What to Do When You Feel like School is Taking Over Your Life

By: Sonia G.

Copyright free

Does the school week ever seem like a boring routine to you? Do your days look the same? Do you have time for family and friends, or do you feel like school is taking over every aspect of your life? School should be a priority, but it should not be the only one. Your family, friends, and possibly religion are also a priority, and if you play a sport or do activities outside of school, you have even more priorities to balance. But sometimes, school and all the stress that comes along with it can feel like it’s taking over everything. 

You might feel like your projects and studying barely leave you with time to interact with family and friends. Or that all of the cumulative stress leaves you unable to function. Either way, I have developed a plan that can help you whenever you begin to feel like school is becoming your life. 

First, I would recommend that you take breaks. If you can find a way to work and then take a break, you can give yourself a boost of energy. Your break can be as quick as checking your email or as lengthy as watching a movie. Just make sure that whatever you choose, your break is not longer than your work time and still allows time for you to finish the rest of your work. 

Another idea is for you to work during times that you do not typically think of as being opportunities to do schoolwork. Depending on your school, you may have a study hall or designated time when you can work. If you’re not as lucky, I would like to point out times that you may have overlooked. For example, on the ride to and from school, you have time to read and study. At lunch, you can create a study group with other friends and study, do worksheets, or work on projects. By applying this principle to your own life, you may also find other “free periods” that you can take advantage of. This will help you free up space so that you don’t have as much to do. 

Finally, I would like to suggest that you allow yourself to relax. Take time to do things that you enjoy so that you can approach your schoolwork with a clear mind. When you are able to focus on your assignments, you are much more likely to put forth the best effort possible and do much better than you could have done when distracted. 

Communication Skills for the NCVPS Student

By Ramya Krishna M.

First off, I would like to congratulate all of you for making the decision to take an online course. I assume that most of you are independent, motivated students who are willing to work hard. You will have to be if you want to succeed without in-person tutelage. Almost all of you logged in yesterday for the beginning of your courses, and you might have some questions or confusion regarding communication with your online teacher and other students. This article will teach you effective communication skills based on my experience, and that of some of my friends, which will make your time here productive, hassle free and fun. So, let's begin!

You may have been asked to download an application called Blackboard IM. Just as it says in the name, this is a system you can use to chat real-time with your instructor and other students. You'll have to create an account and make sure you're linked to your class (ask your instructor or tech support if you have any difficulty). Even though you're chatting online, remember that this is an educational environment; definitely not the place for copious usage of texting lingo. You are expected to maintain yourself in a professional manner, which means thinking before you type.

You will also have to download Blackboard Collaborate, which will enable you to attend live sessions hosted by your teacher. You might be asked to dial into the session, and will be given instructions about how to ask questions, by turning mute on and off. Remember to mute your phone after you ask a question, and turn it off when you are done doing so. This prevents background noise from impeding the audio.

Your online teachers may have asked you to make an introduction in the forum. If you have not done so already, here are some things to remember. This will be the first impression your teachers and other students get of you, so keep your writing professional and do as much proofreading as you can. Also make sure to read about other students and comment on their posts too.

If you have questions about your assignment, your first point of reference should be your teacher. Make your questions direct and don't just say, "I don't get it." Whenever anyone is helping you, it's helpful to understand what exactly you don't get. Try to demonstrate your thought process as you arrive at your answer, and ask the teacher where you went wrong. This is a good way to solidify problem solving techniques for all questions, not just one. After your teacher helps you, thank them for their time (many of them also teach live classes). Some teachers may give you their phone number and most will provide office hours. Call only during these times, and make sure to utilize Blackboard IM first. If you want to ask a fellow student something, always make sure that you are not simply asking for the answer. Similarly, if someone asks you to tell them the answer to a question, politely refuse and let your teacher know. Cheating hurts all students, including the one doing it, so do your own work. Procrastination is also ill advised and a student who is asking questions at the last minute before grading won't get very far. It shouldn't have to be said that bullying will not be tolerated among students and will merit consequences to those who try.

