Learn How To Thrive, As A High School Student In An Online School
By Paige Edwards, Stride Student Advisor
Though I have recently graduated, I spent three years in the online school system, having entered in the tenth grade. And, over those past three years, I learned a lot about what to do, and what not do, regarding study habits, avoiding burnout, and making time for myself… all while keeping my grades up. So, without further ado, here are my favorite tips for surviving and thriving in online school…
Set study goals for your time in online school.
When it comes to studying, you don’t want to do it aimlessly. When I was first figuring out what study habits worked best for me, I would study non-stop for hours. This resulted in stress, lethargy, and very little retention of any of the coursework. With a lot of trial and error, and watching a lot of study videos on YouTube, I was able to figure out what type of studying works best for me. Now, this is different for everyone, so I won’t go into specifics of exactly how I study. However, something that can apply to everyone is the need to set goals. These goals can vary from situation to situation, but some examples are that instead of saying, “I will study math for 2 hours non-stop,” you instead say, “I will study complex polynomials, until I get a good understanding of them.” Setting these more specific goals, when you sit down to study, can really help you to retain the information in a less stressful and far more successful way.
Be sure to ask questions, as an active student in an online school.
Whether you are freshly starting at an online school or have been enrolled for years, you’re going to have questions. These could be questions about how the online school system works, specific questions about coursework, or even some questions about things going on in your life. Regardless of what type of questions you have, there will, more often than not, be someone there to answer them. It took me a long time to feel comfortable asking questions of my teachers or counselors. Though it did take some time, I eventually realized that these professionals are happy to answer all of my questions, and that was a great help. Asking questions lessened my anxiety and cleared up any confusion.
Take time for yourself while you are in online school.
This was something that I struggled with for the majority of my time in online school. I had the belief that if I didn’t spend all of my time studying, that my grades would drop. This resulted in a lot of stress and anxiety, as well as sleep deprivation… all because I studied virtually all of the time. Eventually, I realized that this was unsustainable, and that I needed to take time for myself to relax and recharge. Though I will admit that I did not come to this conclusion on my own. When I did start taking the time to read, write, watch TV, or chat with friends in the evenings, I was ultimately able to reduce the stress related to studying. And, being able to get a full night’s sleep greatly improved my overall focus in online school.
Being in an online school system can be a big adjustment. But, throughout your experience, you can learn a lot about what works for you, both in the virtual classroom and in your personal home life.
Want to read about another Stride Student Advisor discussing their experiences? Click here.
To read more about attending an online school, be sure to check out What I Learned From Doing Online School For 10 Years.
Stride also has an article to help students new to online high school, so make sure you read 5 Tips For New Online High School Students, too!
And, be sure to check out the 2022 Graduates Speak About Their Online Education podcast.
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