Zoom’s online but you know what else is online? Coolmath Games. Oh wait, we’re being graded.

Bwog Staff gets it. Trying to stay focused during classes was already hard enough but now a million distractions are literally just a click away. Luckily, we have some sure-fire, tried-and-tested ways to ensure that you get the most out of zoom university:

Avoid Phones:

  • Put your phone out of arm’s reach! Seriously! Even in another room if that’s possible!
  • If you must have it by you, avoid texting on it or on your laptop. If something funny happens and you want to tell someone, write it down and text it to them later.
  • Use the app Forest to get locked out of your phone for a period of time + to help plant trees!
  • If on Android, get this app to literally lock yourself out of your phone for a set amount of time. It will not let you get back in your phone until time’s up.

Pretend You’re Really On-Campus:

  • Sit at your desk like you’re really in a classroom. No more lying down on your bed!
  • Stand up and walk around between classes to simulate the passing period. That could be a walk to another room and back or a walk outside around the block. Get up, move your body a little.
  • If possible, get ready before class like you would at school. Get dressed, eat something, and have everything you need for that class with you by the time you click on the Zoom link.

Other Suggestions:

  • Keep your camera on. Annoying, but really helpful.
  • Hide self-view if you find that you’re staring at yourself the entire class…
  • Take notes on a separate device than you are Zooming on. Use paper, an iPad, or use your phone as your Zoom medium and type on your laptop. Switching tabs makes it much more difficult to focus.
  • If you are taking classes from your bedroom make your bed so that you don’t fall asleep during your lectures and are less tempted to go back to bed after them.
  • Switch up where you are taking your classes from (sit on your bed one day, your desk the next, the floor, make a fort, go outside if you can, etc.)
  • Figure out which brightness level on the device you’re Zooming from works best. Too bright will probably make you want to look away, but too dark might not hold your attention as much. Find that sweet spot.
  • If on your computer using chrome, use this extension to block certain sites for a certain amount of time. It also makes it hard to change the settings so you don’t get tempted to fix it later!

zoomin via bwog archives