Dear Fellow Freshmen,
So…this definitely wasn’t the freshman year you were expecting. Whether it was watching our siblings and upperclassmen friends begin their own journeys toward independence and envisioning that for ourselves or fantasizing about the amazing memories and friends we’d make our freshman year just last summer, COVID-19 has clearly blown all of our expectations out of the water. Don’t beat yourself up for taking the time to mourn this adjustment or for having low motivation; these are all normal and expected reactions. That being said, I thought that I would compile a list of 10 tips my friends and I have learned both throughout high school and while adjusting to virtual classes. I hope that they can make you feel less alone and maybe even contribute to your academic success this semester!
Tip #1: Make sure that you are (safely) fulfilling your social needs
When was the last time you saw your high school friends on a football field during your socially distanced graduation? If so, make sure that you make time in your schedule to meet with them, either virtually using tools like Zoom or FaceTime through safe, socially distanced in-person meetings. Whether you identify as an introvert or an extrovert, there’s always something special and motivating about connecting with friends. Some fun ideas include movie nights, book clubs, venting sessions, (even if unintentional…) study dates, or simply sharing a meal together!
Despite not being able to meet our classmates or clubmates in person, there are also numerous ways to virtually meet new people. Make sure you browse the Rutgers Explore — getINVOLVED page for club opportunities, and groups on Facebook, GroupMe, and Discord can also be extremely helpful in meeting new people. If not being able to connect with new people is getting you down, don’t hesitate to reach out to club executive board members or even just people in these groups you think you’d get along with!
Tip #2: Be present in your classes
It goes without saying that we should be present in our classes through focusing completely on material and staying off social media or other tabs (a rule that I unfortunately break at least a few times a day), but classes over Zoom provide a new opportunity for increased participation. In my high school classes, I was often too anxious to participate and feel the eyes of the entire classroom on me, but the anonymity of Zoom classes have encouraged me to be a much more active participant. Challenge yourself to turn on that mic and answer or ask any questions, and if that seems too daunting, then use the chat feature to communicate (if applicable). From what I’ve gathered so far, going to office hours or answering questions that nobody else is making an effort to answer can go a long way in helping you better understand material and even in building a friendly relationship with your professors.
If you notice a friend who seems to be trying to participate more, then make sure to recognize their efforts and compliment them! Speaking from personal experience, this can be extremely encouraging and a confidence-booster.
Tip #3: Use technology to motivate you
I’m certainly no stranger to spending hours scrolling through Twitter and Instagram, but in the past few years I’ve found a lot of ways to use technology that actually motivates me to study and stop procrastinating. An example of this is the Study with Me genre on YouTube- I’m playing one in another tab as I write this! These videos involve the person in the video studying along with you and often use the Pomodoro method (an effective study method in which intervals of studying and breaks are timed, most commonly 25/5 min or 50/10 min). It sounds like a silly idea, but it can actually be very motivating, especially given that most of us can no longer bring work to the library to get into a “studying mindset”. An even more creative way of doing this is arranging virtual study sessions with friends and classmates- if you’re sure you can stay focused on studying, that is! Although I honestly don’t use these myself, I have also recommended apps like Forest (in which you build a virtual forest that will not grow if you visit other apps on your phone) and website blockers.
Tip #4: Pick up a new hobby or interest
It seemed like everyone was picking up a new hobby at the beginning of quarantine- whether this was obsessively baking, working out, or buying art supplies with dreams of creating beautiful masterpieces in no time (guilty). Although this sudden fervor seems to have fizzled out, it’s definitely not too late to pick up a new hobby or interest, however small or low effort! This can even be a goal- I had the goal of re-reading the entire Harry Potter series a couple of months ago, for example. Having something to look forward to that breaks the monotonous routine of attending class and studying can be motivating and more rewarding than you might think at first, especially if it involves challenging yourself.
Tip #5: Organization can be just as important as studying
Although it may not be immediately apparent why people spend time creating organized bullet journals, calendars, or daily planners, I’ve learned that organization is key to succeeding in virtual classes- more so than in high school. I watched a lot of Thomas Frank (who makes videos on organization) and Crash Course: Study Skills videos at the beginning of the year, which have helped me reduce clutter and missing out on points due to being disorganized at least a little bit. Some methods that my friends and I have found effective include bullet journaling, having a daily planner with assignment and assessment dates along with life events and specific blocks for studying, weekly organization sessions where you look back on your past week and plan for events in the upcoming one, and having a calendar (especially dry-erase!) that is visible containing class times, due dates, test dates, club meetings…and anything else you might find useful to plan out! Time spent toward organization can be just as important as studying because it can help you visualize your time and allows you to maximize the points you gain. You’d never want to miss a quiz or assignment because you didn’t realize it was due that day! In terms of organizing study sessions, a method I use is that after I do practice questions, especially for Gen Chem, I write out questions I got wrong, the correct answer, and why I got it wrong, thus preventing me from repeating the same mistakes (and of course, Pomodoro’s).
