4 Ways to Change Online College from a Burden to an Opportunity
With the inability to go to school right now, it has been close to a nightmare having to take classes online. The perks of going to college-seeing friends, going to the coffee shop, getting lunch-have been taken away from us while the burden of our work remains. It would be all too easy to let our GPAs drop right now, but there are ways to make this unfortunate situation easier.
- Treat Everything Like a Game
Instead of complaining about how difficult and unfair this situation is, learn to find the challenge of it invigorating. No student has ever had to go through a pandemic before, which makes those As all the more rewarding. It’s like the level on the Academic Game went from hard to legendary mode, and now you’ve got to up your game. Those pesky professors are the bosses in this game, with all their unpredictability, strangeness, and even unfairness. Above all, strive to prove yourself wrong. You’re probably expecting your grades to tank, so do the opposite and do better than before.
2. See School as an Escape from the Current Chaos
At the beginning of the pandemic, I was still in the middle of my spring semester. Although the situation was alarming and devastating, the pressing needs of my assignments and deadlines helped me to forget about everything. I noticed that in the midst of my work, I was able to focus more intensely because my work was the only thing that mattered any more. The need for seeing friends, wasting time at the coffee shop, and useless chatter was no longer an option. All the dopamine of everyday life has been sucked away from us. That’s terrible, but in a way that makes school one of the most interesting things for us to do right now. For anyone on summer vacation right now, the difficulty of making a schedule, and overcoming the entropy of our minds, can be far more difficult than our conscripted studies. Escapism is usually a thing we should avoid, but school can be a healthy outlet for bringing order to our minds and help us avoid the impending existential dread.
3. Realize that you actually have more time
No more commuting to school. No annoying traffic or parking issues. No more problems caused by being late, or having to present in person. Getting out of having to do an in-person presentation (even though I’m fairly good at presenting) last semester was actually a big relief because I really wasn’t in the mood for making a poster which was the way the assignment was originally going to be done. Seeing the good in all this will keep you from losing your mind. Now you can probably sleep in a little bit more, take your time, and create your schedule without having to hassle with the forces of the external world.
4. If you don’t slack, you’re actually at a huge advantage
Remind yourself that it is very likely that the majority of students are going to slack now. Many don’t see the point of trying right now, mine as well just watch Netflix and skip those zoom lectures. If anything, try to prove a point by not slacking your discipline. Show that you’ve got grit, determination, and are willing to give more than the rest. Heck, if anything, it’ll be a good way to present yourself in an interview. Or, at the very least, you’ll feel like a beast, and sometimes the way you feel is way more important than any sort of result.
So, if you’re happy with Cs, then by all means, just chill. Although I don’t think that will make it any better, it just might make things worse for you. So, take yourself seriously and at the same time see all of this like it’s a joke. So don't shy from the task, it’s game on.
