COVID-19 has transformed our learning environment. Instead of sitting in classrooms, we attend Zoom call after Zoom call in the same home environment every day. We have attended classes while laying in our bed, noticing our peers’ pets and family members in their backgrounds, and taking tests from home. For many of us, this change in environment has been difficult to adjust to. Getting in touch with teachers is harder, learning concepts through virtual methods is challenging, and not being able to interact with our peers is difficult. Despite the numerous challenges, we have finished our first semester and our first semester grades have been finalized. Virtual learning has certainly led to some of us doing worse academically than we have in prior semesters, but it’s important to come to terms with our first semester grades in a healthy manner.
1. Taking time to process
Grades we aren’t happy with can derail our self-confidence and, at the moment, seem like the end of the world. Whether it be failing a required class or tainting your Grade Point Average (GPA), it’s not easy to just move on and focus on the next task on your to-do list. The first step to coming to terms with your grade is taking the time to process. Let yourself feel mad or sad and vent your frustrations to friends or family.
2. Do not dwell on it for too long
Though it’s important to take the time to process your grades, you should not let that grade get in the way of your goals or tasks. Focusing on the problem for too long will make the problem seem worse than it actually is. After you are done processing what happened, put some distance between yourself and your grades. Do things you enjoy like listening to music, hanging out with friends, going on a run, or watching a movie.
3. Identify what went wrong
After processing your grades, it’s important to reflect on the past semester and devise methods for improvement. Overall, there are two scenarios that could result in a less than ideal grade.
The first are tasks you have control over and can improve upon. Maybe you underestimated the class and didn’t study enough, or didn’t finish all of the homework assignments that were due. Perhaps the studying methods you used weren’t effective. Evaluate where you went wrong and detail exactly what you did that needs improvement.
The second is events out of your control. COVID-19 has affected our family members, financial situations, and mental health. Being unable to focus on schoolwork because a family member is battling COVID-19 isn’t something you can change, and you shouldn’t blame yourself for it. You tried your best to balance schoolwork with your personal life, and it’s understandable if life got in the way.
4. Plan and execute
After reflecting on the past semester, spend some time planning how you will improve this semester. If your grades dipped due to a change in your family situation or mental health troubles, there isn’t much you can do since you cannot devise a plan for events you don’t expect to happen. However, if you struggled with time management or studying, there are tangible steps you can take to do better in the second semester. If you struggled with finishing assignments, whether that be from a lack of motivation or poor time management, devise a new schedule that works for you. If you need to take breaks between studying, try the Pomodoro technique where you work for 30 minutes and then take a five-minute break.
If you struggled with being unproductive, figure out what times you work best at. For example, I know I won’t do school work from three to five no matter how long I sit at my desk. Let yourself relax during the times of day you know you won’t want to do any work.
If you worked hard and studied for your tests but didn’t get the results you wanted, try out new studying techniques. If you learn better with visuals, try creating graphics from your notes to retain the information better. If you are struggling to recall the information in your notes, do practice problems out of textbooks to directly apply the information you’ve learned. For classes that require memorization such as psychology or anatomy, try using Anki, a customizable flashcard app.
Lastly, a regular sleep schedule is not only beneficial for your physical health but also your mental health. Going to bed on time can help you be more productive throughout the day. Developing a regular sleep schedule isn’t easy for a lot of us especially with all of our time commitments, but I recommend taking a chronotype sleep test. Chronotypes can help you better understand approximately what time you should fall asleep and wake up at, which will boost your productivity and mood.
5. Reaching out to others
If you are having trouble narrowing down where you need help, try meeting with your teacher to see if he or she can help you evaluate your performance this past semester. Teachers know what their classes require and can help you devise study strategies they’ve seen work in the past for other students.
Try reaching out to upperclassmen you know who have taken the class in prior years. They can help you prepare for the upcoming semester and tell you what to expect in the second semester of the class. Additionally, if you are feeling bad about your grade in the class, they might be able to help put things in perspective and ease your nerves.
Lastly, if you struggle with holding yourself accountable, try forming study groups with people in your class. Not only can they make studying more enjoyable, but you have people to turn to when you are confused about certain lessons or concepts.