Due to the coronavirus, YLHS has had to continue their learning online and this change can be difficult for many students. Here are some ways to stay motivated and to be successful during online school.

The first tip for online school is to set a schedule for yourself. During our normal school day, we have set hours in order to prioritize our classes. In online school, it is easy to wake up at noon and leave all school work for 11 pm when the assignment is due at midnight. Setting a schedule for yourself keeps yourself motivated and gives your online school day order. Waking up at a normal time is also difficult, and you should give yourself something to look forward to when you wake up, such as a workout or a delicious breakfast.

The next tip for staying motivated during quarantine is to get ready for the day. When you spend all day in your pj’s, you are more likely to crawl back into bed and binge-watch your favorite shows. Putting on something from a dress to sweats is extremely gratifying and can raise your productivity in order to complete any tasks for the upcoming day. Keeping your daily routine similarly will make this transitional phase easier.

To stay on track at home, using a planner helps students stay organized. Writing down the things you need to accomplish sets daily goals for yourself, leading you to more likely complete these tasks. Keeping account of all of your classes on Google Classroom or other educational websites can be hectic, and writing them down in the same place will significantly help. With online school, there is not a teacher verbally reminding you to complete your work, and having due dates written will help remind you.

Asking others for help is another beneficial way to succeed at online school. Attending Zoom meetings teachers have put in place is extremely helpful, allowing students to ask questions about homework, notes, or other academic assignments. Also, asking your classmates or emailing your teachers to clarify a due date or what the assignment entails is another easy way to understand what is occurring in your classes.   

The final piece of advice to succeed at online school is to not use your phone during your time to study. At school, our phones were put away either in our backpacks or in a holding place in the classroom room. At home, we always have access to our phones, allowing us to be distracted by our fellow classmates who are also stuck at home. Separating yourself from your phone decreases your likelihood of being distracted and allows you to focus on school. Junior Sunny  Cheng (11) adds, “I use my phone a lot when I am at home and during this process, I have had to learn how to put it away and focus on my work.”