for college students. The transition from high school to college has always proven to be a challenge, but even more so this year. Personally, I have never had an online class until this year. One of the greatest difficulties for me has been transparency of professor expectations and assignments. It is so difficult to translate what is needed by a professor when you can't understand their ways of thinking or interpret what they mean over email and D2L. However, I do feel that I, as well as many other students in this situation, are learning to learn in this growingly apparent setting. Though it has been very unfortunate how this year has turned out, I believe that this will better prepare us young adults for the adult world in the sense of showing courage in times of adversity and a better knowledge in how to deal with disappointment. My question is, how do you think the pandemic has POSITIVELY affected young adults?
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/how-to-overcome-challenges-of-online-classes-due-to-coronavirus

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During these crazy times, I have found to stay focused on what is more important. School, friends, and family are the only things that I am truly focused on right now. Having all of this time to focus on these important things has lead to success for me. For online school, I am able to sit at my desk and focus on my work, assignments, and exams. I've heard that many people have been struggling with online school, but I would argue that I am doing better than what I would be performing for in person classes. I do have to say that online school has been bad for me because of the lack of social life. That is something that has always been apart of college and it hurts my mental health knowing that I could be meeting all of these new people and making life lasting memories on campus. Although I lose this aspect of college, I am fully focused on academics which will definitely pay out in the long run. So my question is, what have you found most important since the start of the pandemic?
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/how-to-overcome-challenges-of-online-classes-due-to-coronavirus

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Throughout the pandemic there has been many challenges that have changed our lives in unimaginable ways. Last year as a senior in high school, I didn't have prom or a good way to say goodbye to my life long friends as we all went our separate ways. As for academics, the pandemic called for a drastic change in life as a student. I had never taken a single online class and going into my first year of college, all my classes were online. This was a huge struggle at first. In the beginning, I was having trouble staying organized, remembering due dates, navigating multiple websites, and not to mention all the WIFI cut outs. But, as time went on online classes have become the norm of my life. I am very accustomed to waking up, logging on to D2L and starting my academic day. Although online classes still come with their unique challenges such as network errors, it also has its benefits. I have been able to learn to time manage extremely well and there's no such thing as a sick day anymore since work is done at home. Virtual schooling has had it's ups and downs but it is the new norm and in my life and I quite enjoy it. The only major negative thing for me is not being able to socialize with my classmates or really getting to know my professors which is a very important thing to me. Overall, online schooling has been good for me. My question to you is, what is one way online school has been beneficial to you and one way it's bad for you and why?
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/how-to-overcome-challenges-of-online-classes-due-to-coronavirus

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Although this pandemic has crippled many aspects of my life, I don't feel as if it was as hindering for my academics as I would've initially thought. Sure I'm not able to go on campus and enjoy my first year of college surrounded by new friends in East Lansing. But, I'm not lagging behind in any of my classes, in fact I'm thriving in many of them. Instead of putting my life on pause, the pandemic just made me adapt to the changes. Now I don't really mind doing everything over my computer. I've still been able to make friends online and I'm still able to see my old high school friends which I didn't expect to to happen in college. As the semester begins to wind down, I'm actually quite happy with myself. I was able to maintain good grades in all of my classes. If anything, this pandemic has been beneficial for my academic career. By having all of my classes online, I'm able to learn better time management skills that I might not have learned if this year was normal. My question is, has anyone else been able to benefit from this chaos of this year?

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Like many college students nationwide, 21-year-old Alyssa Ashford is facing the challenges of unexpectedly switching to online classes due to the coronavirus outbreak. The junior premed student at Washington University in St. Louis is finishing the semester remotely from her home in St. Louis.

During the week, Ashford's father goes to work for an essential job, while her mother stays home to watch her 4-year-old and 7-month-old cousins, which can cause distractions while she's studying. She sometimes goes to her grandfather's house so she can focus. Juggling family responsibilities with her coursework is also a challenge, which is why Ashford carefully plans out every day.

