By: Nicholas Ramirez
As students begin to settle in the fall 24 semesters, some may find it difficult to engage in an online learning environment. Therefore, handling stress during the online semester can be a challenge. It is a common scenario that students go through. Fortunately, establishing effective strategies for managing assignments can significantly improve the transition towards online learning and provide a productive online experience.
If I am generally stressed about a specific assignment, I also like to step away and do something else for a little while before getting back into it.”
-Bethany Ann Cooper
In an interview, former GCC student Bethany Ann Cooper, gave some insight on some of her own strategies for coping with stress. She said, “What I personally do is try to make it a point to review what assignments are due to see how much of a workload it will be for me. Depending on how complicated something is, I schedule a time to work on it early on to ensure that it is completed on time and to the best of my ability. If I am generally stressed about a specific assignment, I also like to step away and do something else for a little while before getting back into it.” By taking the time to analyze and assess her workload, Bethany is able to clarify the complexities of her work and have her priorities set in order. She allocates time to tackle assignments made during the semester. Therefore, by using this strategy, she is able to manage difficult projects and minimize stress, further enhancing the quality of her work. When faced with an assignment that is particularly distressing, she takes a step back to clear her mind and comes back focused with a renewed mind. This technique is great for refreshing mentally and minimizing stress that comes from working on a hard assignment. Bethany also emphasizes the importance of planning and organization when managing her workload. She believes that finding a balance is key. By embracing her approaches to stress, she was able to enhance her academic online learning. Furthermore, Bethany shows that creating a personalized system of task management can be useful in creating a productive online learning environment.
As the semester progresses, students are encouraged to search for their own strategies for success when it comes to tackling daunting tasks. Furthermore, it is important to prioritize mental health alongside educational responsibilities. Whether with effective time management or self-care strategies, students cannot only reduce stress but better navigate through the complexities of online classes and turn any potential challenges into opportunities for positive growth.
Hi Nicholas, this is a great article that discusses something I think we all as students are going through. Online classes will always be difficult because usually, the biggest thing standing in your way is yourself. This is because when you don’t have any physical classes to go to, it means you have to set up your own schedule, and actually stick with it. This can be really hard to do, as Bethany from your article points out. However, when we analyze what we need to do, and stick to a plan to get it all done, it is usually not that bad, as long as you do not procrastinate.
I have had many similar experiences to Bethany too when it comes to having to step away from an assignment and come back to it later. I’ve done that multiple times this semester already, and it has really helped me get those assignments done.
I think the article is structured really nicely and flows well, but the one change I would make is maybe shorten the quote or split it off into multiple quotes across the article. In my opinion, long quotes can sometimes lose the reader’s attention, and I think keeping them short would help keep reader’s fully engaged.
I found this article incredibly insightful, especially as we dive into the fall semester and many adjust to online learning. Bethany Ann Cooper’s strategies for managing stress resonate deeply with me. Taking the time to plan out when and how you’d do an assignment, I find, has been very beneficial especially as someone who actively struggles with learning disabilities. I also love her emphasis on stepping away when overwhelmed and allowing ourselves to take breaks and recharge. I often find this helpful when I get stuck on a creative assignment that involves problem-solving. I always do better the next day as I have time to step away and ponder the issue. Online learning can be isolating, and getting caught up in deadlines and forgetting to take care of ourselves is easy. As Bethany says; finding that balance is crucial.
As we all explore our own strategies for success, I think it would benefit us to share our experiences and tips with each other. Building a supportive community to discuss our challenges and triumphs improves our online learning environment as people would feel less alone. Overall, this article serves as a great reminder that we’re not alone in facing these challenges and that with the right strategies, we can navigate this semester successfully!