5 Tips to Tackle Optometry School Online

1. Keep your Routine

Make a schedule and delegate a set starting time each morning.
Try to follow your regular class schedule. If you’re typically in class from 9am-5pm, try your best to stick with that schedule reviewing lectures and studying.
If you like to workout, consider outdoor activities or working out at home with online videos.
Find a balance by allocating time for non-school activities, whether it be preparing healthy meals or watching your favorite TV show on Thursday nights. This is a stressful time for all of us, so it’s essential to continue to do the things that reduce anxiety and maintain good mental health.

Select a place in your home or apartment that has limited distractions.
Make sure that you have ample room to read, write and do any other tasks to complete your school day.
Sit similar to how you sit at school (upright, not slouched)!
Make your study space a “phone free” zone to limit being distracted by texts and social media that suck up your time.
Keep your area clean and organized. You’ll be spending a lot of time here so you want to maximize your usage of your space.
Put on your work clothes (scrubs, business casual, etc.). This will help distinguish your work time from your lounge time.

Check your e-mails daily, or whatever your school’s primary form of communication is.
Reading emails allows you to stay on top of your class announcements and assignments. (One of my classmates makes a Google To-do list when new lectures are posted. This allows all of my classmates to make sure we’re on the same page and keeping on top of our material.)
Staying on top of e-mails is important, but don’t feel obligated to check your e-mails 24/7. Designate a time to look at them so you aren’t feeling trapped or overloaded by constant updates on assignments or events.

This is a new situation that everyone is impacted by so there is going to be a learning curve.
Have patience with yourself, your professors and staff. Everyone is doing what they think is best during this time.
If you feel like you’re getting behind in a class or not understanding the material, reach out to your professor or classmates.
Reach out to your school’s designated personnel when you need access to something or are unwell. Your school has the resources to help make sure your needs or concerns are met.

Without in-person lectures, I feel like I miss things during an online class because of distractions. Now, we have the ability to give the remote lecturer your undivided attention – take advantage of it!
If you have questions about a lecture, take them to the book – the text book! This is a great time to open up a text book and utilize the extra resource that you’ve likely been ignoring thus far.
Reinforce your understanding of the material by receiving it in a different way and medium.