I’ll admit it, distant learning is hard. Not only do you have to keep up with school work, but also have to pile on extra responsibilities like chores and babysitting. Santa Ana Unified students envisioned an online education up to the beginning of April, but Governor Newsom has recently announced the closure of campus for the remainder of this school year. With that said, students, teachers, and other public school officials must get accustomed to virtual, distance learning until schools reopen. I know I am not the only one who feels like my day flies by with little to no productivity done in a day, so here are things to make the most out of your day!

Just like writing homework assignments and commitments in your agenda or planner, you could create a daily schedule outlining all activities you want to get done for the day. You can even try it with a sibling or a friend, virtually, and check in with each other to keep yourselves accountable. It may seem hard especially when there is no motivation to even start, but giving it a try can help you get momentum to continue your routine. To get started on helpful tips, you could visit this blog made from Chris Winfield, an entrepreneur who “teaches people how to save time and increase their value in the marketplace.” 

Staying active can help reduce the financial, social, and emotional stress and anxiety people face. It is important to ensure you get physical activity everyday, even if it’s just walking your dog, meditating, or yoga. Although our ability to go outside is limited for the precaution of everyone’s health, we should all put time aside to stay active to avoid becoming sedentary and accustomed to this temporary quarantine. You can follow these recommendations from the World Health Organization.

Many Middle College students have taken at least one online class so we know how to manage online schoolwork, but it can still be overall challenging. What I like to do is set alarms on my phone for when I want to start a new homework assignment so I equally focus on all of my classes. It is important to always check your inbox from your emails, canvas, and Remind messages. Teachers know how difficult these times are and if not already, should understand and know this could hinder us from achieving as much educational potential as we did in the classroom. Regardless of our situation, we should all continue to always want to better ourselves and learn more to flourish our knowledge. To help you as an online learner, you can follow these tips made by the eLearning Industry. 

All in all, I believe one of the most important activities to prioritize is taking time for yourself. Whether that be to practice self-care, watch movies or shows, FaceTime a friend, or pick up a new hobby or passion. This can help you with your mental health, and overall focus your attention on something enjoyable and positive for a few moments of the day that doesn’t involve the media reminding us of our current pandemic. To get insight on ways you can practice self care, you can read this article giving you advice from ASCE News.