Written by: Jenny Russell January 28, 2021 Find a study spot in Morton Hall. Photo Credit Jennifer Clifton Navigating college can be daunting during a pandemic. Having a connection to campus, whether virtually or socially distant and engaging in your online classes, is crucial to maintaining the college experience! Here are six tips to help you stay engaged and connected this semester! Schedule dedicated time each week for asynchronous classes. Since asynchronous classes do not have set meeting times, make your own schedule for your asynchronous classes! Carving out set times each week to work on assignments for that class will help you stay on track and make it feel more like a synchronous class. Stay engaged during Zoom lectures. If you have Zoom lectures, treat them like in-person classes. By limiting distractions, taking notes, and participating in your Zoom classes, you will not only retain the information and concepts better, but you will also connect with your professor and classmates more. Find an organizational style that works best for you. Everyone’s brains learn differently, but one thing that can’t be compromised is organization. Keep track of all your class schedules, assignments, extracurriculars, events, and work schedules not to forget anything. My favorite organizational method that has helped me stay organized since my freshman year of college is to put all my school assignments in a paper planner and put all my classes, extracurriculars, events, and work schedules into my Google Calendar. I also recommend color-coding your different classes and categories of schedules if you are a visual learner! Find a focused study spot. Morton Hall has many dedicated study areas. Photo Credit Jennifer Clifton Find a focused study spot. No matter if you’re on campus or back in your hometown, finding a study spot that meets your study needs will help you stay focused on your assignments. Some of my favorite study spots on campus are the study rooms at Morton Hall, the second floor of the Salmon Library, and the Charger Union. If you are working on an assignment or exam that requires silence and absolute focus, make sure that your study spot has limited distractions. If you’re working on a group project or something that doesn’t require as much focus, you could find a study spot that optimizes socially distant group study. Go to online UAH events. There are still ways to connect to campus, even if you are fully online this semester. UAH offices such as the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and the Office of Student Life have virtual events this semester. Be sure to check the Charger Student Newsletter and your individual colleges’ newsletter in your email to stay up to date on these virtual events! UAH registered student organizations (RSOs) are also hosting virtual events and meetings this semester! Check out this list of UAH RSOs and contact them to find out when they host meetings and events! Take advantage of UAH resources. UAH has many in-person and virtual resources that can help you academically and keep you connected to campus! The UAH Student Success Center (SSC) offers traditional and writing tutoring in-person at the Salmon Library and virtually. The SSC is a great opportunity for UAH students to excel academically, no matter if you’re online, hybrid, or in-person this semester! The UAH Counseling Center offers individual counseling, group therapy, and workshops to UAH students enrolled in at least 3 credit hours. All counseling sessions will be held virtually this semester. The Counseling Center is a great resource for students that may feel overwhelmed during this pandemic. Another great resource on campus is your academic advisors! The academic advisors for your college are there to help you with your college plan and assist you with any questions you may have about your class schedule! I recommend seeing your academic advisor at least once a semester to make sure you’re taking the right classes so that you can graduate on time. They are also very helpful if you are considering switching your major or minor! Blog Post by Arianna Kholanjani (Communication Arts), College Ambassador & Outreach Student Assistant Photo Credit Jennifer Clifton Questions? Contact us at cahs@uah.edu
