Struggles of Online College

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, schools had to resort to online schooling for safety. Sounds great. There is no doubt that there are so many pros: stay comfy, have snacks anytime, and no driving to school.

It was totally fine in the beginning but once the semester advanced, it became challenging. Issues that made it difficult for me to stay on track kept popping up.

Learning Environment

Online schooling requires a lot of self-discipline. The environment of the classroom is far different from a bedroom. It is difficult to have the same focus, especially being surrounded by so many distractions. One difficult thing to control is being surrounded by others, such as family members. Because our class is on the screen, it feels almost optional. I lose the motivation to pay attention to class every day.

Internet Connection

The worst part is relying on a stable internet connection. There are so many times I would be disconnected from my class meetings, or even tests/quizzes. It is difficult to miss information or lose time during a test or quiz. There was a time my wifi was out for 3 days, and I was panicked because I had papers and projects due. I had to resort to using my slow data for classes. Once it was finished, I had to ask family members to allow me to stay in their house for wifi. It is extremely stressful to depend grades on something impossible to control.

Communication

Communicating with classmates is sometimes difficult, especially when there are group projects assigned. It is unavoidable to be paired with undisciplined group members, no matter if it is an in-person or online class. However, it is easier to stay on track when we can work on our projects together in a classroom or library. When it is online, some students avoid replying right away and the group is unable to rely on them to get work done on time. It is also tough to contact professors as they are probably receiving hundreds of emails every day.

Let's Work Together!

Some of our classmates might miss class or work due to personal issues or connection problems. One helpful tip is to create class group chats. Let's help each other out by sharing information and updating one another so that we can all succeed this semester. 😊

More working from home tips from Ashley (YouTuber)