Navigating New Educational Experiences?
The coronavirus is altering life. A very common employment interview question is, tell me how you handled a challenging situation. This is a challenging situation. Below are some thoughts on how to stay mentally strong and finish the semester/year with positive results.
It is mind-boggling to think how much has changed since the start of 2020. No matter where you find yourself on your educational journey, regular class attendance has likely been moved to remote learning and all extracurricular activities have been extremely limited or cancelled. This is unprecedented and uncertainty is not easy for most individuals. Here are some tips to help stay motivated during this difficult time:
· Focus on what you can control. Start with your schedule. Since many extracurricular activities have been canceled, create a new weekly plan for how you will spend your time. In addition to blocking out time for online classes and study time on your schedule, make it a priority to schedule time for adequate rest, proper meals, securing food and preparing food, exercise, leisure, and connecting with friends and family.
· Carefully review all information provided by your professors and teaching assistants regarding how classes will proceed. Read through this information more than once. If it helps, print out this information and highlight important details. This is your new syllabus moving forward. If you have any questions, reach out to your instructors immediately.
· Try to stay mentally strong. If you are struggling to deal with this situation, seek help. It is alright to be sad and grieve for everything you were looking forward to this semester but try to end your day with positive thoughts. Be grateful for your health and the health of your loved ones, that we live in the age of the internet, and can easily connect with friends and family. If you need to, give yourself a small window of time to complain about what is most challenging and then let it go.
· Pass/Fail – if your institution if offering the option to take your courses pass/fail, consider this option for each class individually. Ask yourself the following questions:
o Has my instructor provided detailed information regarding how the class will proceed and what is expected moving forward?
o Examine your personal study habits/skillset. Are you the type of person who is good at working alone?
o Can you focus on a task without getting easily distracted?
o Are you able to remove distractions, making it easier for you to focus?
o How much of your grade is still on the table?
o Do you have access to all the resources you need to successfully complete the remaining assessments?
o Have you been successful in the class to date?
o Do you have a tutor for the class? If so, are they available to you remotely?
o If necessary, is it possible to get additional help?
o Do you receive accommodations? Are your accommodations available to you remotely?
o Has your school provided you with detailed information on who to notify and what happens if you or a loved one become ill and you are unable to complete your course work?
o If you have any remaining group projects to complete, how reliable are your teammates?
· Do not forget about advance registration for summer and fall courses. Some students are required to meet with advisors to receive approval/signoff prior to registering for courses. If your school requires advisor signoff for advance registration, carefully select courses for next term and email your advisor as soon as possible for approval. If you need guidance, email your advisor or major department for assistance.
· If you have secured a summer internship, it might be advantageous for you to review information on your university’s Career Services website or reach out to a representative of Career Services to determine if they have received any updates from employers regarding summer internships. Ask if it would be appropriate to reach out to your hiring officer for information. If it would be appropriate, ask if there is anything you can do while at home to prepare for your summer internship.
· Staying healthy is critical. Follow all recommendations from the CDC, state, and local officials pertaining to guidelines for staying well and limiting the spread of the virus. Get enough rest, eat well, drink water, exercise, wash your hands, cough/sneeze into a tissue if possible, and practice social distancing. If you are well and able to help others in need while taking advised precautions, consider doing so. Make sure to check in with friends and loved ones.
· If you have a special skill or great experience in a particular area, consider how you can make it available to others. Could you offer to tutor peers or younger students learning remotely? Maybe you could host a lunch and learn on a topic you excel in.
· Be kind to yourself and others. This is all new to your professors, the administrators at your university, medical professionals, and your loved ones. You have no idea what challenges others are facing. Give people the benefit of the doubt – assume they are doing their best. Some days will be better than others. Everyone is doing their best to make the best of a challenging situation.
Links to additional resources you might find helpful are listed below.
Advice for parents welcoming students home unexpectedly:
What happens when college kids leave the nest — and the coronavirus sends them back
If you or a student in your life is struggling with the new realities associated with the changing educational landscape, I have listed some additional contacts below.
University Life Coaching was created to help students succeed whether or not they are on campus. If you require support with scheduling/managing your time, selecting courses, communicating with your university, and/or creating a success plan for remote learning email januarywuerth@universitylifecoaching.com. Virtual meetings are available daily to support student success.
Fuller Tutoring led by Lynne Fuller offers personalized, inspired work, along with dedication and commitment to learning, to prepare students for the rigors of standardized testing and higher education. Her method is specific, data driven, and optimizes student learning profiles and best practices to help students reach their potential in standardized testing and beyond. Check out her website: http://www.fullertutoring.com
JBH Tutoring - If your college student is home because of school closings due to Coronavirus, they may benefit from writing support online. We have years of experience working in a college writing center and would love to help your student. We offer help with college essays and are also available to work with students in grades 7-12 on either schoolwork or customized writing assignments using high quality curated resources. Email us at jane@jbhtutoring.com for more details.
Scott Romeika is a psychologist, educator, and consultant in higher education. He coaches college students and their families with a particular focus on academic and social challenges, transition planning (workforce engagement, gap year design, classroom reintegration), and psychoeducational assessment. Dr. Romeika has 16 years of experience in college advising and administration. He currently teaches first-year and transfer students at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, on the topic of teamwork and leadership development. You can reach him at sjromeika@gmail.com.