Self-care is vital to prevent burnout. Recognize your limits and take breaks to focus on yourself. Self-care may look different for different people, but at its core, it is what we do to care for our physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Being aware of your self-care needs is crucial during remote learning as you may find yourself feeling more isolated than previously. For some, this can have a major impact on their well-being.

What self-care is and how you practice it will be up to you. Check out our Self-Care Page for some guidance and tips.

Is the class going to be primarily synchronous or asynchronous? Are students expected to engage in group work? What is the weekly workload going to be?

These are some questions for which it may be vital to know answers to beforehand. Remote learning has its fair set of challenges, but it also offers new possibilities. Depending on your own situation, you may need to know details about how the class is going to be conducted in order to know if that is a virtual environment that is suitable for you.

Try emailing course professors two weeks before the class starts or even before you register. Ask the questions you that will help you decide if the class is a good fit.

Do you have the software and hardware you need to be successful in this class? Are you familiar with using it? Undertaking online studies is difficult for many students due to the additional tech-savviness required. Tech-savvy or not, it is always ideal to come prepared.

The PSU library offers a wide variety of resources to support students. Of course this includes books and papers, but also, they lend out technology to support remote learning.

The Computer Action Team in the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science have compiled a directory of resources for remote learning. While some of these are only applicable if you are an engineering/computer science student, many general resources are included.

Remote classes don't offer many opportunities for you to connect with classmates. The lack of connection can make it difficult to find suitable partners for group projects and study groups.

Your professor or a classmate may have set up a Slack or Discord channel for the class. This can be a good way to get to know some of your peers. If not, you may have to take the initiative yourself.

Instructions to create a Discord server.

Instructions to create a Slack channel.

Having a study buddy helps you keep on track and focused on the work that you are doing. Additionally, a study buddy will help you stay accountable for getting your work done.

A study buddy is also someone you will feel comfortable talking to and asking questions when you don't understand content.

Connecting with classmates on Discord or Slack is typically a better way to find a study buddy, but you can also post a discussion on your course's learning platform:

Instructions for creating a discussion on D2L.

Instructions for creating a discussion on Canva.

There is a good chance that some fellow EXTIO scholar has taken, is taking, or will need to take the same classes as you. You can get to know other scholars through the weekly enrichment sessions and find scholars who can offer you their support, whether that is advice on which professor to take the class with, help with the content, relevant resources, or some other helpful information.

EXITO has a study buddy list for sophomore scholars to help find other scholars taking the same classes.

The lack of interaction can make the learning experience feel impersonal. Be active in building a personal connection by bringing questions about course content or even about your professor's field to their office hours. If you are unable to attend office hours, try emailing them to find an alternative meeting time.

Doing this regularly is especially important if you think there may be some barriers to succeeding in a class. If you are able to, addressing challenges early on will help you keep up with the class.