By: Elliana Nath
The switch to distance learning due to the Coronavirus pandemic has changed a lot in my life — including my entire game plan for schoolwork and time management. Since I am afforded complete freedom to finish homework/assignments whenever I would like, it can be easy to skip classes to sleep all day and to forget about assignments and their due dates. At a Magnet School, I cannot afford to fall behind in my AP classes or miss homework in accelerated courses — so my planning, time management, and motivation needed to be reworked to prevent this.
Planning & Time Management
In order to keep up with homework, while also juggling time with my family, sports practices, and leisure, I have created a digital ‘planner’ for my week. This helps me so much with time management since I know when I should complete a task, when it is actually due, and the priority of each task. I use the app “Notion” for my own organizational purposes, but finding a platform or format that helps keep you organized can be so helpful when dealing with the stress of a pandemic (and keeping up with school work through this). I find that making a column (or section) and adding small tasks for each day is the easiest way for me to stay on top of things over time.
Motivation
My motivation also shifted during the pandemic — from wanting to meet my parents’ expectations for my grades, to achieving in school for my own satisfaction and to set myself up for success in the future. As a junior in high school, this is the year I start thinking about colleges and what I would like to do with my life. Therefore, I must also be thinking about developing a resume, good grades, and discovering things that set me apart for college admissions and job applications. Recognizing this, I knew I needed to conjure some internal motivation to keep me going through a pandemic, rather than relying on my parents’ micro-management to keep me up to date with my assignments and studying.
My motivation change did not come overnight, but with a realization of what I wanted for my future and the effort it will demand. I find that working for myself (and not just to get grades that make my parents happy) makes doing schoolwork so much easier. Rather than seeing homework or studying as a burden, I can now see assignments and assessments as tiny steps towards my dream college, dream job, and dream future — including a house, family, and lots of pets. Looking at school from a different perspective can make it easier to complete what otherwise feels like busy work, and a better work ethic and stronger motivation to succeed can absolutely benefit you in the future. I am really so grateful for the way I have developed planning and time management skills and a personal motivation for schoolwork that will benefit me for the rest of my life.