Tips To Help You Thrive In Online School

Updated: Dec 28, 2020

With school starting virtually this year, we thought we could share some tips that we have used in the past for online school!

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We have taken several online classes over the years, including some college classes this summer, and have been very successful. That being said, we are still pretty nervous about starting school completely online, but we are confident that we will be able to thrive in an online environment with these simple tips!

1. Have a Designated Space

It can be tempting to complete your work from the comforts of your bed, but try to find a designated space. This is extremely important, you NEED to have a designated space to work in. When you are attending an online class or working on your homework, you will want to have a place where you can work in peace. This will help free you from distractions, and stay focused on what you are working on.

2. Don’t Procrastinate

Procrastinating is one of the most difficult things to avoid while taking online classes. You are doing all of your work from your home and there are plenty of distractions that you will not be used to having. No matter what you do, DO NOT push off assignments. Complete them when they are assigned, or as soon as possible. Something that may help is mentally telling yourself that your assignment is due a few days before the actual due date. This will not only help you avoid procrastination, but also help everything be on time.

3. Have a Planner/Schedule

Our mom always tells us, “on paper, on purpose.” When you get a new assignment or find out the date of your next big test, write it down! If you write down all of the important dates in a planner, then you will have them all in one place and will be more organized. The same goes for a schedule. We know that many schools are giving out bell schedules, but you need to make sure that you also include a personal schedule. This should include when you plan to get work done, so that everything is on time!

4. Be Organized

We can not stress this enough! Being organized is the key to success for school in general, but even more so in online school. You are not going to have a locker or a back back with everything you need inside. However, you will have more space as well as a more familiar environment. Your books and supplies should all have a place where you can easily access them during your class. (It also helps that you can’t really forget anything at home!)

5. Take it Seriously

When taking online classes, you should treat it as if you are in the classroom with the teacher and your fellow classmates. PAY ATTENTION! Don’t go on your phone or read a book (no matter how tempting), just listen or take notes. Take your assignments seriously, and study just as much as you would if you were going to school in person.

6. Ask Questions (Participate!)

If you have a question, you should ask it, especially if it is in a subject you struggle in. You will only get as much out of the class as you put in. That means you should participate! We know that it can be difficult to participate in an online environment, but you should try your best to ask questions and answer some too. Don’t be afraid to share your thoughts, but make sure it is in a way that is respectful to your teacher and classmates.

7. Get On A Healthy Sleep Schedule

Getting on a healthy sleep schedule is hard to do after summer, but because we aren’t going to “real” school we can still stay up late right? Wrong. You need sleep! Sleep helps you learn and remember things, which is pretty vital to being successful in school. So, even though virtual learning is from the comfort of your own home, you should still get a good amount of sleep.

8. Set Goals

Setting goals will help motivate you to do better in school. For example, your goal could be getting an A on your next test. In order to get an A, you will have to take notes in class and study them. Both of those actions will not only help you get a better grade on your test, but will help you overall in the class! Goals will help motivate you to stay on top of things, and have a positive mindset, which leads to our next point…

9. Stay Positive

Remember to keep a positive mindset! This will help you to be less stressed in both school, and life. Don’t let others pull you down. Positivity will improve your outlook and attitude. This will help you to be more productive, and just in an overall better mood.

10. Stay Active

It is proven that staying active regularly will improve cognitive function, which will help to improve your memory and focus. Remember to exercise regularly. Go on a run. Practice a sport. Ride your bike. There are so many ways to exercise, and it will improve your mental and physical health!