Recreating the Classroom

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By Teddie Tarczali Staff Writer

Are you feeling like school life and everyday life are slowly morphing into one due to online schooling? I know many people were feeling this way in 2021 as a result of the pandemic. We are living in a time now where you can choose to “go to” school entirely online, making it tough for some people to keep school separate from other aspects of everyday life. This can become pretty stressful.

Most college students understand that once you’re in school time management is your best friend, but with online schooling it is easy to get wrapped up in the stress of being “in school” in your own home. What are some ways you can help yourself succeed with online school and find balance between school and personal life?

Online school can be tough for some, and a breeze for others; however, it’s all up to the student to decide how they plan to tackle their workload and achieve academic success. The students’ success becomes more of their own responsibility because they don’t have that “classroom setting’’ that makes school, school. I’ve reflected on my own personal experience as a student at Housatonic and chatted with some fellow students and staff to provide some advice on creating your online “classroom.”

Like a lot of students during the pandemic, when I began online school I felt stuck, and honestly I can still feel stuck sometimes. I have struggled with the lack of community, the lack of sitting next to peers in class and always having someone to turn to is a struggle with online learning. While chatting with fellow HCC student Joey Rubino about how to better connect with online classmates, she had some great input on how to do so: “I try to give really detailed opinions when I reply to discussion boards showing my true self since you can’t really do that online. Sometimes I’ll even get a few of my classmates’ phone numbers so we can help each other out on some assignments.” This is a wonderful technique that mimics the behavior of being able to turn to a classmate and ask a question; you can text your classmate and achieve a version of that sense of community.

Through my struggle with adapting to online learning I discovered that what works best for me is to develop a personal relationship with my professors in order to communicate my wants and needs as a student, whether the class has meeting times or not, I found that sending an email to my professors at the start of the semester asking to meet with them to chat about the class and the expectations they have from their students for the semester. Right off the bat, meeting my professor and talking with them lifted a huge weight off of my shoulders. Going from just seeing a syllabus and a list of weekly assignments on Blackboard to seeing a face and hearing a voice made all the difference for me.

In my very first class here at HCC, I was terrified. I was enrolled in the class but there was an issue with Blackboard so I didn’t get to start until a week after all of my classmates did. I had been emailing with my professor, Kathleen Micinilio, back and forth and finally met with her via Webex. I was on the verge of tears before the meeting, but the second the call started, I immediately felt better. Professor Micinilio left a wonderful first impression and helped me notice how helpful and willing the staff here at Housatonic are.

Another way to bring the feeling of school into your personal space could be meeting with a tutor. Rachell Williams, HCC graduate and tutor at HCC currently, provided some input on how she helps students learn through the screen. I asked Rachell what are some ways she’s been able to help students adapt to online learning. She explained,“I always let my students know that they are not alone, and online learning has been a major learning curve for everyone. My tip for students would be to create a schedule and stick to it. This will help you to get your work done without feeling overwhelmed by the course load. College courses can be difficult, but, by managing your time, you can succeed.”

Williams further explained how she reminds her students how it’s important to take some time alone, which I believe helps separate school and life. “You also want to give yourself a day off (a weekday or weekend with no coursework). For many students, the balance between college, work, and outside life is hectic. It’s necessary to find the time to relax and reset because no one can keep working 24/7,” she says.

Separating school and life is difficult when it’s all happening at home. As Williams said, no one can keep working 24/7. Mackenzie Tarczali, former online community college student, gives some useful advice on this.

My home “classroom”. My dining room, a relaxing secluded place from most technology and distractions.

“Try to avoid doing your school work in your bedroom because that is where your mind should relax. Always try to get your work done in a room in your house that you can associate with school and have that be your classroom,” she said.

Tarcio Almeida, another Housatonic student, highlighted the importance of having a distraction-free environment.

Almeida said.

What seems like a really simple fix can make a huge difference separating school from your personal life can help maintain the feeling of being “at school,” which further will improve your success as a student.

Photo by Cassidy Tarczali, my older sister.

“Personally what helps me to focus is a quiet environment, as long as there isn’t anything that is too distracting (loud music, moving objects) I should be okay to focus and dive into my work. Also, dimmer light seems to give a calm effect, which I like.”