Expert Advice on Remote Learning from Alyssa Furukawa, University of Pennsylvania, M&T Class of 2021

What advice would I have given myself about remote learning, given what I know now?

Know Yourself: Self-Reflection

I found it really important towards the beginning of the pandemic to ask myself what my expectations were for myself during this time. How stressed was I? How was I reacting to my new learning and living environments? How will I structure working and breaks? I’m someone who focuses for shorter bursts, and likes to take longer breaks in between. I tested different ways of structuring my studying - I found using tomato timers (pomodoro timers) really useful, but 25 min of working with a 5 min break was too short of a break for me personally, so I adjusted. It takes trial and error. There were definitely times I took breaks and never came back to my work that day. But with time and deadlines it helps to not just sit down and stare endlessly at problem sets. I also binge-watch lectures instead of watching them as they were posted - I’m more of a cram study-er, but that’s me. Find what structure works for you, and ask yourself how you’ll operate best in these remote circumstances. 

Be Patient & Forgiving with Yourself

As I watched the news and new developments were happening every day, I definitely found myself looking for ways to distract myself from this new reality. TV, video games, anything but focusing on school for the normal 6-8+ hours a day — and it was made much easier by the fact that I was constantly in my pajamas, on the couch looking at my schoolwork. Before I could really drive myself to focus on school, I had to tune in to what the sources of my stress were. Note: it was also important that I knew how stress manifested for me - when stressed, I like to distract myself entirely, and this often leads me to feel guilty about not being productive. But knowing this was very crucial in being patient with adapting to learning remotely. I stopped checking the COVID updates daily, I reminded myself not to beat myself up about “wasting my time” during the days that blurred together, I used social media less, and I practiced gratitude more. This really helped me be in a more positive mindset and feel lighter— and more motivated to crunch out my work for the week so I could get to relaxing, connecting with friends, and spending time with my family. You know, the important stuff. 

A Real Desk and Working Station Really Helps

I mentioned being in my pajamas constantly and being on my couch frequently. The reality is, it’s hard to get work done like that. The biggest culprit being the couch — bad posture, comfiness, it just leads to either getting distracted or feeling sleepy/unmotivated. Sitting at a table or countertop drastically improved my ability to focus on my schoolwork and also separate work from play. My counter was for working, and my couch was for relaxing. Your body and mind are connected, and providing this structure in a physical manifestation greatly helps your mind focus on work versus play. 

Leverage Your Virtual Resources

I found professors were doing their very best to provide learning resources for us during this time. Office hours, recorded lectures, practice problems, etc. — I believe that virtual learning has tons of potential to help students of all kinds learn in the way they prefer. Whether that’s watching lectures solo or going to every office hours — there’s much more room for everything in between, and for students to get what they need from the class. I highly recommend using the self-reflection I mentioned earlier to also examine the resources you’re being given and to utilize them in the ways that will help you. For me, it was watching lectures solo and being able to rewind many times if I needed to, and asking follow up questions via email or Piazza.

Keep on Top of Your Calendar! Buddy System is an Advantage! 

The days blur together when you’re staying at home 24/7 — there’s no doubt about it. I definitely found it hard to remember deadlines, especially since sometimes they changed based on how the schedule for remote learning was working out. First it was Fridays things were due weekly, but a harder problem set made the professor extend to Monday — then every problem set thereafter was due Monday. How confusing! I really relied on my Google calendar and was diligent about putting all the dates for assignments in, color coding whether they were homework, recitation problems, or exams. I also utilized a friend in the class as a failsafe - we would remind each other to do the assignments before the day-of, and check in the day they were due just in case one of us forgot. 

Look at the Positives, and Find Gratitude

Similarly to being patient and forgiving to yourself, it was really important for me during this time to focus on positives and identify ways to be grateful even during the pandemic. I was healthy the whole time and so were my family members. I was given a gift of being able to live at home again and spend time with my family and friends at home. I live in an age of technology that allows me to still keep in touch with people across the world. I’m still able to receive my education virtually, even if it’s not what I’m used to or what I expected. There are so many medical professionals and service workers at grocery stores, restaurants, delivery services that are really sacrificing, and making this time easier for us all. There are many things to be grateful for, even if sometimes they’re hard to see. You just have to take the time to look — and voicing these gratitudes immensely helps shift your perspective and your mood in this really difficult time. Mindset can matter so, so much.