Suggestions for Students Working From Home

By Francesca Acocella, Director of Student Services

Create a routine and stick to it, including:

Waking up at the same time every day.
Getting dressed in the morning.
Scheduling time for meals.
Creating a physical study space with desk/table surface, strong WiFi connection, and any necessary school/office supplies.
Move your body! Stand up, stretch your legs, and walk around every 30 minutes (except when you are class).
Make a daily schedule for studying that factors in class time, class readings, outlining, meals, and reasonable breaks.
Be realistic in how long each task will take and factor that in.
Reduce distractions during class, just as you would in person (turn off phones, don’t browse the internet, etc.)
Plan to check-in with one friend a day. Coordinate a time via Zoom, FaceTime, email, text, etc. in advance to talk about how you’re doing. Ask this friend if you can hold each other accountable for work, whether they’re a student or not. Set a goal for the time between conversations with that friend.
Use video conferencing for study group sessions.
Make weekly academic goals for outlining and class readings.
Control your news intake – take a break from news alerts or social media if it feels overwhelming.
Schedule time for yourself! Schedule breaks, Netflix binges, snacks, mindfulness, cooking, exercise – whatever works for you. When circumstances change, bring a sense of normalcy to your schedule by leaning into what has worked for you before.