Students aren’t the only ones adapting to online learning, but our beloved teachers as well. Remaking their syllabus for online classes has probably exhausted them to no end. But what’s even more exhausting is the fact that they’re seated all day giving out lectures through what’s probably a crappy internet connection.

It’s already difficult enough to keep everyone’s attention in a classroom setting. Now imagine what a nightmare it is to do that in a Zoom call. Yeesh.

So like the good role model students we are, here are some ways you can help make your teacher’s life easier in little ways.

1. Keep yourself from unnecessarily laughing.

It’s no secret that you’re probably on Messenger chatting away with friends while you’re all on the same Zoom call. And more likely than not, you’re keeping yourself entertained with memes and jokes that have nothing to do with your teacher or the lecture.

Unfortunately, your teacher probably does not know this and may get pretty distracted if they see you giggling. It’s only normal for someone presenting to assume that they said or did something funny if they see the audience laughing.

It was easy to hide giggles and laughter when the teacher was facing the blackboard. Now though, it’s not only difficult to do without getting caught, but it’s also rude.

2. Respond quickly.

“Can you guys see my screen,” your teacher calls out.

What happens after is probably an awkward two-second silence where everyone just waits for a brave soul to say yes. Why not be the one to answer your teacher? It’s literally just one word that you have to say and it’s impossible to get the question wrong.

Adapting to online learning means proactively keeping the communication process between teachers and students as smooth as possible. And as we know, communication is a two-way street.

I’m sure your teacher will appreciate a quick reply in any question they ask rather than wondering for a split-second if their internet connection is choppy. Nobody likes awkward silences… but nobody likes awkward silences in video calls even more.

So anytime your teacher asks a question to the entire class, either unmute to answer, leave a message in the Zoom chat, or just nod.

3. Don’t prank them.

Unless your teacher is a certified prankster or you know that they can take it, do not prank them. Yeah, we’ve watched all the videos of students turning off their cameras and changing their names to “Reconnecting” so the teacher thinks that something is wrong with their internet.

Sure it was funny months ago, but now, it’s just unoriginal. And probably annoying for the teacher who just wants to finish the lecture.

4. Stay on mute.

It’s just proper Zoom etiquette! If you have nothing to say, don’t forget to keep yourself muted. No one wants to hear your electric fan in the background or the sound of your mother nagging at you in the background.

Okay, maybe we want to hear that.

But it would definitely be better for your teacher and classmates if you kept the room a bit more conducive for learning by muting yourself.

5. Don’t be a ghost.

Instead, be easy to contact. This goes beyond the online lectures on Zoom, and has to do with the fact that physical distance means it’s harder for your teacher to know how you’re doing.

We know everyone is just in different mental states right now living through a pandemic and economic unrest. Because of that, some of us will eventually need to take mental breaks from school. And believe it or not, most teachers care about their students’ wellbeing.

Hence, we are encouraging you to send over an e-mail to your teacher if you’ll need to be absent.

Some of them may get worried if you go AWOL even for just one class. So while we realize it may be difficult to do, it would be best to inform them beforehand. It’s a vital part in the process of adapting to online learning. Or at the very least, update them why you didn’t attend the class once you’ve returned.

6. Don’t let them chase you.

When it comes to projects and requirements, submit them within the deadline. There are kind and sympathetic teachers who would chase after you even after the deadline just so you’ll be able to pass the class.

This is especially true when it comes to thesis.

Now in a virtual setting, chasing a student is harder to do. Imagine making your good-willed teacher exhausting all means possible to try and reach you. I know there are people reading this who, out of shame, tend to ghost their teacher or class when they have failed to submit a requirement.

Don’t be that person.

Not in this pandemic.

7. Just go along with it.

Look, your teachers are doing their hardest to keep classes engaging and fruitful. There will be times when they do something or ask you to do things that will make you think, “WTF? What is the point of this?”

It’s easy to complain when you’re merely watching their syllabus unfold without seeing all the preparations that they have done for the class. Everyone’s lives has turned upside down because of the pandemic, including your teachers. So just imagine how tired they are.

