Being an online student can be stressful during the best of times. Here are some tips and tricks for minimizing that stress and maximizing your successes.

Maintaining your Mental Health

Some guidelines from WNC:
Social and other media. At times like this, the news and other media can be a distraction at best. Sometimes they can even be another source of stress, so there are good reasons for allowing yourself only limited access to media during your day. The news and social media will be there when you give yourself a few minutes to take a look, but they don’t have to take over your day and thoughts.
Time management. Even though you’re learning from home, that doesn’t mean that all routine should go out of the window. A solid routine for your day, your meal schedules, your exercise and entertainment can help you stay on track with assignments and other important tasks.
Social connections. Social distancing means we won’t be seeing those who are important to us the way we usually do. Phones and other technology can keep you in touch with your friends and family. It’s important to maintain contact with your support network for those moments when you have to let off steam
Click here to read the full article

A few other tips to keep in mind from the University of Essex (click here for full article):

Sleep is your friend!
Without a regular work or school day it is easy for sleep schedules to change which can lead to fatigue an even greater sense of isolation. So, maintaining a regular sleep schedule will keep you alert and help you stay engaged in your online class.
Healthy eating fuels your day.
Like sleeping, eating a healthy diet when you are working from home can be difficult. It easy to snack on ‘comfort foods” throughout the day. But, eventually that will create its own problems, so a regular healthy eating routine will also help you stay on task.
Be gentle with yourself!
This may be the first time that you have had to work with little supervision or direction. Don’t try to be a superhero. Work when you are scheduled to and enjoy downtime when you can.
Taking regular breaks is important for your overall well-being
Stop, stretch, grab some tea
Take a break from social media
Exercise, even for just 15 minutes a day
Keep a journal
Journalling will help you reflect on your experience, and you might enjoy looking back on it years from now.
Keep yourself and your workspace organized
Organization can help reduce stress and help you outline what you have to get done
Keep a calendar (on your phone or on the wall), and keep your workspace free from distractions
Build a support network
Connect with friends, family, or support groups digitally
Access WNC Counseling services:
775-445-3267 or
counseling@wnc.edu.
Access WNC academic coaching:
Click here to learn how to access online academic coaching