Wolfie’s Survival Tips for Students

Our lives have changed so much due to COVID-19. Our sense of stability has been shaken, our daily lives have been disrupted, and social distancing has become our new normal. As a Stony Brook student, you are faced with the added challenge of adjusting to online academic classes and coursework. It’s a whole new world.

Wolfie understands. So, here are some useful tips and advice to help you survive and, perhaps, thrive in your pursuit of student success.

Tip #1

Create your own learning community for each online class. Team up with a few of your classmates and schedule virtual meetings to review the course materials. Develop a list of professors and fellow students with whom you can discuss your research interests and practice your presentations.

Tip #2

Stay in touch with your professors. We’re all still connected, so keeping in touch goes a long way to helping you achieve your goals. Walk-in office hours are now replaced with virtual office hours. Take full advantage of this time to let your professors know about your academic interests. Keep in mind that they expect students to be punctual for virtual classes, participate in online discussions, ask questions, and complete assignments on time. If you have a mentor, reach out and let them know how you are doing and how they can support you.

Tip #3

Get self-disciplined in your academic work. At times, online courses can get challenging, but you can stay ahead of the curve by identifying obstacles that prevent you from developing good habits needed to help you achieve your goals. Be aware that in some situations, our thoughts and feelings can lead us to engage in behaviors that sabotage our efforts to stay on top of the coursework. Breaking down your readings and assignments into small manageable steps that can be tackled incrementally is the best approach. Being laser-focused about your work is key. Pay attention to how you dress when you’re doing schoolwork. If you study while dressed in your pajamas, you’re likely to only accomplish a good night’s sleep!

Tip #4

Work on managing expectations on the home front. Due to social distancing, many Seawolves are living at home with their families or residing with roommates. Although this gives you the opportunity to spend lots of time with your loved ones, it also can interfere with the time you need to devote to your academics.

So, what do you do? You could have a family meeting to discuss the times when you will need a quiet environment for class meetings and study. Figuring out ways to reciprocate with your family members promotes understanding and balance for everyone.

Tip #5

Maintain self-care. It is likely that your self-care routine of the past has changed. Nonetheless, it is important to maintain your sense of well-being. Make maintaining a healthy diet, exercise, connecting with family and friends, and attending to your overall mental health a priority. Meditating, connecting with one’s spirituality, playing remote games and activities with friends and family, or taking online leisure classes, are some ways to achieve a more balanced life.

Set aside time to disconnect from the computer, cell phone, and television daily to create “me” time. Occasionally, some of us will experience feelings of loneliness and alienation. Remember, you are not alone. We encourage you to connect with others or try something new that will put a smile on your face!

The Center for Prevention and Outreach (CPO) offers ways to help Seawolves take care of themselves:

• Self-Care Anywhere web resource that includes videos, tutorials, apps, links and other useful information on a variety of self-care topics related to multiple dimensions of wellness. Images and other content reflect the diversity of our campus.
• Let’s Talk program to provide students with individual 20-minute consultation sessions online through Google Hangouts.
• Virtual Workshops, Bystander Intervention Training, and Drop-In Chat Groups: Virtual programs on a variety of topics: managing long-distance relationships, coping and connection during COVID, managing conflict, setting boundaries in small spaces, skill-based workshops for managing mood and anxiety symptoms, information sessions on impacts of vaping/marijuana, Netflix screenings with chat sessions, time management in the virtual world, mindful origami, and other guided art-based workshops on anxiety management. CPO also offers Suicide Prevention Bystander Training called Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) and Toxic Drinking Prevention Bystander Training called Red Watch Band (RWB) virtually.

 

Tip #6

(Re)connect with a student club or organization. Many student groups are hosting online meetings, virtual programs and activities, and chatrooms. They offer opportunities to build relationships with fellow Seawolves and make new friends. The CORQ app and SB Engaged platform are your gateway to Student Life and a new virtual world of all kinds of involvement. If you are a member of a student organization, your group also can use this time to develop program ideas for the next academic year.

Additional Virtual Resources for students and student groups are available from the Office of Student Engagement and Activities.

Tip #7

Give yourself a break! These are tough times for us all, so don’t been so hard on yourself if everything isn’t working out as you expected. So much is changing daily, so it’s wise to be as flexible and adaptable. You may need to adjust your study hours, allow additional time to work on your goals, or explore new opportunities. Although there’s a lot of information out there, try to stay as informed about what is going on in the Seawolf world. Check your email daily for important campus messages, use campus resources to pursue your academic and career interests, and participate in the many virtual activities offered.