The fact that they show up every day trying to make online classes work is a testament to how dedicated they are to their job. Just like us, they probably didn’t want to push through with online classes anyway.

But they’re there.

So if they tell a corny joke or make you do something stupid, just go along with it. Don’t make their life harder than it is. Maybe you can tell them how it isn’t working afterwards, but the important thing is you let them do their job without your cynicism getting in the way.

In short, be nice to your teachers who are adapting to online learning. It’s a great time to practice empathy as we move forward with online classes. The rules have changed, and that means we can’t blame a teacher’s shortcomings (or short temper) on them anymore.

Everyone is living in different circumstances after all. Teachers: they’re people too!

We know online classes can be super taxing! That’s why we prepared some tips on how you can mentally survive them. Never miss out on anything by following us @ZoomersCornerPH on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Featued Image: Julia M. Cameron on Pexels

The post Adapting to Online Learning: How to Help Out your Teacher in the Pandemic appeared first on Zoomers Corner.

Are you taking online classes from your bed? Here are some easy-to-follow tips to help you improve your productivity at home by making some adjustments to your home office for school. The road to an A+ starts with a conducive work space to do all your serious work!

1. Invest in a comfy chair.

Let’s get the most obvious thing out of the way. You won’t get anything done if you’re adjusting your butt all the time from sitting all day long. Fight your siblings for the most ‘comfortable-but-not-too-comfy’ chair in your house!

Ideally, it should not be hard to the touch nor something without a back rest.

Nobody wants back problems before they’ve reached the age of 25! If you can’t find a chair with cushions, get creative by placing pillows on your back and butt for a cheap DIY solution.

2. Position yourself near the wi-fi router.

Everyone knows that the worst part about Zoom is the fact that we have to deal with poor AF internet connection in the Philippines. Sometimes, we’re just nodding along with whoever’s talking even though we’re actually only hearing chopped-up bits on our end.

Perhaps the worst part of a choppy internet connection is when our video freezes and the other people on the call can take a screenshot of us at our most unflattering!

So to avoid all these mishaps, make sure you’re taking classes as near as possible to your wi-fi router. Get all dem signals!

3. Keep your notebooks on your desk.

This one is for the people who just can’t take proper notes on their computers. And even if you can, it’s difficult to do when half of your screen is being eaten up by your Zoom window.

That’s why we recommend always having your notebooks prepared on your desk. Every time you take them out for a quick review session later, make sure you return them back to your work space.

By doing this, you avoid wasting time looking for your notebook during a class because you don’t know where you had placed it!

4. Have some snacks ready.

Just like school during the good ol’ pre-COVID days, we will probably stay up too late at night and use up all the snoozes in our alarm before actually waking up. In the new normal, this means attending online lectures without washing our face nor brushing our teeth first.

And worse, a 40 to 90-minute lecture at 7AM just means that we are going to have to skip out on breakfast. That’s why you should always have a ready-to-eat snack on your desk! Whether it’s a granola bar or good ol’ Sky Flakes, it’s good to munch on something in these criminally early lectures.

Hey, that’s more reason to wake up in the morning!

If you find yourself snacking too much throughout the day, you can just place one snack on your table every night before going to bed. By doing this, you’ll be able to avoid binge-eating until your last class ends.

5. Change up your light.

Did you know the color of light that you are exposed to is correlated with your productivity levels? Whiter, cooler light helps you focus on the task at hand while warmer light invites a sense of comfort. Even being hit by sunlight alone can already improve your mood and energy!

Consider these when setting-up your home office for school like which room in the house to set-up your work area and where to position your table. You may also want to get a desk lamp where you are able to adjust the warmth of the bulb.

You can even adjust the settings of your computer screen to make sure that you’re getting hit by the right color temperature at the right time of day.

There are apps that can help you do this automatically, with f.lux being the most popular one. It’s available on Windows, Mac, iPhone & Android so make sure you install it all your devices, too!

