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As a student working toward a career in Engineering, I had a lot of classes to take to get there. Thankfully, my university has professors who bring real-world experience to the table, which makes learning more hands-on. However, since they can’t always be on campus, many of my classes are held online. With so many online classes this semester, it can be tough to stay focused and keep distractions at bay. Over time, I've picked up a few helpful strategies for staying on track and getting my work done efficiently while learning from home. Here’s what’s been working for me!

1. Leave Your Room

The main tip that anyone can learn while trying to be a successful student and to make use of all their time is to leave the comfort of your room. With the different online classes that I have, it can get hard for me to find the motivation to get up at a reasonable hour and utilize that time for studying. During these times my bed looks extra comfortable and if you were like me, getting things done while lying in bed is not a successful strategy. Finding a routine that allowed me to get ready for the day and take my work anywhere that is not my home or dorm put me into an environment to have complete focus to finish tasks.

2. Pomodoro Method

Sounds like you’ve never heard it right? How about the 25-5 method? Well, I didn’t know that there was an official name for this type of study method. It is when you study hard for 25 minutes uninterrupted, then once the timer is up, you take a 5-minute break, before going back to studying. This is a really good method for people who tend to procrastinate (like me). It keeps you focused on your work for a good amount of time and allows you time to take a mental break. If you get super advanced at this method, try increasing your study timer to 30 minutes.

3. Invest in a Computer Monitor

You know, for us STEM majors, it can get a little crazy trying to manage everything at once whether you're working on an assignment or running software that’s eating up your computer’s energy. It’s easy to feel like you're drowning in tabs, or like your computer’s just not keeping up with the workload. That’s why getting an external monitor is honestly a game-changer. It helps you keep everything organized and gives you some extra space to breathe. I can't even tell you how many times I’ve opened something like AutoCAD and realized how much easier it is to see everything clearly on a bigger screen. It’s one of those small upgrades that totally makes your life easier when you're juggling all those tasks.

4. Take Written Notes

This is a tip for keeping yourself engaged in online classes or in class. Writing notes while the professor is speaking can distract you from anything that will take your focus away from your work. It also encourages you to ask questions on topics you don’t understand or any questions that you have. Studies show that people tend to remember handwritten notes better over the long term because the act of writing helps encode the information into your memory. If I am studying for a test, I can retain a topic better because I remembered that I wrote it down.

5. Actively Participate

Tying this in from the topic above, actively participating in lectures in class and voicing your opinion can help reduce the amount of study time you need to review a topic. So, whether it’s through active recall, applying what you’ve learned to real-life scenarios, or teaching someone else, the key is to make the learning process as hands-on and engaging as possible. The more you interact with the material, the stronger and more lasting your understanding will be!

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