You can take the Student out of Uni, but you can’t take Uni out of the Student.

On March 18th, 2020, QUT announced classes will move online for the remainder of semester 1. Lectures, tutorials, workshops and other modes of content delivery began their transition to online learning over the later weeks.  

It’s currently the second week of our two-week mid-semester break. Whether you’re using this time as a breather from your classes, catching up on missed work or getting ahead you’re most likely doing so from home. We know it can be tough having your study/work/home space under the same roof.

Some people (on TikTok) have embraced WFH/SFH in hilarious ways; 

@zarahmautswait until the end ##reallifeathome ##coronavirus ##quarantine ##fyp♬ Funky Town – The Dance Queen Group

 

Moving from 9-5 study sessions in the GP Lawbry and on-campus tutorials to doing everything from the comfort of my own home (and sometimes my bed) was a shock. I’ve had to try out new habits to help cope with the changes. Here is what helped: 

To combat work/life study blur I have created buffers between different aspects of my life.  

Usually, the commute to uni gives me time to relax before I start class. I use this time to listen to podcasts and music. Studying at home doesn’t have to mean giving up these buffers. Taking a walk around my backyard whilst listening to a podcast or stretching in my lounge room before starting a lecture puts me in the learning mind frame. 

@flutemakersCorona Commute ##Tube ##Commute ##Corona ##london♬ original sound – pablo_hutchinson

@brontekolbejust saying bye to dad before he goes to work this morning… ##fyp ##quarantine ##isoltion ##WFH ##work ##workfromhome ##aussiedad ##banker♬ Work from Home (Workout Mix) – Work This! Workout

Changing out of pyjamas is a must while studying at home. I take a shower and put on “uni clothes” before logging on for a class. This makes it harder to jump right back into bed after the tutorial and tricks your brain into being more productive. 

To combat disconnection and over connection, I’ve stopped scrolling through social media and started video calling friends and workmates.  

In a perfect world, everything we say through email or messages is interpreted in the same way we meant it. In reality, this is not the case. Take the time to call a friend to discuss the assignment or even better, use your tutor’s consultation hours to talk to them on Zoom if you’re confused about the learning material. You will have a better understanding of the course material if you can speak to someone face-to-face, and right now Zoom calls are the next best thing.  

@sophiagtianDay 1 of taking my college classes online and my mom came over because all she heard was me laughing ##coronavirus ##fyp♬ original sound – sophiagtian

Currently, social media is oversaturated with misinformation about COVID-19 so make sure you only get your information from verified sources and take a break from the news if you need to.

To combat a loss of motivation I have upped my coffee intake and taken more breaks.  

You don’t have to drink lots of coffee but taking the time to fuel your body with things that aid productivity will make it easier for you to study. Eating lots of healthy meals and drinking water will help you way more than eating 10 packets of 2-minute noodles in a week. 

Doing your work in 25 minute sessions has been proven to be highly effective for concentration and knowledge retention according to Francesco Cirillo in his Pomodoro method.

When practicing the Pomodoro method, the app ‘Flora’ can be very helpful. Set a timer and the app grows a virtual tree while you study. If you use your phone before the timer is up – the tree dies. 

During your breaks, you can go outside, stretch or drink some water.

Making it fun

We’ve been having fun with Zoom backgrounds for team meetings, catch-ups with friends and the occasional tutorial.  

Here’s a link to a couple of our favourite Zoom backgrounds 

Let us know how you have been adapting to changes in your study schedule:

Submit to our homeschool column by sending an email to media@qutguild.com with a few photos of your day at home and answers to the following questions:

What’s your name and what do you study? 

What does a typical day at home look like for you? 

Tell Glass about what’s going well with home study: 

What are you struggling with? 

Are you working on a hobby or interest while in isolation? 

What are you listening to right now? 

If you were going to give students one piece of advice, what would it be? 

Read responses to the homeschool column here.

Jasmin
Jasmin

Jasmin is a second-year Law and Business student at QUT.

Articles: 12

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