By: Hannah Dineen

With Beaver classes starting later and many breaks being incorporated into our schedules, many students find it more difficult to concentrate and work from home. Some note that it’s much easier to become distracted, with the benefits of going to bed late and waking up only in the nick of time for class. Others miss the work focused environment that school provided, and find it hard to complete work for classes with the same amount of focus. Fear not, students! Below we have compiled a list of helpful tips that might make digital learning a little bit easier, and to keep you just as productive as you were at Beaver. 

1. Get Dressed

Well, more specifically get dressed in clothing that makes you feel like you’re at school. While it might be tempting to wear pajamas all day long, the act of changing clothes might convince your brain that its time to be productive and begin to work. Getting dressed is just another step in your everyday routine, and keeping your routine as similar to what it would have been non-digitial school wise is definitely key to productivity. 

1. Create a space 

Though many of us insist on waking up at 8:55 and going through our first, second, and maybe even third class in bed, it is important to keep work and home separate. To do this, try to find a quiet space in your house where you can work like a kitchen or a desk in your bedroom, maybe even just a quiet corner, and do your work there instead of in bed. Not only will this help switch your mind into school mode, but it also might improve your sleep schedule. 

1. Stick to a Schedule 

Though we all stick to the Beaver course schedule, think about your schedule beyond. Do you wake up at the same time every day? Do you go to sleep at the same time? How long do you usually do homework? If you schedule enough time to do your work and to rest and recover, it could be highly beneficial. It’s a great time to schedule breaks to catch up with friends or get more sleep than you might normally. 

1. Socialize 

Though we can’t go out and see friends, it’s still important to keep them in your lives beyond texting. Google meets or Facetime might be helpful in finding ways to spend time with friends throughout the day. If you usually eat lunch with friends, consider video chatting during lunch break together. Additionally, it might be a good time to check up on beyond just your friends-neighbors, grandparents, cousins-make sure you stay connected. 

While the first few days of online school were very different from what students and faculty are used to, keep in mind that it feels strange for everyone collectively, and everyone is trying to get used to creating a new routine. Hopefully, these tips can be of some use in facing the next few weeks.