6. Have essentials ready.

It’s almost flu season in the Philippines, which means waking up to major morning allergy. That’s why a whole roll of toilet paper on your work space is a must!

There are also other things that’s just better to have by your side all the time. A bottle of alcohol for quick hand-cleaning, a handheld mirror for teeth-checking, a cap for bad hair days, and a pitcher of water for when you need to calm your nerves when the teacher is getting angry.

7. Remove the clutter.

Always Marie Kondo your desk from time to time! Not only does a clean environment help you feel that you’re being more productive, but you also reduce the risk of getting distracted.

You might not notice it, but there are times throughout the day when you place something unnecessary on your desk. And if Chekhov’s gun taught us anything, that object is going to be a pretty huge distraction for us later on.

Personally, my number one culprit is the nailcutter that magically appears on my home office desk. When a Zoom lecture gets boring, I absentmindedly reach out for it and start chipping away at my fingernails. Before I know it, all the important things being discussed are over!

For some of us, having a home office for school is a blessing in of itself. However, we do miss the days when we stayed at the library or the coffee shop cramming all our papers.

While not the same, our work space can give us that familiar feeling of productivity again; we just need to know how to arrange it in the best way possible.

You know what’s inevitable even if school is going virtual? Group works! Read about the six types of oddly-specific groupmates here.

Never miss out on anything by following us @ZoomersCornerPH on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The post 7 Easy Tips to Make your Work Space Conducive for Online Classes appeared first on Zoomers Corner.

Hey Zoomers,

It’s been almost five months since we’ve gone into quarantine, and it seems like the government doesn’t really have a plan to contain the virus. How is it possible that the world has changed so much and so little at the same time? Everything is opening up yet cases are still rising in huge numbers.

We are trying to go back into our old lives without really going back if that makes sense. The Department of Education even played around with the idea of resuming physical classes, not knowing how it’s a kid apocalypse waiting to happen. But the reality for most of us Filipino students is that we are entering uncharted waters as we enter a new school year.

What’s new this school year?

Some already got a taste of what online classes were like when schools didn’t realize how heavily the pandemic weighed on students’ minds and pockets. This time though, schools are more prepared for the battle ahead.

But with every battle comes unexpected tribulations and setbacks that we just can’t prepare for.

On Twitter, we are already seeing a lot of students ask for donations with the hashtag, #PisoParaSaLaptop. As the name suggests, they are simply requesting generous users to spare them even just one peso for the purpose of buying a laptop. It’s unfortunate that not everyone can afford something that should be a basic need in pandemics like these. And even if they do have one, there’s still the problem of poor internet connection in the entire country.

Online classes are not a walk in the park especially when you’re already disadvantaged in the first place.

Aside from that, businesses are closing down left and right, while people are still dying at the hands of coronavirus. If you were a student whose family was directly affected by this, could you imagine how tough it would be to continue online classes?

What are we sacrificing?

Every student is probably having anxiety or some internal squabble about the upcoming school year. I mean, it is going to be super different without a doubt. Simply going through the motions of online classes is not exciting.

Young people should be out and about, exploring the world with their friends and discovering themselves.

It’s difficult to do that when you’re stuck in the confines of your own home. The best memories I have of school do not involve going online to answer tests and listen to lectures. They involve interaction with people I consider home and spontaneous moments that just can’t be replicated through a screen. Sharing contagious laughter and giving someone comfort are things that stick with you because of the physical touch.

The clinking of beers, the sound of basic trap music blaring in college bars, the sound of the bell ringing to signal the end of the day…

To the zoomer who’s going to enter online classes, you deserve to be angry. You deserve to feel robbed. This whole “I attended school during the pandemic” story is going to be a killer story when we’re older, but let’s be real: this situation sucks.

However, there is definitely an opportunity to make timeless memories during these times. But even if we do make the best-tasting lemonade out of the sourest lemons that life has given us, the fact is: we didn’t want lemonade in the first place.

If we could trade back all the problems that we encountered pre-COVID, we would do it in a heartbeat!

