Have you been struggling to adjust to life in-person? Have you been feeling
overwhelmed and trying to figure out how to balance all of the commitments you have? The good news is, you’re not alone. More good news is that today, I’m going to be giving you a few tips on how to make your life a little bit easier while transitioning back into life in-person.
It’s been nearly two years since the Coronavirus pandemic came into our lives, and we are finally at a point where things are going back to semi-normal. In-person classes, on-campus events, and socializing with other people not from 6 feet apart are some of the perks that URI students get to have this school year compared to last.
This definitely excites all of us. The freshmen are excited to just be going to college in general. The sophomore’s are excited to experience “real college” compared to what it was during the 2020-21 school year. Juniors are trying to make up for lost time and remember what it was like during their freshman year, and seniors are finally getting the fun senior year that they deserve. However, coming off of nearly two years of online classes, masks, and COVID tests, the in-person school can be a huge adjustment for students.
The last time that I truly had an in-person class was my second semester of my senior year of high school, which is notorious for students to feel burnt-out and not put in much effort in the first place. So to say I was underprepared for the start of in-person college classes was an understatement. However, here are some things that have been working for me so far.
Tip #1: Leave early for your classes
First of all, I definitely was not prepared for the amount of walking that I’d have to do
going to my in-person classes. I knew that URI was a relatively large school, but I never really took into consideration the fact that I couldn’t wake up a minute before my class starts, log on, and lay in bed. Allotting about 15 minutes of time to walk to my classes has definitely helped me a lot when it comes to this problem. If you’re a commuter, definitely add some more time there in order to account for the “what if’s:” traffic, parking, etc. Sometimes, you’ll find that you’ll get to class early, but it’s better to be early rather than late, right 🙂
Tip #2: Use Effective Note-Taking Skills and Study Tactics
I think we all can agree on the fact that taking quizzes and exams online are a completely different experience than taking them in-person. Online exams were mostly open-note, smaller, and overall just easier to handle. In-person exams can be difficult, but using study methods such as Quizlets, Kahoot and different flashcards can help immensely in being prepared. Another piece of advice I have is to make your notes readable and exciting. I’m the CEO of fancy notes with different colors, fonts, etc. I do this because when things are visually appealing to look at, it makes me want to look at them and study them. When notes have just one color, bullet points, and a bunch of scribbles, it’s easy for them to all just blend together in your head and not be an effective study method.
Tip 3: To-Do Lists
To-do lists are the backbone of my everyday life. I, quite literally, would not be able to function without them and I can’t recommend them enough. Every night, sit down and make a to-do list of all your tasks for the next day. Go through your Brightspace, look at your planner, figure out all of your upcoming due dates and such, and prioritize your to-do list based on when things are due. It is SO satisfying to cross off things on your list and slowly watch all of your tasks disappear. You will feel so much better at the end of the day knowing that you had a productive day and got things done that needed to be done.
Tip #4: Buy a Planner
Going off of the whole to-do list productivity thing, planners are essential to any college student, but especially to us during this weird transition between online and in person. Balancing due dates, extracurriculars, and other commitments can be a huge challenge now that we’re back to “real life,” but using a planner is a very helpful tool to make your life a little bit easier. Every time you find out about a new assignment, new event, or anything, be sure to write it down in your planner. Being able to mentally prepare for all that you have to do in advance is helpful to reduce feelings of being overwhelmed. It also is helpful for forgetful people like me, and minimizes “oops” situations where the teacher says to hand in your homework and you think, “What homework?”
Overall, adjusting to in-person life has been a challenge, but nothing that we as students can’t overcome. We just need to utilize our time management skills, planners, notes, etc. and keep trying our best. We’re all in the same boat, and we’ll make it through together.
Hi! I’m Juliana and I’m a sophomore Communications and Journalism student from Brookfield, CT. I can’t wait to continue my passion for writing as a blog writer for InsideRec! Outside of Campus Recreation, I’m also involved in Greek Life, the Good Five Cent Cigar, and URI 101 mentoring. In my free time, you can find me watching the sunset in Narragansett, sitting on the quad with my friends, or in the line at Dunkin’ Donuts. I’m looking forward to writing more blog-style posts and giving advice from my own experiences!