As we all adjust to a new normal and embrace studying and working from home, the Health Promotion Service team at Mary Immaculate College (MIC) have compiled their top tips to help students studying at home.
- Get up early as if it was a normal college day.
- Establish a structure to your day. Block out times for lectures, study, meals, exercise etc.
- There are a number of online tools such as Skype or Zoom that you can download for free and enable you to coordinate video chats with groups of people. Use these programs to set up study groups with course mates so you can spend some time discussing ideas, analysing texts together and swapping study tips.
- Engage with your learning. Put your phone down while studying or listening to an online lecture as if you were in the library or in an actual lecture. Be prepared, do the readings and take notes as in a normal lecture.
- Organise a designated space for study.
- It is normal to feel lonely at the moment. Stay in touch with your peers and friends using social media.
- Take regular breaks. Get out for a walk/run/cycle every day but practice physical distancing. Stay within the 2km zone. Visit www.2kmfromhome.com to see how far from your home you can roam. Alternatively, get 30 minutes of exercise at home. There are a number of workouts on YouTube to choose from and Fitness Blender is also another good source for daily workouts.
- Eat healthy, well-balanced meals and healthy snacks.
- Anxiety is a normal human emotion. It is likely that the uncertainty we are facing at the moment can increase feelings of anxiety. Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories. MIC’s Counselling and Chaplaincy Services are still available for help and advice during this time. You can also visit the HSE website for tips on minding your mental health and you can find a list of local services here.
- Activities like yoga and meditation can help with feelings of stress and anxiety. There are lots of YouTube videos to choose from.
Remember, we’re all in this together and by staying at home we can all save lives and slow the spread of COVID-19. For Student FAQs, please click here.