What now?

In short: this school year is gonna be difficult. It might be harder, it might not be. What it is gonna be though, is different. And if you’re feeling a bit positive, you might even say unique.

Online classes are gonna present new challenges that we will help you with here in Zoomers Corner. You are not alone in experiencing this unusual and unfamiliar situation.

That said, there are gonna be problems and events all of us have never come across before… things that have to be documented and talked about. We’re here to experience these together and tell others how it really feels like to be a zoomer during this time. No one can write our history better than ourselves.

School has always been important in one’s education and personal growth. With that said, it’s important to recount how such a drastic change in our “second home” will shape who we are and who we become.

We’re here with you, zoomers.

Featured Image: Christina Morillo on Pexels

The post This August, We are Navigating School amidst Coronavirus appeared first on Zoomers Corner.

The post QUIZ: Which Oddly Specific Type of Groupmate are You? appeared first on Zoomers Corner.

School’s back, and you know what that means: group projects are making a comeback. Everyone hates it but what can you do? No matter how much you try to avoid it, teachers like to shove them in your face as “practice for the real world”.

Unfortunately, finding the right mix of groupmates is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get!

There are just so many oddly specific types of groupmates that they make us want to volunteer to do a project by ourselves! Here are six of the people in school we have come across so often but never really had a name for… until now.

They love organization, power & being the star of the show. If there’s one thing the Type A Leader loves most in the world, it’s planning everything from start to finish. Because of their superb work ethic, they have built quite the reputation for being the best group leader in class. They might as well have a blinking sign that says “pick me if you want an A”.

Everyone else wants to be partnered up with them… until they actually experience being their groupmate.

If your mediocre-loving ass is paired with the Type A Leader, then get ready to be pushed beyond your limits against your will! Aside from the micromanagement, they get easily angry if you’re a second late with the impossible deadline that they set.

The worst part is that you can’t get mad at them because in the end, they know what’s best for the group!

Rumor has it that this person disappears when you need them most. They are one of the most frustrating types of groupmates; it’s the night before a huge deadline and everyone, and I mean everyone, is on their third cup of coffee working together at 3 AM.

But there’s always someone who’s nowhere to be seen. One who’s never been there from the start and whose presence is only felt because their name is written on the cover page.

“Where is that #@&$!%,” the Ghost’s groupmates all shout in unison.

Were they asleep? Or perhaps they were just getting drunk at the bar? No one knows. That’s why they’re called the Ghost.

If there’s a group project that needs completing, who you gonna call? The Savior!

Nobody actually expects them to contribute because this person doesn’t reply much and is probably super busy with life. In fact, they’re pretty much the Ghost until the very last minute!

This person, who has not even touched the .doc file before, suddenly saves everyone’s collective asses by making major contributions right before the deadline. Over the course of a night, they become the most valuable player of a group project.

And just like that, all their past sins are forgiven. Maybe they were too busy before, or maybe they just enjoy the thrill of passing a project last-minute. But whatever their reason was for being MIA, we are thankful for the Savior’s presence.

Need some tea about how the other group is doing? Or maybe you need some details about what the teacher wants to see on your project? Good thing you have the Spy as your teammate. Their extensive network means that they know how to get the best score for your project.

The Spy is one of the most underrated types of groupmates you’ll have. They are the favorite sidekick of the Type A Leader, who always wants to get the latest scoop about the competition. Because of their natural ability to be shameless and sociable, the Spy always has useful insider info that they’re willing to share the group.

The sweetest words that escape their lips: “the other group hasn’t started yet”.

For whatever information needs you may have, make sure you call on the services of the Spy.

Look, some people just weren’t born to do long research papers; some were born to be artists! When all the boring paperwork is done, it’s time to hand it over to the Designer.

They will make sure to create a beautiful, kick-ass presentation out of a 50-page, Times New Roman 12, double-spaced paper. Powerpoint, Photoshop and Canva are their Holy Trinity. Leave all the aesthetics work to them because no one knows better.

