First year of university in Quarantine
Gihan Hassan
To some, the halt of our studies on March 17th of 2020 acted as a blessing to our lives in quarantine. The closure of our schools and universities felt like an extension of the summer holidays. The usual hustle and bustle to make it to lectures, finding a spot in the cramped spaces on trains during rush hour ceased to exist for the time being.
The initial fear of starting up a new chapter in my life after having just graduated high school had loomed over me for the entirety of the summer. The ability to begin my first semester online was a different feeling I never imagined my university experience to involve. Workshops and lectures were given to me with the click of a button. The ability to perform quizzes with my notes and Google so near to me felt somewhat illegal. Incomplete activities were set as reminders by my professors every morning and I was able to study at my own pace.
As much as quarantine has removed the physical and emotional inconvenience of being at university, its presence has demotivated me from following through with my responsibilities. So, while we're here, these are the steps I've taken and greatly recommend to re-engage into studying:
Find a clear area to study. De-cluttering and making room for books and notes is a great first step.
Tuning out siblings or social media could allow for a mental de-cluttering so distractions aren't around every corner.
Setting realistic goals every morning and/or study sessions can allow time for other commitments. It also limits overloading your mind and leaves you achieving more throughout your sessions.
Get in the habit of exercising different organizational techniques such as focused “time blocking”. This technique allows you to dedicate a specific time to accomplish a targeted task, subsequently managing your time by predetermining what to focus on.
