Coping during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Turn self-consciousness into self-confidence
My Dear Collegiate Sisters,
For many of you, your lives have been turned upside down by the safety strategies put in place to protect you from exposure to the Coronavirus, COVID-19. I'm sure those of you who are a breath away from graduation are concerned about what that means to achieve the goals you have worked so hard to bring to fruition. Most unsettling must be all the uncertainties for which there are no answers just quite yet. Please know that you are not alone nor are you expected to make these adjustments alone. Certainly, that feels like a contradiction when you are told to avoid contact with others. The wonderful thing about ADPi is that we do live for each other and you have a host of experienced alumnae willing to share their successes and failures with you. I hope our experience will help make this challenge a bit easier for you to navigate.
As with any new challenge, your mindset is important. Program your brain to work the problem whenever an unexpected opportunity arises. Some of us have an initial freak out period and then settle down to formulate strategies. Try to avoid that initial panic or at least minimize it so you avoid spinning your wheels. A can-do positive approach will help you organize and train your neural pathways to produce neurotransmitters that facilitate your mental acuity and ability to deal with stress.
Some of your courses that are online lend themselves more easily than others to the switch from in-person classes to others. The strategies are basically the same, but some will require a bit more creativity and flexibility to learn the material. Remember, focus on learning the material, not just memorizing for the test.
Organize your learning day. If you are now at home, living with your family, you need to set some boundaries. That means having a serious discussion with your parents about finding a dedicated, uninterrupted space for studying. Easier said than done right? Mothers can get so busy telling you what to do that it gets frustrating. Try hearing her out, acknowledge what she said that is useful, and then add what you need. If your room has been turned into the family office or craft room, schedule a time when it can be yours without interruptions. Get up and get dressed for studying as you would prepare for work. This signals your family and your brain that it's time to study. Put do not disturb notes on the door. If the only place for you to work is the kitchen table, find a way to cut off distractions and communicate that you are doing more than playing a game on the computer. Solitaire is a dead giveaway that you are indeed not studying! Remember those tri-boards used for science fair projects? Perhaps something like that is a way to carve out your study space. Plus you can post your to-do list and other notes you need pertinent to school work. If your family is like most, they want to know if you need a snack, a drink, something to help you study. Tell them what time you have set for breaks, and they are more than welcome to spoil you during those times. You will also get the, "You've been studying for a while, shouldn't you take a break?" sort of things. Again, communicating your break schedule lets them know you are very much aware that balance is important.
Speaking of balance, your mind and body need variety to function maximally. Get outside. You are used to getting outside every day even if it's just to walk to class. Handle your class and study schedule like a job. That means you make plans after work to be physically active, join up with sisters online, and recharge your batteries. Note I've emphasized scheduling your playtime. Avoid getting distracted into a Netflix binge or impulsively making a batch of chocolate chip cookies...every day. We do know all those temptations that happen at home that don't happen at school. All of our alumnae agree that an established schedule and work habits are key to successful online learning.
Your online class experience doesn't have to be business only. Discussion boards are a wonderful way to form professional and personal connections with folks with whom you may not normally interact. Some of my most wonderful friends were made when I took online courses at Oxford. Add your own insights into the discussion to demonstrate your engagement and understanding of the material.
Feeling lost with the material? Definitely chat with the instructor sooner rather than later. For professors adjusting to transitioning the material to an online format, the only way they know how well you are learning is by interacting with you. Professors really do want you to succeed, even the most curmudgeonly of the bunch. Are the instructions you were given open to interpretation? Ask for clarification. Be clear about what you are asking from the professor. A statement like, "I am not sure how fractional distillation works in this example on page X," is easier to address than, "I just don't get it." Remember, online chatting is much less intimidating than showing up to office hours!
Stay on top of your work. There is less room for procrastination with online learning. Avoid taking things down to the last two minutes in case you should experience an internet glitch. If you need to ask clarification, you need to allow time for the professor to read and prioritize your question in the scope of everything on their desk.
Be kind to yourself during these unusual times. Know that you have a whole tribe of alumnae who believe in you and are happy to help you work this problem. Most alumnae have a story or two of something that happened while they were in school that required all the sisters to pull together and help each other. You have each other and you have us. ADPis are formidable women capable of tackling all sorts of challenges.
Sending you lots of love.
Loyally,
Ms. Pi
Pearls from Pi is a blog designed to help collegiate sisters traverse sticky ADPi and college-related situations. Any collegiate sister who is a member in good standing may submit questions regardless of the chapter of initiation. Submit your questions to Pi at https://goo.gl/forms/5CxYwsGHhJPzyjXr1
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