Six tips for managing online school and staying on track in all of your classes.

Staying on track in all your classes is hard enough as it is for high school students, but with this year’s added stress of shifting to entirely online classes, back to school time presents itself with new challenges all together. Here are few tips and tricks for staying organized and on top of things in your classes this year: 

1. Acquire an agenda or planner to help you keep track of assignment due dates, tests and quizzes, and other commitments. 

Each morning, open your planner and look at what assignments you need to get done for the day. It may seem more practical to just keep track of things in your head, but using a planner is an easy way to ensure you don’t forget about any due dates. It also helps to plan your week ahead of time so you can manage your time wisely. 

2. Have a consistent spot or area you do your schoolwork from. 

In the comfort of your own home, it can seem appealing to lay on the couch while you’re in class. However, having a dedicated workplace for school is crucial to maintaining good grades. The setting a person is in can have a big impact on their productivity, so it is ideal to keep a neat, organized area for online school. 

3. Minimize distractions. 

This can be tricky, especially if you live with a large family or noisy household members. If necessary, consider purchasing a pair of headphones. Try to work in a quiet environment, and do your best to resist the temptation of looking at your phone or other electronics. 

4. Work on one thing at a time. 

There may be instances where it seems like a good idea to finish work for one class during another class period, but it will only end up getting you further behind. Avoid multitasking, and work on one assignment at a time. 

5. Figure out what learning styles work best for you. 

Succeeding in online school requires a great amount of responsibility to be met by the student. Teachers give you information, but their methods of teaching are limited in a virtual environment. Experiment with a few different learning styles and figure out which one works best for you. Developing good study habits like this is a key component to getting good grades. 

6. Take plenty of breaks. 

Sitting in one spot, staring at a screen for hours on end gets exhausting very quickly. It’s important to take breaks to snack, stretch, go to the bathroom, or just rest for a minute. School is overwhelming on its own, especially when it’s online and being done during a global pandemic. Take it easy on yourself, and prioritize your mental health above all else.