Tip #6: Take advantage of online opportunities
Another benefit of virtual university: you can attend meetings and seminars given by experts in the comfort of your own home! There are lots of clubs trying to recreate in-person events online whether these are meetings, socializing with club members, or even career focused opportunities, like shadowing hours, so keep a lookout for Zoom events and links posted in club GroupMe chats or Facebook groups. This is especially true for Muslim organizations on campus like, of course, the MSA. I was even able to attend a STEM Ambassadors meeting on research opportunities like Aresty and Project SUPER! In addition to club meetings, programs at Rutgers, like the Honors Program or the Douglass Residential College, are also holding valuable online events- make sure to look out for those in newsletters and emails.
Tip #7: Make sure you’re engaging in healthy habits
Although it can be tempting to engage in competitions with others about how few hours you slept studying for that chem exam or ignoring physical needs like eating and exercising in favor of completing assignments, please make sure you are taking care of your physical, mental, and spiritual needs. Not to sound like a commercial, but during this pandemic addressing these needs is more important than ever. Being organized and sleeping/waking up early can definitely allow you to get more sleep, and some other questions to ask yourself are: Am I getting enough physical activity every day? Am I staying hydrated? Am I talking to a trusted friend or family member about my concerns each day? Based on these, you can make daily goals like exercising a certain amount per day or drinking a certain amount of water per day (apps can be used for this), which will make you feel both productive when you accomplish them and much better overall.
Make sure to lean on your friends for support, and if you find yourself struggling with your mental health, seek support among loved ones and Rutgers CAPS (Counseling, Alcohol and Other Drug Assistance Program & Psychiatric Services)- they have therapy and crisis options available even amidst the pandemic! Don’t feel weak or like a burden for reaching out; rather, you are doing the strong thing by acknowledging your struggles and seeking to improve your life. The right loved ones and professionals will be glad you sought their help!
Tip #8: Go outside!
This tip is pretty self-explanatory, but nonetheless important. Being out in nature, whether this is taking walks, doing homework outside, or even swinging in your backyard, can be refreshing and a much-needed change in scenery from your bedroom and laptop. My mom and I have been taking walks almost every morning this past week (read: she drags me from my warm bed), and the physical activity and autumn sights help me get in the right mindset for the day ahead of me, even if it’s SO hard to get out of bed or doesn’t feel great a lot of the time. If it’s safe for you to do so, make sure to engage in fun activities outside with friends and family!
Tip #9: Try writing and journaling
There’s something about writing that can be really therapeutic; sometimes even as therapeutic as venting out loud about professors or classes to friends! I encourage you to find some way to write out your feelings, using the medium to process current events, your hopes for the future, and even memories (along with seeking out the right resources like therapy if necessary). Journaling daily or weekly is just one way to do so. I’m taking Creative Writing right now, and if not therapeutic, practicing writing in different genres, discussing stories and poems, and workshopping in groups has often been a nice respite from other stressors. Especially with STEM majors, planning out time to write or journal can be useful because there may not be a chance to engage in writing during class.
Tip #10: Make dua
Last but certainly not least (this is the MSA, after all), although it can be difficult to remember amidst all of the hours spent studying- it definitely has been a struggle for me- make sure to thank and call on Allah (SWT) for help! Two duas that I know and try to remember to recite before exams, presentations, and writing assignments are Rabbi zidni ‘ilma (My Lord! Increase me in knowledge) (Qur’an 20:114) and Rabbishrah lee sadree Wayassir lee amree Wahlul ‘uqdatan min lisanee Yafqahoo qawlee (My Lord! Uplift my heart for me, and make my task easy, and remove the impediment from my tongue so people may understand my speech) (Qur’an 20:25–28). Here are some links to pages with more duas for students: Dua for Students, Exam Day: Duaa to Perfect Your Memory and Increase Your Knowledge, and Dua for Studying and Tips to get good Marks in Exam.
I hope that reading over these tips was useful for you, or at the very least entertaining! I am definitely not trying to say that I follow all or even most of these tips or that I’m perfect, of course (just ask my parents or friends, haha); rather I’m simply sharing advice that my friends and I have learned about in the past few years and even months. Please stay safe, and take care to protect and help yourself and others :)
By Sarah Adams