What if you're struggling with the subject matter? The number one piece of advice I would give is to get help early. You have many resources available for you to use: your teacher and other students who are peer tutors. This service is available and free for you to access anytime you need help, and the tutor may have even taken your course. However, if you are need of greater help, it can be beneficial to seek out someone who can tutor you face to face, such as a teacher at your school or other experienced individual. NCVPS does not suggest or endorse any live tutors. Whatever method you decide, it is essential in order to save your grade and your sanity that you get help earlier, rather than near the end of the year, when your grade is basically set.

Effective communication is not only necessary for face to face interaction, it is especially crucial for online interaction. Remember that NCVPS is an educational environment and you should make the most out of this opportunity given to you by fostering a productive relationship with your instructor and your class.

Organizational Skills!!

Organizational Skills

Many students sign up for online classes and then they can’t keep track of their work since there are no teachers in person to help them keep a notebook. Whenever one takes an online class, a notebook is essential. Online does not mean paperless. Printing off notes can make it a lot easier to complete the assignments. Not only will having a notebook and a few organizational skills help, but keeping a calendar is also suggested. Now, let’s break down the notebook and look at a few key points to becoming organized.

Becoming organized can be time consuming, but once it’s done, all is needed is a little maintenance here and there. One doesn’t need a large notebook to hold everything throughout the semester, but an average size should do (about an inch and a half.) One can adjust to his/her needs of course, but it is what goes inside it that it is most important. I recommend that it has a clear protective sleeve on the front, but it doesn’t need to have one, however it will come in handy later down the road. I suggest that tab dividers are used; they can be made or bought at the local dollar store. There should be at least four tabs designated Notes, Assignments, Review, and Paper. Under the Notes section, place anything that is printed off that may be beneficial to an assignment and keep it by date and lesson, dating work is very important! Under the Assignment tab, keep every assignment that has been printed off, once again, date everything! The Review tab should hold any information and assignments that are for test prep. The Paper tab is, of course, for loose leaf notebook paper and miscellaneous items.

Now that the notebook is organized, let’s make a calendar to help keep track of maintenance in an easier fashion and make meeting those dreadful deadlines more approachable and possible. The internet has many calendars that can be printed off. I generally use www.free-printable-calendars.com, because they give important dates such as Easter already labeled. Write down all of the due dates and other things that are of significance. Denoting different classes with different colors of high lighters and such forth is also a good organizational tool. As deadlines are reached, cross it out and take a minute to breathe! Calendar organization is very personal and optional, but I highly recommend it.

Another useful tip is to keep a daily planner in along with the calendar. The daily planner is a great tool because it can be changed, rearranged, and it’s always there. Write down everything that needs to be completed by the end of the day and work down the list. In addition, including such things as church events, sporting events, club meetings, birthdays and/or daily reminders of the upcoming weeks is also very important. Think of the planner as a personal assistant and use it as often as needed. Make sure to not over-plan, there is nothing worse than being over-scheduled. When the unexpected events arise, check with your “personal assistant.” Is there time to fit it in? If yes, then there is a decision to be made. If the answer is no, then simply say, “I’m sorry, but I can’t.” Of course there are exceptions to the rules, but use them as general guidelines.

Now that the hassle of organizing is over, how much time is left in the day that hasn’t been spent? I offer a challenge. Make a chart and write down everything that goes on during the day. How much time is being wasted? Can the schedule be rearranged so that productivity is maximized? Questions such as these are dependent upon the schedule, but I bet there will be at least two hours in the day that could be spent doing something enjoyable.

So, one may ask, “Why is organization important?” Simply stated, organization is the key to success and meeting deadlines. It is critical to passing any online class. Keeping everything “up top” is great, but remembering everything is impossible, so start organizing!

In conclusion, all of the things mentioned are completely optional, but are very helpful. Remember to keep a notebook, calendar, daily planner, and maximize productivity! Happy organizing!

-Felicia B.