"I write down my most important tasks for the entire month, and then I also write a weekly planner that lists my goals, and then I write a daily planner to accomplish those goals," Ashford says. "And with the transition from in person to online, I had to make sure that I kept a rigid schedule now that I really do have to go to class on my own time."

In the middle of the spring semester, undergraduate students across the U.S. had to suddenly pack up their belongings and finish their courses away from campus, an adjustment for many who are accustomed to in-person classes. Some colleges have announced they will continue offering only online classes through the summer semester, but many have yet to decide on the fall.

In a survey of more than 400 college students whose schools recently switched over to online education - conducted in March by Barnes & Noble College Insights - 60% of students said they felt at least somewhat prepared for the change. This was particularly true among students who previously took an online course. Still, 64% of survey respondents expressed concerns about being able to focus and maintaining the self-discipline needed to study remotely.

More recent polling from College Reaction/Axios in April showed that 77% of more than 800 college students surveyed said they felt distance learning is worse or much worse than in-person classes.

Here are some of the most common challenges undergraduate students are currently facing with online classes along with specific tips on how to address them:

Technical issues.

Distractions and time management.

Staying motivated.

Understanding course expectations.

Lack of in-person interaction.

Adapting to unfamiliar technology.

Uncertainty about the future.

Technical Issues

Unfortunately, experts say, technical issues are bound to happen in an online-only environment. Ashford says that while attending one of her classes live through videoconferencing, her computer suddenly shut down and she needed to restart the device. There are also moments when her Wi-Fi is spotty.

The solution: The most important step is to stay in touch with professors and inform them about what's happening, experts say. They will hopefully understand and be flexible about the situation, perhaps even recording class sessions as a backup.

"There will be technology issues, and I think it's important that every student understands they're not alone in that, to allow themselves the patience to work through the problem," says Dawn Coder, director of academic advising and student disability services at the online Pennsylvania State University-World Campus. She adds that there's usually a fix for whatever issue arises. A school's technical support services can be a valuable resource, Coder says.

Distractions and Time Management

While studying from home or wherever students may be, there can be more distractions than usual, especially with family and possibly younger siblings around, says Reggie Smith III, CEO and executive director of the nonprofit United States Distance Learning Association.

As a result of these distractions - and possibly having additional responsibilities - time management becomes more challenging.

The solution: "Try to think about building a schedule - figuring out when you're going to do what you're going to do and then sharing that with the other people in your house," says Beth Martin, senior lecturer in environmental studies at Washington University in St. Louis. Students should still prioritize their physical and mental health, even if life is busier than usual, she adds.

Students should also try to identify a quiet time and place in their house to complete their coursework, if possible - even if that time is late at night, Smith says. If their other responsibilities become too overwhelming, students should consider talking with their academic adviser about course load options for the semester, he says.

For instance, some schools are allowing students to switch at least some classes to a pass-fail grading system for the spring, which could help ease some anxieties, experts say - though the policy changes vary across colleges.

Staying Motivated

Given that students may not be attending class at a set time on a physical campus, finding the motivation to get started on coursework can be difficult, experts say.

"When you don't see your home as a space of work, it's kind of a struggle to get in that mindset," says Emily Effren, a senior at Texas Tech University majoring in journalism as well as electronic media and communications. "But I have different places in my house, where my room will be my little oasis, but my downstairs kitchen table is where I'll sit down and get my work done."

The solution: In addition to creating a daily schedule and finding a productive workspace, Coder says it can also help to simply focus on the ultimate goal.

"At the end of the day, look back on the day and check mark off all of those items that you've completed. Knowing that you did will help to motivate you as well," Coder says.

She adds that staying in touch with classmates, in addition to reaching out to faculty or academic staff as needed, can also help motivate students.

Understanding Course Expectations

The sudden switch to online learning has left some students confused about some course requirements for the rest of the semester. They may wonder, for instance, if a final group presentation is still happening given that students can no longer meet on campus, or if they need to complete labs for science classes.