For some, they are a useless groupmate who should’ve just used their energy to do something more “useful”. But for the intellectuals who know how much great visuals can put a presentation over the top, the Designer deserves as much praise as the researchers.

Some people are better off doing the bare minimum than being given huge responsibilities. They are the people who have gotten the reputation of not being good groupmates, or are just too busy with other things.

That’s why the Assistant is delegated the easiest tasks in a group — tasks that are almost impossible to screw up. These include doing the report during class, bringing materials, and printing the paper.

Easy, right? But imagine how pissed you and your groupmates would be if the Assistant managed to screw up the simple task that had been assigned to them. It’s a lot of pressure!

What oddly specific types of groupmates entered your mind while reading this list? Let us know in the comments below!

We’re still trying to accept that we’ll be “back in school” in a few weeks, but the worst part is classes will all be done online! Read about how the school year will feel a lot different with Miss Rona around.

Never miss out on anything by following us @ZoomersCornerPH on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The post There are 6 Oddly Specific Types of Groupmates — Are You One of Them? appeared first on Zoomers Corner.

With many schools transitioning to online classes as a response to coronavirus, there is a new problem that students should expect to face. It’s a form of anxiety that one gets from being on video calls with other people.

Social anxiety has taken on another form to what we’d like to call “Zoom anxiety”. Whether it’s by force or by one’s own accord, meeting with someone online can weigh heavily on someone and cause a great level of discomfort.

For the students who suffer from major social anxiety, online classes spell doom.

But how exactly does Zoom anxiety manifest itself in the ways we interact with the video conferencing app? Let’s take a look!

1. You open Zoom just in time.

Nobody likes small talk, especially through Zoom. That’s why when your meeting is scheduled at 11:30, you make sure you enter the room at exactly that time — not a second earlier. It’s better to be called our for being late than having to dabble in conversations while waiting for everyone to come in.

2. You spend too much time preparing how you look.

You pre-plan your clothes, lighting & background not because you want to look good, but because you don’t want to be judged. In a meeting with many people, it’s hard not to feel self-conscious when you know every action that you do will be caught on camera.

It only makes sense that you always have that fear of looking less than perfect when you’re in these calls.

3. Zoom is the last resort.

You’re also probably the person who hates receiving phone calls out of the blue. You make sure every means of communication is exhausted before agreeing to go on an online call with someone. Not only are Zoom meetings a major hassle, but things are just easier when people don’t have to hear nor see you speak.

4. You know the answer but you don’t unmute.

Being shy has a lot to do with social anxiety. And a person who’s already reluctant to speak their mind in a face-to-face situation may find it even more difficult to do so in a Zoom room.

Just imaging your big face pop up on Speaker View while your classmates hear every layer of your voice through their earphones makes you want to cringe. So in the end, you just let others speak up.

5. You practice what you’re going to say.

According to this article from Discovery Magazine, it may actually be a helpful way to relive some of your anxiety. When you have something to present on Zoom, you tend to overrehearse what you plan to say.

Hell, you may not even have a presentation, but you’re constantly thinking of possible things you’re going to say in the slight chance someone else in the meeting puts you on the spot.

6. Sharing your screen is a no-no.

To you, sharing your screen is like letting people take a peek in your diary; it’s just too personal for your liking. And when you have to do it, you’re always frightened and wary of what people may discover about you.

God forbid they see an embarrassing pop-up… or your browsing history!

7. Breakout rooms is code red.

You may not have heard about the breakout room feature of Zoom. But as someone who hates this, I must warn you about this awful feature beforehand.

If you’re in a bigger meeting, the host can break you out into smaller groups of their choosing. So this means that your teacher can put you in a room with classmates you have never spoken a word to before. Talk about an anxiety-inducing situation!

8. You hide your video at times.

Sometimes, Zoom anxiety can just hit out of nowhere. There are calls where you’re confident enough to turn on your video, but there are also days when it’s the total opposite. As a result of your internal panic, you simply shut off your camera so the rest of the world will leave you alone.

