Studying in a pandemic is not easy, especially when you have to face a complicated exam, such as the university entrance exam.
It may be that in general it does not cost you too much to study, but in a pandemic, the confinement affects many people notably in terms of the predisposition with which you can learn about something.
Therefore, it is extremely important that you take into account some recommendations and tips for studying in a pandemic.
Advantages of studying in a pandemic
Studying in times of pandemic can bring great and important benefits for your grades and later learning. Stay with us and we will tell you about the advantages of studying in a pandemic.
1.Flexibility
One of the greatest advantages that the pandemic has brought in relation to studying is that you have ample flexibility to study at the times or schedules that you like the most.
Previously, this was subject to the coordination of working hours, trips to the study center, time spent on public transport, etc.
Studying during a pandemic allows these variables not to be taken into account, being able to allocate all that time not only to study, but also to rest or relax after a few hours of intense mental activity studying.
2.Geographic location
Another benefit that the pandemic has allowed is that you can study no matter how far away you are from the study center or degree institution you have chosen.
Previously, many of the degree courses were taught only in person, but after the pandemic they are taught virtually or combined, which means that if you live far from the university where the course you have chosen is taught, you can take it without need to move or travel long distances.
3.Recorded classes
Most classes taught online are recorded. This allows you to review a video to better understand what a teacher has said.
Another modality is the synchronous course. This is; attend certain days and at a specified time using a virtual platform. Likewise, in these cases, you may record the classes, which will allow you to focus on the teacher's explanation and then un-record the class in time.
4.Connection and exchange with teachers and peers
The fact that you find yourself locked up studying in a pandemic does not mean that you do not have contact or exchange with other classmates or teachers.
In fact, there are platforms or different means of communication that you can count on (depending on each teacher) so that you do not feel that you are studying alone (well, in fact, you are not).
5.Higher levels of concentration
Studying during pandemic times will allow you to concentrate more easily. This is because lockdown can help your mind wander by having fewer external stimuli.
If you manage to carry out distracting activities periodically and you can combine them with studying (even if you do not leave your home in either case) you will help your brain to train and acquire greater concentration later.
By combining routines with pleasure, hormones that produce a feeling of well-being and happiness such as dopamine, endorphin, serotonin and oxytocin will be released in the brain.
6.How to deal with stress
While it is true that studying in a pandemic brings great benefits, it is also true that it can produce high levels of stress.
Each person will have to deal with the stress caused by confinement in a different way. However, it can be very helpful to consider the following aspects:
- Study for a limited time. Set short-term goals in the study and progress step by step. It is preferable to do it slowly, before dealing with stress.
- Rest. Learning to study implies becoming aware of learning to rest as well.
- Practice yoga or meditation. If it is the first time you do it, it is better that you think about signing up for classes in a virtual way that can guide you. This will bring a lot of calm and allow you to cope with studying in the context of a pandemic.
- Do mindful breathing exercises. Focusing on your breath for a few minutes has been proven to decrease your heart rate and feelings of panic or stress. To do this, all you have to do is concentrate on your own breathing and make it a little slower each time than the previous time. If you spend at least 10 minutes a day to focus on your breath, you will prevent your mind from becoming stressed.
- Limit the time you think about a problem. This may seem strange, but from cognitive behavioral psychology, facing a problem and limiting the time in which you think about it, favors the brain to focus on other activities, preventing said problem from covering the entire time, generating stress.
You can set a certain time for this, for example: 2 hours a day to find the solution to a problem or difficulty and then dedicate the rest of the time to other activities.
7.Tools to study in a pandemic
Establish a routine, whenever possible. As we have mentioned on another occasion, it is important to establish routines. Use organizers or agendas that allow you to manage the day and divide it into time slots, allocating a specific activity for each of them: study, rest, eat, exercise, etc.
Socialize. Although the way to do it may vary a bit (because socializing with another face to face is very different from doing it virtually, do not stop doing it. Establish connection with your circle of friends or family.
Eat healthy. It is true that the pandemic has made quite a few people become a little more sedentary. Therefore, it is important to take care of the diet, making it rich in fiber, protein and low in carbohydrates.
Get some exercise. Establish daily exercise routines of at least 40 minutes. this will help reduce stress.
Find your own space in the home. Having a space (even if it is small), will help your stress levels decrease considerably.
Do things that do you good and distract you from everyday obligations. It is important to remember that not everything should be obligations. Take breaks and rest. In relation to this, it is useful to be distracted both individually and with a group of people.
Reduce self-demand, remember that it is not easy to study in a pandemic.
Limit the time you read or listen to news related to covid-19. Regulating the information we receive both about covid-19 and about any negative news or event will help you have a better quality of life. In fact, there are studies that say you shouldn't read, listen to, or watch negative news late at night and early in the morning. Doing so biases the brain in a negative way, making the rest of the day feel less positive.
Add a share of humor to everything you do. It is important to remember that this situation will not be final, so taking things slowly and adding a little humor can help you feel motivated to go a little further every day; be it in your studies or in another aspect.
Set short and medium term goals. It is important to measure progress and progress from these two aspects. The former will help you motivate yourself on a daily basis, while the latter can be very helpful especially when short-term goals are compromised. Additionally, both goals must be interrelated so that the objectives to be met are possible to achieve.
8.How to take advantage of the pandemic to study
To finish, we want to give you some final recommendations so that you can take advantage of the pandemic to study.
Choose carefully the courses you are going to take in a pandemic. During the pandemic, the number of short courses or specializations that can be taken virtually has multiplied. Many of these are free, while others require some form of payment.
If you have chosen one of the paid courses, it is important that you make sure that the certification to be obtained once it is completed will be recognized (whether national or international) in order to be able to add said specialization or course to your file, curriculum vitae or life card
If it is the first time you take online courses, it is better to have online teachers who can guide you and accompany you in this first experience. Also, they will be able to help you if you feel a bit overwhelmed or disoriented by technology.
Make sure you have the necessary connection. This aspect, which seems obvious, is not so, since depending on the type of course you do, you can use a more fluid connection or a slower one.
It may be that the course you want to take only has PFD files to download or it may require your presence for 4 hours connected synchronously (online with teachers and classmates).
Both will be virtual courses, but they will not demand the same connection speed, so you must take this aspect into account before starting one modality or another.
Protect your privacy. When you share a document, make a web connection with a colleague or teacher, remember not to share personal passwords or data that could be misused by other people.
Ask for help if you don't know the platform through which the course will be delivered. In this sense, it can be very helpful to create and participate in forums or communities for students.
Often, forums on different topics are enabled in relation to the course that is going to be taught. This allows ordering the concerns and that the teacher or other classmates can respond to them in an orderly manner.
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