Welcome back Rams! For the first time in over a year, classes are truly back in session. It may seem like an exciting proposition at first, but going from online learning back to fully in-person classes is a big transition. Below are a few tips to make sure you’re putting your best foot forward this semester.
Keep track of your schedule.
Make a schedule the night before, so you know when you need to be certain places. Remember, you’ll now need to print out your papers before class and visit professors in person for office hours. When can you find time to run to the library or computer lab? When does your professor hold office hours? Do you need to set up an appointment at the Career Center beforehand, or can you just walk in? These are important details to keep track of so you can make sure you get to all your classes and appointments on time.
Weigh your textbook options before purchasing.
Decide if ebooks are still right for you. Ebooks can certainly be more convenient for most students, and were especially useful during the pandemic when everything was done online. But now the library is fully accessible again, and you can access hard copies your required textbooks for free within the library, as well as ebook copies of some textbooks through Sawyer. What is the more practical solution for you? Weigh the costs and benefits before you go out and buy those $200 textbooks.
Transition into class participation.
For many of us, class participation became a lot easier when it was occurring over Zoom. Having the comfort of mute options, the chat, or turning off your camera helped many students gain confidence in interacting with classmates and their professors during class. During this transition, talk to your professor the first week or two of the semester and explain your situation; maybe you built up your confidence on Zoom, but being back in person is stressful. Giving the professor the heads up means they may be able to provide other options—such as submitting pre or post-class notes, reminiscent of a Zoom chat—or just generally being more understanding of students’ situations. Communication is key here!
Stick to your routine.
Keep the same routine you developed during quarantine and throughout the pandemic. This is a huge transition after a year and a half at Zoom University, and humans are creatures of habit. Maintaining those routines as much as possible will make the new chaos—the commute, seeing people in person, having to travel between classes—more manageable. Whether that means setting aside an hour every night for journaling, taking a walk every lunch break, or facetiming with your friends every Friday night, the little things will make the upcoming semester bearable.
Communicate with your professors.
If your professors know where you stand, they can better work with you to meet your needs. Anything that may affect your ability to do your best this semester—from class participation, to ongoing caretaking duties at home, to difficulty with a long commute—is something you should communicate to your professor. Having that initial conversation will make it much easier to ask for extensions or similar questions when problems arise later on.
Prepare for the changing weather.
This may seem silly, but we’re back to traveling between buildings—from sun to shade, warm to air conditioned, windy to stale. Bundle up in layers, or keep a sweatshirt handy. Make sure you’re prepared for all the crazy temperature changes that didn’t exist when school was happening in your bedroom…
Take advantage of counseling services.
Again, this will be a sudden and difficult change to go from online life to campus. If you find yourself feeling stressed or anxious, or just need a sense of calm, do not hesitate to reach out to Counseling, Health, and Wellness. They provide great services for students, including unlimited counseling sessions every semester. Use them to take care of yourself!
Schedule time for yourself.
It is great to be back socializing with friends and acquaintances again, but it’s important to take time for yourself as well. Juggling an academic and a social life can become difficult, especially when we’ve fallen so out of practice with it. A solo visit to a cafe, weekly bath time, even taking an hour before bed to watch your favorite tv show, can give you time to center yourself and get ready for all the socializing you missed out on while taking classes online.