Six Ways to Ensure Student Success this Semester
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This year has been one of the most challenging years for college students and professors alike. An ongoing pandemic continues to bring with it a host of health concerns and safety hurdles to navigate. Professors are stressed about class delivery challenges, learning new sets of tools, and how to function as amateur psychologists and counselors as they advise their students. On the other hand, students face increased stress at home, family and personal health concerns, financial issues, how to stay on top of their work at school, and in some cases, that nagging question of whether it is all worth it.
Well, from the been-there-done-that school of hard knocks, I can tell you that it is worth it. Staying the course and finishing strong is a challenge that all of us face at various times in our lives with work, relationships, and the like. Quitting is easy to do, but it inevitably brings with it a host of larger issues. Like, now what?
So here are a few things that might help you stay the course as you move through the beginnings of this less-than-normal spring semester.
Communicate with people regularly. Unfortunately, this year of isolation has caused many of us to feel comfortable with being isolated. I see this with my kids, who seem more at ease spending as many hours as they can killing creepers or expanding their empires. It's not healthy. We need to do what we can to be with others and communicate regularly with those in our circles. For students, this means classmates, friends at home, family, and of course, professors. Communicate regularly with the people around you, in person if possible and virtual if necessary. But either way, force yourself to talk to people.
Share some empathy. Know that your professors have many of the same concerns that you do. They share your health concerns, financial stresses, issues within their families (especially those with young kids), and of course, how best to serve students in a strangely difficult time. Be gracious to your professors and empathetic.
Learn new tools. As I interact with students, I often find that they underutilize the tools they have on hand, especially their expensive smartphones and computers. If you have an iPhone, learn how to use built-in apps such as Reminders and Calendar for managing time. Don't be afraid to invest in apps that will help you with assignments, write papers, or log your activity and the like. Trust me; there is more to life than Microsoft Word and Exel. Learn how to make a PDF and OCR a document from your phone with the Notes app or another scanning application. And don't forget to carry in your bag basic office supplies that will help you process things that come to you: from paper clips to a small stapler to a folder or two. You'll be surprised at how much more efficient you will become if you are open to learning new tools.
Help Others. Here's a crazy thought: offer to help your professors. I can assure you that they are there for you and probably struggling with how best to serve you as students. Return the favor. "Is there anything I can do to help you this semester?" would be a fantastic way to start a relationship with a new or old professor. Likewise, there are students in your classes who might benefit greatly from your help, not just with school work but with technology or even with a reminder about an upcoming assignment or the start of class. Be willing to help others, and you’ll be amazed at how much it actually helps you.
Try to be engaged. Our world of virtual meetings and classes has been a significant paradigm shift for educators and students alike. It has brought about many good things like the ability to be more flexible and engage students who might not otherwise participate in our classes. But it has also created the ability to check out. If you participate in virtual meetings, make an effort to show up prepared to engage as you would if you were face to face—Google ‘zoom etiquette’ for some tips. But attending a virtual meeting from your bed in your jammies in a mental state that falls somewhere in between a full-on coma and a hangover communicates volumes to your professor. If you need to turn off your video to lighten the load on your wifi signal, that’s perfectly good to do; just be sure to follow point 1 above. Let people know that you are there and that you have come prepared to engage.
Finally, don't forget to communicate. Did I mention this already? Connect with faculty, not just through the industrial medium of e-mail. Since our face to face connections are likely limited, connect with them on social media, if possible. I use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for professional purposes in some cases, but I also use them to connect with students on a less formal level. I want them to see that I have a life outside of the classroom. I have kids, a family, hobbies, interests -- that I am a human being like they are. This year especially, those connections can help students and faculty move beyond those often strict boundaries of professor and student. And that connection helps to build relationships that have the potential to make all the difference in trying times like these.
As this semester ramps up, your success as a college student is in your hands. Connect with people, share some empathy with your professors, learn some new tools, offer to help others, and communicate regularly. I promise that if you put these things into practice, you’ll have a great semester.