The COVID-19 pandemic quickly turned the things many of us take for granted—going to the doctor, attending a birthday party, sending the kids to daycare—into high-risk activities that could make others sick. And seemingly overnight, our worlds were turned upside down.
COVID-19 has inevitably affected us all in different ways—from navigating the financial burdens of unexpected layoffs, to having to work from home while homeschooling the kids, to the added stress of keeping yourself and loved ones safe and healthy.
Adult students, in particular, were thrust into a new reality in which they suddenly had to transition from in-person to online learning, often while juggling the stresses of raising a family and holding down a full-time job. A year ago, this might have seemed like an impossible workload. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned over the past several months, it’s how to remain resilient and overcome challenges in the face of adversity. Adult students across the country (and at SNU!) found new and creative ways to remain successful while studying online.
If you’re in the process of starting an online program, here are some of the most important lessons that studying from home has taught.
In the early days of the pandemic, many people hoped they would only be home for a week or two. Even that seemed daunting enough. Now, many adult students have spent months at home. The challenges are real, and people continue to struggle with exhaustion and burnout. Despite this, most families have settled into a routine, juggling more responsibilities and competing demands than they ever thought possible. It’s not easy, exactly, but it’s certainly easier than it was—and likely easier than many families thought endless months of isolation could be.
Practice makes perfect. It also encourages us to see things from new perspectives and to seek out new resources to manage life’s challenges. Virtual zoos, video chats with grandparents, plant sale deliveries, and neighborhood parades are all realities now. They might not be as good as the real thing, but they do take the edge off. These products of bored, ingenious minds show us that things can get better and easier, even when they’re tough and even when the crisis doesn’t disappear as quickly as we hope.
Time management. Your teachers have lectured you since kindergarten about it. Every college class urges mastering it. Even employers may offer free seminars to help you become an expert. It’s the skill that transcends time and geographic location. No matter where you are, no matter what you do, no matter how much time you do (or don’t) have, you need to make the most of it. Time is the only resource that we can never replenish. Yet many of us take it for granted, spending it on things we don’t need, don’t like, or don’t want.
Studying at home puts time into perspective. It reminds many students that family matters most and that our limited time with them is the most important thing we have. Many students have had to mine their own internal resources to master better time management skills. Some have found that certain tactics work no matter what you’re juggling. They include:
Studying at home means you may be mom or dad, spouse, employee, and student all at once. That can feel overwhelming, but the truth is that adult students have always had to juggle multiple roles. They just had to do so in different locations. Balancing so many different roles can feel overwhelming and exhausting. It also offers an opportunity to thrive in each role, if you’re willing to use your time wisely and narrow down your goals to those that matter most. Some strategies that help include:
Study skills have always been critical to academic success. Acing a test demands more than just reading the textbook. You have to find ways to make the material relevant so that you can synthesize and truly understand it.
The pandemic has taught adult learners that efficient studying wins every time, whether you’re trying to survive a temporary crisis or focusing on the long game of graduating and getting a great job. Some tips for making the most of your study time include:
Adult students aren’t the only people who need to study. Kids have to learn too. Managing many different course schedules can be tough, but finding ways to learn together makes it a bit easier—and can help you feel more connected as a family. Savvy learners develop a family routine so that everyone can make the most of their time. Try these tips:
All those years of fighting traffic, long carpool lines, and fighting over seats might truly have been for naught. Learning does not require a special setting, let alone a classroom. You can learn anywhere that you have the right information and equipment.
It’s true that kids need to interact with others and that school teaches more than just academic skills. Social intelligence matters too. For adult learners, though, going to an in-person class may be more trouble than it’s worth. You can do it online and on your own terms.
Many adult learners are balancing a seemingly impossible collection of duties, challenges, and roles. It’s possible to thrive even in difficult circumstances. For many, though, the biggest challenge of all is the lack of time for self-care. Exercise, healthy eating, a few moments to read, meditation, and other strategies help fuel the body and mind for the long haul. It’s possible to push through on a wing and a prayer for a little while, but eventually your body and mind will give in to fatigue. Work-life balance demands self-care. Tending to your own needs is not selfish; it’s vital if you want to graduate with the rest of your life intact.
It might not be easy to study at home, whether you’re doing so because of a pandemic or because you hope to give your kids a shot at a better future. Whatever your motivation, remember that we can often do much more than we thought was possible, particularly if we have the right support and a sound plan in place. Struggling can feel exhausting in the moment, but it makes the end goal much sweeter when you reach it. Your kids and loved ones, too, will benefit from seeing that it’s possible to struggle your way to something better.
SNU believes in helping all students chart a course to a better tomorrow. We believe that every learner is different, and we honor the unique contribution that each enrollee brings to our campus. To explore your options and compare learning tools, check out Choose Your Path: Online vs. On-Campus Education.