Throughout the Covid-19 outbreak, schools have been taking many precautions to keep everyone as safe as possible. But based on many student and parent opinions, online school is a real struggle. Compared to real school and online classes, online learning seems to eat up everyone’s time and energy. 

Online school is a constant debate about whether or not it helps students since they cannot actually be in front of a teacher. Many parents believe that students have too many ways to get out of doing their schoolwork. When students are at home, it is hard to resist your phone or your bed being so close, due to the fact that you don’t actually have to get up and go to school. On the contrary, being able to work at your own pace is helpful for some that have trouble keeping up while in school.

As a result of my curiosity, I wanted to interview students that are going through the online school process. Sophia Peters, a student at Maple Point Middle School, had quite a bit to say about schooling through a computer. The first thing I asked Peters was what the hardest part of online school was. 

“It’s hard battling homework, teachers, and due dates. During class, I usually find myself on my phone on Tik Tok instead of paying attention and because of this and overall, I feel lazy to do my work,” Sophia said. 

It is understandable where she is coming from. It is difficult to pay attention while at home as there are many distractions, especially when school begins so early. 

“It can be extremely deteriorating to have to wake up at eight o’clock every morning,” Sophia stated. “I feel sleepy and less ready to get to work when I first wake up.”

Peters’ answers seemed surprisingly similar to the attitudes many students have expressed throughout this school year. So, how can we feel more motivated towards school while online? Here at The Playwickian, we’ve come up with some useful tips:

1. Create a decent schedule. 

Students are used to going about their day by a school schedule and adhering to those school bells. So, making an online school schedule can be even more helpful to some! Set alarms for each class and for free periods. Bring the bell schedule to you. 

      2. Reward yourself for the little things. 

If you are able to, reward yourself for the schoolwork you can get done during the morning, then during the afternoon. This is easier for those that find themselves not being able to do simple tasks. Whether it be a coffee, a quick nap, or a snack, set rewards for yourself that you will look forward to once you complete your work. 

      3. Keep the future in mind.

We all know that online school is overwhelming now. But if you think about the outcome, and if you are looking towards college, you definitely will want to try your best online.

      4. Use a neat workspace other than your bed.

A majority of us just want to sleep-in since we don’t have to get up at five in the morning to get to the school bus anymore. But if you move around more often and don’t stick to one place, you will feel yourself becoming more alert and ready to work.

      5. Find strategies that work. 

A better way to complete all work, and reducing your chances of being stuck with overdue assignments, is to look into strategies that can benefit you. 

These hard times can be approached in a different way; a way that doesn’t always have to be stained with negativity.  You can start to enjoy online school, it’s benefits, and the numerous once-in-a-lifetime amenities that come with it.

Try some of these methods to help lessen the pain, and hey, even enjoy it! We will all be complaining about cramped classrooms, crowded hallways, and early commutes soon enough!