Students Share: Online Learning and Mental Health Tips

‘Before starting with the work for the day, I always go for a run first.’

‘Make a to do list with two colours: one colour for urgent matters, another for less urgent.’

‘ ‘PLAN YOUR DAY IN ADVANCE. I cannot stress enough the importance of having a to do list and schedule.’

‘I find that writing a schedule every morning/ evening works. I estimate how much I’ll get through and break it into the hours in the day. Even if I don’t get through everything I set out to, setting up that kind of structure is a helpful way to meet goals.’

‘Break work up between days so you can keep weekends free. Then there’ motivation to get through the content that you have time to do other things on weekends.’

‘Sometimes, you just can’t get through everything.

So work smart, not hard. Read cases and listen to lectures. Sometimes the textbook isn’t absolutely necessary... once you get the feel of a course, you’ll be able to decide what’s what.’

‘A person must work consistently. One of the most frustrating parts of online learning is the fact that you can’t get help whenever you want. You have to wait for your lecturers to reply. Now imagine you don’t work consistently, and come a test or assignment, you have all these questions you want to ask. And although you do ask them, the answers are either short or non existent. Understandably so, you had the whole year to work and ask the questions and it is almost guaranteed that you are not the only student hassling your lecturer at the last minute. They have lives too and don’t need to accommodate every single person at the last minute. Now consider the converse. You work consistently and in advance. You ask all your questions that you want to. Except this time, your lecturer responds. Not only does he respond, but he responds well. He also appreciates that you are working hard and taking an actual interest in his subject. He will reward you. This is great for your mental health. It makes you feel good. Moreover, when you work consistently, you actually find that you have more free time on your hands. So when the day comes that you feel like you absolutely cannot work, you can take the day off, stress free, because you know that you are ahead of your work and have the support of the lectures if you for whatever reason need their help. ‘ We suspect a lecturer may have penned this but it’s great advice anyway.

Students Share: Mental Health tips1 ‘A walk out in the open air always clears my mind. A hot bath and a crime podcast are also great. Journaling also really helps me’

‘Whenever I’m feeling really overwhelmed, I stop what I’m doing and make a cup of tea. After I’ve calmed down a bit and finished the “goodness in a cup”, I take a deep breath and start again. It resets me in a way.’2 3

‘Exercise is great.’

‘So this sounds bizarre but sometimes if I really need to relax, I sit in my cupboard for a few minutes. It’s quiet, cool and dark, and it makes me feel better.’

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‘If I’m feeling really stressed about law school, I find that venting to a law friend does wonders. Sometimes complaining really helps even if nothing changes.’

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‘Making time to do things I enjoy, like hobbies and talking to friends.’6 ‘Cleaning and also washing dishes. It’s soothing.’

‘I got very into journaling.’

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‘Decluttering.’

‘Baking relaxes me. I try something new every once in a while. Banana bread got old real fast.’10 11

‘Sleeping a lot.’

‘Trying to make new things or do new things to bring some sort of newness into life.’12