9. You leave the room ASAP.

There’s nothing like the feeling of clicking that red “Leave Meeting” button. While everyone else is still doing their post-meeting small talk or saying goodbye to each other, you’re the type to skedaddle out of there.

You will not let anyone see you on camera a second more than they need to, periodt.

Whether we like it or not, Zoom anxiety isn’t going anytime soon. We live in a day and age where video conferencing apps are becoming the norm, with or without coronavirus.

We don’t even use them just for school or work anymore. They’ve become useful in catching up with people who are apart from us. And even with these fun affairs, Zoom anxiety can still kick in.

So what can socially anxious people like ourselves do given everything? In this Style interview with Eugene Farrell, he gives one solid piece of advice: support our negative thoughts with facts. Because only then will you realize that all our anxiety is unfounded.

For example, if you feel like people will judge you for having messy hair in Zoom calls, then you’re letting your thoughts get ahead of the facts. Has anyone mocked you for it? Probably not!

Most probably, people don’t care. You’ve seen someone else with messy hair before, but you didn’t give a damn.

Carefully placing yourself in situations that give you anxiety can actually help you move past it. I remember staying mute (literally and figuratively) during my first months at work due to my Zoom anxiety. But I can tell you that I wouldn’t be as comfortable as I am today with the idea of video calls if I didn’t battle the overthinking in my head.

There are days where it still hits me, but it does get easier.

How has your experience been with Zoom? Let us know in the comments below. If you loved this article, then we have more relatable articles for zoomers like you! Don’t forget to follow us @ZoomersCornerPH on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Featured Image: Charles Deluvio and JESHOOTS.com

The post ‘Zoom Anxiety’ is a Real Problem (and 9 Signs You Have it) appeared first on Zoomers Corner.

In the next few weeks, high schools and colleges will be welcoming a new school year. That means some of us will be taking our classes virtually in our homes until the pandemic subside. Fortunately or unfortunately, the effects of online classes in the Philippines will be felt by every student who has already enrolled for the upcoming semester.

Here’s our list of painful reminders that the school year just won’t be the same due to the new normal.

Are you one of the people who’s always willing to go out in between or after classes? Unfortunately, you can kiss your kaladkarin self a temporary goodbye. Eating out, buying milk tea, and getting cocktail pitchers together with friends are just some of the things you’ll be missing in the coming months.

While we’re locked up at home, it’s easy to see how much we took those simple moments for granted. And with online classes, we’re just going to miss our friends even more! How much longer can we survive without physically seeing them?

Let’s be real: online classes are just like the online courses you take in Coursera. Aside from a Zoom lecture from your professor, you’ll probably just end up watching videos and reading white papers online to understand the lesson.

Gone are the days of in-classroom activities that have you presenting a Manila paper or a silly little skit with other people. I mean we probably hated doing those things back then, but right now, we are begging for those days to come back.

With that said, we’re challenging teachers to come up with exciting ways to engage students in their online classes. Because of your employers, most of us paid full-price tuition this year no matter how unfair it is. So please don’t make us feel like we could have gotten higher-quality education from a free online course instead.

The first few months of quarantine have already taken such a heavy toll on our mental health. It’s difficult to concentrate on studying when there are so many trashy things happening outside our homes. I think students who were forced to take online classes before the previous school year had ended could attest to the fact.

At the start of quarantine, we’ve come up with creative ways to cope with the pandemic like making dalgona coffee or baking something trendy in the kitchen. But going through a robotic five-day school week without anything else to do can make us go crazy.

If you ever feel this way during the year, make sure to take a mental break! To help you, we have some tips on how you can mentally survive online classes.

Not everyone has the same privileges that you enjoy. The fact that you’re able to read this article on a phone connected to your home wi-fi network means that you are already privileged!

One of the effects of online classes in the Philippines is that it will become much more obvious how every student has unequal opportunities given to them. For example, you will have classmates who just can’t be online all the time because of financial or emotional setbacks.