Students may also wonder whether their classes will have live lectures through videoconferencing at a set time on a certain day, or whether students are expected to learn the material on their own time.

The solution: Experts say students should be proactive in asking their professors questions about course expectations for the spring and whether there are any changes to requirements given the transition. Whether classes will be held live varies depending on the school, professor and discipline.

"Knowing the expectations as an online learner will help with time management because, again, you can plan out and schedule what's really needed week after week," Coder says.

Lack of In-Person Interaction

The lack of in-person interaction with both instructors and classmates can be particularly challenging. Allison Proszowski, a senior at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, is taking her spring classes online from her off-campus residence near the school. The chemical engineering major usually leads a study group for younger students on campus.

On campus, "It would be about me and 20 students taking the class. So you have that in-person, face-to-face interaction; it's a smaller group, you talk to the students, they talk to each other," Proszowski says. "And now transitioning that to an online environment has just not been the same."

The adjustment can be particularly difficult for students taking classes that are better suited for the face-to-face format, like those with science lab components.

"I'm a hands-on person," says Ashford, who now watches physics labs in a digital recording and then takes a quiz afterward. "I consider myself a visual learner as well, but I prefer to play around with the materials as well as converse with other students to understand the material better."

The solution: Experts say students should take advantage of the tools at their disposal. While not ideal for all learners, the best alternative to actual face-to-face interaction may be videoconferencing programs like Zoom, Skype or FaceTime. Talking on the phone with classmates or a professor is also an option.

Proszowski says she has attended virtual office hours to speak with her professors directly. "You have your video on, the professor has their video on, and you can kind of talk to them and get a little bit of additional help," she says.

Adapting to Unfamiliar Technology

Given the transition to online classes, Martin and her students are now adapting to some digital tools, she says.

"I think all of us have had to learn to use technology in the last couple months that some of us have never heard of, some of us may have used just a little bit of," says Martin, who typically teaches classes on campus.

The solution: Use the resources available through the school, Coder says. While this can include reaching out to technical support, students should determine whether they can save themselves time by looking up answers to their technology questions online or watching a video tutorial.

Uncertainty About the Future

The sudden switch to online classes for the spring semester - and the summer, in some cases - has caused anxiety and raised questions among students about their academic futures. Some are considering taking the fall semester off if their school continues to stick with online classes, for instance, while others are concerned about upholding a full course load while juggling family responsibilities at home.

The solution: Smith recommends students speak with an adviser or student support services as needed to determine whether adjustments can be made to their spring course schedule or a future semester if needed. For example, he says, a student may want to take fewer course credits in a future semester if his or her school continues offering only online classes and the student finds this format challenging.

Regardless of the challenges that come with the transition to online classes, students should remember that assistance is available, Coder says.

"It can be a difficult transition," Coder says. "But it doesn't have to be because there are many people who are willing and able to help with it."

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The Challenges of Pivoting to Online Classes and How to Tackle Them

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Like many college students nationwide, 21-year-old Alyssa Ashford is facing the challenges of unexpectedly switching to online classes due to the coronavirus outbreak. The junior premed student at Washington University in St. Louis is finishing the semester remotely from her home in St. Louis.

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Ever since this pandemic started, I've worried about what the future may hold for many things but the main concern I had was school. Having said that I am almost done with my first semester of college and reflecting upon the recent months I realized like most people I was not prepared for this school year in the slightest. The main problem I experienced this year was the lack of experience in these newer technologies and software’s. My first couple weeks of college I was always trying to catch up on work, rush to complete assignments, and struggle to join virtual classes. I leaned that many kids are dealing with the same types of problems, especially issues with their WIFI. I also have many issues with my internet since three other members of my family are also on the WIFI almost the entire day just like me. I’m very glad that most of my instructors are willing to work through these difficult times with not only myself but their entire class since they know how much stress and anxiety can be caused from this. My question is, what else can colleges be doing to help limit stress among their students in these difficult times?
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/how-to-overcome-challenges-of-online-classes-due-to-coronavirus