I’m stepping a bit out of my comfort zone with this one.
I don’t often like to discuss how I’m feeling with people, most of the time it’s irrelevant, or even I myself don’t care. But, I feel talking about why this year in particular has been rough for me might actually help me get down to the bottom of…. a very persistent and annoying issue. I can’t seem to focus no matter what I do, and I need to fix it so that I can finish strong this year.
On any other year – heck – last year might’ve been my best – I could always focus in our building as in – inside NNHS. I used every scrap, every second, to get my work done, in class, during lunch, in the entire hour I had every morning because my bus just arrived that early. As miserable as getting to school at 6:42-ish in the morning was, I could always be productive somehow. Some may call it cramming in work or procrastination, but I call it productivity. The case this year, however, is different. Whenever I get off of zoom, weather class ended early or just when it was scheduled to, I just throw in the towel. As much as I’d like to sit there and crank out my work like an exemplary student, I go off and do completely and utterly mindless tasks that waste my time and accomplish nothing.
Its not that the school day has gotten longer – its actually gotten shorter by almost 2 hours with an asynchronous day on Monday. The workload hasn’t changed – about 2, sometimes 3, hours of work to do per night (1 if I’m lucky), but absolutely 0 – that I’ve done – so far this year.
So is there a reason? Or are all the teachers right about the dreaded ‘Senoritis’?
As it turns out, I might not be alone, as a quick google search presented me with a seemingly reputable article of EXACTLY why this might be happening.
Understood.org, my site of choice, is a site composed of members who have kids of their own that require alternative learning methods, and they have come up with an article about why exactly e-learning could present some issues.
I think I want to set up a hammock in my backyard to do school in. That would be cool. Don’t know how long it would last, we’ve only had a little bit of good weather this week, then it’ll be back to crap. Might be internet issues too. Research required.
There’s 8 points and a lot of explaining, so I’ll pick just a few and save myself and anyone else some time
- Lack of Schedule – While there is a calendar for each week of school, from day to day and week to week, our zooms last different times, and the method of teaching frequently changes to accommodate E Learning. Lack of schedule, for some like myself, tends to lead the mind away from a ‘here and now’ mindset – anytime or no time at all may be for the work at hand.
- Distractions – They’re all around us at home. Home is where we do the things we enjoy doing. No offense Mrs. Trowbridge – but school doesn’t make my top 50 list out of the 30 total things I probably do here.
- The In-person aspect – teachers and friends are amazing resources, both for help and keeping you in check. With E – Learning, you’re left to your own devices. Another thing that’s not my strong suit.
- Not Enough Sleep – …..
- No Change In Scenery – No doubt, a bell ring, some leg stretching, some bathroom using, and some new rooming is a chance for your mind to reset, clear, and focus on what’s coming next.
650 words already? I thought this whole blogging thing would be miserable because I don’t usually go and talk on a whim, but here we are. Wait, Colin, didn’t you do blog # 2? …Oh yeah…. why am I writing this blog?…. Oh yeah….
So what do I need to – focus – on in order to improve my focus? The answer seems pretty clear. ‘Attend’ school from 7:35 to 1:30 each day. Weather that’s in zoom or not, use the hour and a half to build a structure, and develop a ‘here and now mindset’.
Get somewhere where distractions are minimalized. I tried my room at the beginning of the year, but my internet there cause me to disconnect multiple times, so right now I’m in the living room. That hammock idea in the back yard seems really appealing. Maybe the basement if that doesn’t work.
Mix it up. In passing periods, get something to drink, do a quick exercise, possibly socialize a bit. Keep things fresh, and don’t give yourself a mindwash by staying put for 6 hours.
My next blog may not be about this topic, but I’d definitely like to follow up in it, and at least report my findings.
Come to think of it, the basement would be a good winter idea….
Until next time
– Mentori (Colin Cain)
I can relate so so SO much to this post!! I am almost grateful that I am not alone in this struggle–I genuinely thought that I was so wrong for not being able to focus right now in e-learning. Just like yourself, in years past I was ALWAYS so on top of my work. However, this year…not so much. Thank you for opening up and writing about this, there are so many of us struggling with this and it is so important to know that we are not alone. I surely need to also work on my sleep, schedule mindset, and switch up my scenery between classes, but no matter what we all have to realize that we are doing our best and that we will get through this school year:)
Hey Colin thanks for posting about this. I think most of us are in very similar situations and are struggling to deal with it. On paper it seems like the class of 2021 is better off than the other grades especially because we have extra time to work on college apps, even though our grades matter, it’s not as much as juniors and sophomores, and we are not paying a whole lot of money to attend college online. But it seems like it is impossible to stay productive and find the motivation to get work done. I am very interested in knowing more about your findings.
Hey Colin,
I’ve been having very similar problems to you (lack of focus, motivation, etc.) but unlike you, I didn’t take the time to research and figure out some things to help me with it. I think #1 on your list, the lack of schedule, is what hurts me the most. I always feel disorganized and overwhelmed with work even if I realistically don’t have too much work. Even so, I still manage to find myself distracted and procrastinating. Overall a great blog and I think it will help me.
Colin, you are absolutely not alone when it comes to feeling unmotivated due to the various factors that come with e-learning. On top of the lack of schedule, lack of sleep, many distractions, and just overall staying in the same house (or even worse, the same room) all day, another thing that makes e-learning difficult for me is not really feeling a sense of connection with my teachers or peers. You touched on this a little, by mentioning how we’re missing the whole “in-person aspect”, but I am a person that loves social interaction and connecting with others. While I usually would be talking and raising my hand in class if I had a question, something about zoom makes it more difficult to talk openly or ask the questions I need to. I get in the mindset that I will figure it out on my own—which is the start of my procrastination. Good job on stepping out of your comfort zone with this blog post. I also want to say that you can clearly see your voice and humor through your writing; I really like your writing style.
Hi Colin! I share a lot of the issues you have with online school, and I agree that being productive is significantly harder in this remote setting. That being said, I appreciate the tips you had for increasing motivation. I’ll make sure to try a few of them out, including having a better location, taking breaks to walk around, and minimizing distractions.