And for you, that means practicing patience and empathy during times where someone’s lack of privilege hinders them from performing well.

Literally everybody is adjusting to the pandemic so the least you could do is avoid being an added burden to anyone.

Aside from acads, schools are a place for students with common interests to come together in the form of extracurricular activities. It’s not only teachers who have to adjust to the virtual set-up, but student leaders as well.

These clubs have to get really creative with how they do things. For example, it will be interesting how an org that revolves around team sports is going to operate, as opposed to an org that revolves around discussing films.

To the student leaders, it’s important to realize the potential your club can offer to its members as an escape from the mundanity of online classes. Those who will constantly find ways to keep the whole club together will stand out from the rest of the pack.

But honestly though, don’t take your responsibilities too seriously; we’re in the middle of a pandemic.

Everyone knows that the best part of going back to school is finding new crushable classmates on the first day! While this joy is not completely taken away from us during the pandemic, it will be way more difficult.

Aside from the fact that it will take some added skill and determination to get your crush to notice you, Zoom isn’t really a great way to truly determine if one is cute or not. I mean, I’m just being honest here.

You can’t even sit next to them to start a conversation anymore. All you have in your back pocket is the courage to chat up a cute classmate — someone whom you only met through an online class. Tinder is shaking.

But you know what, we are zoomers after all. If there’s someone we want to flirt with, we will make a way!

We can’t talk about the effects of online classes in the Philippines without addressing the recess and lunch situation. Whether you’re in high school or college, it’s always the most exciting part of the day!

For high school students who rely on cafeteria food, this may come as a positive thing if they never liked eating them in the first place. But I’m sure you’re going to miss at least one particular food stall, snack or drink that only your cafeteria can provide.

For college students, just imagine all your favorite restaurants and in-school food stalls that you won’t be able to buy from for some time. Additionally, food trips will temporarily be a thing of the past too.

Home-cooked food will be what the foreseeable future has in store for you which actually might not be a bad thing. In fact, it’s one of our six useful tips to help you (and your family) save up on some money.

And speaking of…

Say goodbye to your baon? It’s time to have that difficult conversation with mom and dad about whether or not you should be given allowance while classes take place remotely.

We know it sucks in all fronts, but we have to give it up to our parents who are working extremely hard to send us to online school in the first place. If there’s anyone to blame, it’s the poor handling of coronavirus in the country & schools making us pay full tuition.

But going back, just be prepared to hear the bad news. You will probably not get as large an allowance as you once did… dun dun dun.

When it comes to online classes, everybody is still dipping their toes in the water. Some will adjust faster, and some won’t.

One thing’s fore sure though: people will find it difficult to understand your choices which means you will have to justify yourself all the time. So just take a deep breath, and don’t let it get to your head.

There will be times when your parents will nag at you because they won’t understand how difficult online classes really are. Or maybe you’re the classmate who can’t go online for a group meeting because your internet is unstable. Or maybe, you’ll have to tell your teacher why it was imperative for your mental health to take a day off.

Or you know, you could be this girl who had to beg her teacher to retake a test because of an honest “meatball accident”.

If writing about the effects of online classes in the Philippines made me feel anything, it’s that school really is our second home. It’s so important that literally all aspects of our lives have been affected because of the shift to online classes.

While we’re thankful that we are able to enroll in them, it’s a shame that quality of education and the entire student experience have to suffer because of it. And that’s just one of the many issues that online classes present.

For all the students out there entering this unique situation soon, I hope this article has helped you mentally and emotionally prepare for the months to come.

What do you foresee will be a problem for you as a student because of the shift to online classes? Let us know in the comments below! Don’t forget to follow us @ZoomersCornerPH on Twitter to keep yourself updated on all things zoomer-related.

The post 9 Ways the New School Year Will Hit Different Because of Online Classes appeared first on Zoomers Corner.

Raise your hand if you’ve been daydreaming about the apocalypse in a Zoom lecture.

