8 ways for students to stay on track while schools are closed during the COVID-19 outbreak

Studying alone can be stressful, but having to study at home during coronavirus self-quarantine is a whole new challenge. Here are eight, easy-to-follow study tips for managing the COVID-19 stress, staying on task and riding this out while achieving your academic goals. 

1. Make a plan.

Did you know that planning is one of the best stress management techniques and writing your plans, notes, school projects, etc. in a paper planner can help you retain and remember more information? Consider unplugging from time to time to supplement digital apps and online learning portals with a paper planner, notebook or notepad.

Stay on track of your academic work and your school’s expectations by gathering all your school resource documents, study-at-home curriculum and any and all instructions from your teachers. Then transfer exam dates, project deadlines, quizzes, assignments, etc. into a monthly calendar. Once you’ve plugged in important monthly dates into a calendar, break each week out into a weekly study schedule that works for you.

Learn more about high school and college remote learning tools here.

2. Keep everything organized in one place.

Students, teachers, bloggers and a lot of us collect notes, to-dos, important dates and more on random slips of paper. To avoid anything slipping through the cracks, track all of this info in one place. An academic planner is the best tool for this, or you can use basic school supplies like a binder and dividers. The point is to keep all pertinent documents and info handy in one convenient place so you can see it all at a glance, stay organized and stress less about forgetting something. Organization increases productivity and reduces stress.

3. Study according to your personal learning style.

Students learn many different ways. Are you a visual learner, auditory learner, social learner or solitary learner? Take this simple test to find your learning style & discover the most efficient way to study according to how you learn best. 

4. After studying, practice explaining what you’ve learned.

If you can explain the lesson to someone else, then your studying has paid off. A simple-but-effective study tip is to test your studying habits by describing what you studied. There are several ways you can do this while still observing social distancing:

• Practice explaining what you’ve learned to family members that are self-quarantined with you during the coronavirus outbreak.
• Practice virtually with friends online.
• Practice in front of a mirror.
• Record yourself explaining what you’ve learned.

5. Tap into the power of music. 

The right type of music can be a powerful tool that can boost your mood, energy and focus. Find a study playlist that inspires you. Thousands of students around the world stay focused with custom playlists. Explore the best playlists for studying & find your inspiration.

6. Study with friends … ONLINE.

While we are all doing our best to practice social distancing and reduce the spread of the coronavirus, safe social interaction is still helpful, especially for studying. Consider organizing virtual study groups with your friends to not only get your dose of socializing during self-quarantine but also to hold each other accountable to your academic goals.

7. Decrease test anxiety by increasing practice.

Test anxiety affects students of all ages and rehearsing the material helps you feel more relaxed on exam day. Take advantage of whatever online resources your school has available (e.g., practice tests, interactive quizzes, virtual flashcards, etc.). If you’re not sure your school offers online resources, email your teacher(s) and even do a general search online for “practice test examples” within your subject, where you’ll find plenty of helpful practice materials to help you prepare for your exam. 

8. Stay organized.

From high school to college and grad school, there’s a lot to keep track of. That’s where the power of organization comes in; without it, things can feel overwhelming. Break your academic goals down by quarter or semester; make a realistic plan to meet those goals; then, get organized to make it easier to follow your plan. You’ve got this!

Need help getting started? Check out our Student Resources page and How To Start Planning.