Virtual classes are the go-to solution as colleges are sending their students home during the peak periods of COVID-19 this winter. This leaves college students and their families scrambling to set up spaces in the home that position the young adult for success as they navigate this new normal.
Today’s students are over-burdened with organizing homework, tackling several courses, and hassling with loud younger siblings who they fear are disrupting their online classes. How can you create a study area at home that will promote and encourage lasting scholarly habits?
If you are faced with moving back in with your parents because your university is operating remotely, it’s crucial to enlist the help of a mover that’s dependable.
Get Rid of What You Don’t Need
First step is to declutter. If you plan to create a study area in a common room, such as a dining room or living room, choose one that has the fewest distractions. Turn off the TV or relocate it completely, as well as video games and clutter that could potentially cause distractions within your designated area. Make sure the space is located away from food and drink, stacks of meaningless papers, and chore lists that don’t have anything to do with your school work.
Come Up With a Routine
The creation of a single dedicated study space that you can return to again and again is critical. This will help you get into an academic head space more easily, so figure out which space will take on new life as your study nook for the upcoming semester and commit to it. Things that are not school related have no business being in the immediate space, such as pet toys, magazines, and unrelated books.
Prep Essential Study Items
Your study space on the home front should be comfortable but not too comfortable that you may feel like hopping on your favorite bean bag and taking a nap. Include an ergonomic chair and spacious desk, and incorporate adequate general and task lighting. Stock it with:
- Noise-cancelling headphones
- Pens/pencils
- Notebooks and binders
- A separate mouse if you are working on a laptop, which is easier than a trackpad over the long term.
- Index cards
- Calculators and other tools
- Planner or calendar for tracking due dates
- Textbooks or a tablet with e-books
- Decorations that inspire but don’t distract
- Water and low-fat snacks to keep up energy levels during cramming sessions
Proper Lighting and Temperature
If you can, set up your desk near a window for optimal natural light and ventilation. If you can’t, place desk lamps where they can properly illuminate the space. The entire study area should be multi-functional, even for those all-nighters; also, one of the lamps should accommodate conference calls and online classes so that your face is clearly illuminated for participation.
Stick with something in the middle: not too hot or not too cold. Everyone is different in what they feel comfortable with, but in general, high heat and extreme cold can both hamper the ability to focus. If you have no control over the household temperature, use a space heater or fan.
Contact Around the Clock Moving and Storage
Whether you need packing or moving services to get yourself or your college student back home, let Around the Clock Moving and Storage help. Contact us today for a free quote at 469-853-0045.