In an article by YouGov last March, data journalist Jamie Ballard claims that 29% of Americans think that the apocalypse will happen in their lifetime. With the shitstorm that has happened since this article was published, I wouldn’t be surprised if this number has already spiked tenfold. So clearly, you are not alone in fantasizing (or realizing) that the world may be at its end.

If there’s anything that coronavirus has exposed, it’s how broken our systems are. It’s honestly been discouraging to see the world fall apart, just because some people choose to discriminate and even murder people based on one’s race, class, sexual orientation. It’s been discouraging when your democracy is constantly being threatened, and the men in power manage to pull hope further away.

For those of us lucky enough not to get hit by weapons though, we are getting brutally decimated in an equally dangerous place: the mind.

I’m sure most of us are experiencing a level of anxiety in the current situation that our country has placed us in. I took the time to read this great article by Valerie Strauss of The Washington Post, that shows how teachers can re-purpose their curriculum to adjust to the students’ mental needs. Obviously though, not all schools are going to end up doing this perfectly, and we also have to pull our weight too, so I thought I’d see how we can help ourselves adjust to the new normal for our education.

Here are some things to reduce anxiety for students and young professionals alike (just replace ‘teacher’ with ‘boss’):

1. Realize that routines have changed, even for your teacher.

Most of us probably had our own routines pre-quarantine, but given the new living conditions we are in where our home and school lives are almost inseparable, you get a free pass! But, the same thing can be said for our teachers, who are all still getting used to teaching in front of a screen. Their lives have probably also shifted too, so don’t forget to empathize.

2. Be open to communicating with your teacher.

Help your teacher help you by addressing the elephant in the room. Not feeling well? Having family problems? Send an e-mail. The worst thing you can do is force yourself to attend an online lecture when you feel like you are mentally crumbling inside. Keep your fingers crossed that your professor will understand you.

3. Talk it out with your friends.

Maintaining strong relationships is more important than ever. It might be a given, but please process your thoughts with friends. Tell them what’s bothering you, because you know what? They might be feeling the same way as you! Schedule Netflix parties, do online game nights, or whatever you like to do together. There’s more to life than online classes

4. Reconnect with people from your past.

And no, I’m not talking about rekindling an old flame. I’m talking about your friend from six years ago that you had never spoken a word to in God knows how long, but still likes your Instagram posts. Feeling like you have a strong support system helps you feel more empowered, and the catch-up sessions you’ll have with them can provide a really good distraction.

5. Surround yourself with positive news.

Unfortunately, the algorithms that run our social media accounts force us to read through content that our friends share, which are more likely than not, bad news. Somewhere out there though, something good is happening to someone. Just Google “good news”, and you’ll have so many uplifting stories to lessen the pain from reading the news.

6. Know that you can help.

There’s nothing worse than feeling like you’re useless in all this chaos. But you should know that you can always spread awareness through your socials, educate your friends, sign petitions, and donate. The worst thing you can do in a crisis is be apathetic. Don’t be that person!

7. Learn history.

Whether it’s a health pandemic, a peaceful revolution, or a civil rights movement, the important thing to realize is that there were victories in our history. And since history likes to repeat itself, we’ll probably win some time.

8. Express yourself creatively.

Truth of the matter is, not all of us are comfortable talking about problems with other people. With that said, it’s time to bring out the paintbrushes gathering dust in your room, or start your dreams of becoming a Youtube/podcast star. This is the time to channel your anger in a productive way, now that extracurricular activities have slowed down.

9. Take a break.

Don’t be afraid to disconnect once in a while, and prioritize your well-being. For my college friends out there, always know that you have cuts that you can maximize. If the news or your online classes are taking a toll on you, do something mindless. Only after having taken care of yourself, can you really perform at your best and help out other people

I realize that the tips above do not have a lot to do with actual studying, but you know what, being at the right state of mind is more than half the battle. It’s just like an athlete needing a full sleep cycle the night before a big game. So try and hack your brain a little by incorporating the feeling of security in your daily life. Your mind will thank you for it!

Featured Image: Ketut Subiyanto on Pexels

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