Struggling with school and online learning during COVID

2/17/2021

March 8, 2021

School has brought a huge amount of changes since COVID began. Some people don't like school in general, but it is so different without the social interaction. You don't know how much you're used to physically being in a classroom and asking for help until you no longer have that option. School online requires so much self-discipline and focus. Although this is a hypothetical message, struggling with school and online learning because of COVID is something we believe most people can understand. If you want to talk to us about what's going on with school (or anything else) feel free to message or call us.

School has been really hard this year. My grades are bad and, no matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to catch up. I’m used to having good grades, and this really sucks.

School puts a lot of pressure on us to do better, to perform and look good on test scores. But I think that grades are really a reflection of how much you’re trying to do aside from school and how much life is happening that is impeding your school. I wouldn’t say it is good or bad, it is just something to observe. I think the only defeat is when we find ourselves giving up. I implore you to take a moment and to challenge yourself to pretend you're a curious cat. A cat that looks at the world through a different lens and to look at school as if you have never seen it before. Think, “I get to” instead of “I have to” and in moments where you find school overwhelming, sit deep inside yourself and think about what this experience would be like if this was meditative, and

relaxing. To think, “out of all the things in my world right now, this is something I can work at.” And to find the fun parts of school, like maybe you enjoy drawing so in order to prep for a test you draw the material or make it into a comic book to try to remember the information. Maybe you make a trivia game for you and your friends/classmates (many teachers will post this for the class if you send it to them and will be really grateful to you). School can seem really overwhelming, but you owe it to yourself to take a deep breath, and know that people know you’re doing your best. If you would like help creating a plan, looking for homework help, or simply to vent–make sure to send us a message or give us a call! -Bri

Hi there! :) I deeply can relate to you on the struggle of school. It’s personally driven me nuts not being able to communicate with everyone and just get into the swing of things. Truthfully I went from a straight A student to a GPA falling below the standards of what’s expected out of me. It’s been so hard to keep up with everything when everythings the same; no engaging labs, no fun group discussions, et cetera. It feels as though no matter how hard I try my grades won't go up. This struggle is a real pain when it comes to our current world, though I am trying to stay optimistic that we will be back in-person soon. Looking back, school online has helped me in some way. I’ve had more time to myself, I can do my work just sitting at my desk with no worry, I even feel like

I have more time to do the things I love to do. The pressure of getting ready and looking good everyday is gone too. I’ve also been able to do nearly everything at my own pace (and skip classes and work on them later). Something that has helped me though is the work of journaling. But don’t just write down your thoughts, draw them out! This helps you relax after a long day of school and directs your mindset to different wonders! Another tip that I have (but struggle to do) is to schedule out every little thing of your day. For example: my schedule usually says 5am: wake up, 5:20: makeup, 5:40: breakfast, 6:00am: work on pyrography, 9:30am: begin school, et cetera! Making a very specific list encourages you to do what you have on the list. Then cross them off! Don’t erase

but rather get a pen and cross it off, trust me it will help you feel so accomplished, therefore motivated! I suggest making it as a hobby, therefore you’re ready to make a schedule everyday and better organize! I hope these suggestions help you. Remember you are amazing and strong, don’t forget that! <3 ~Tara

It really has been ! I feel the same way. Don’t be too hard on yourself, we’re in the middle of a pandemic so you should not be expected to continue education as if everything is normal, because it’s not. I’ve struggled with having motivation to go to classes, I understand how you feel. I think the #1 thing that’s helped me is self-care. I’ve found that something as simple as eating all 3 meals and drinking water in a day makes me feel like i can accomplish more! I’m proud of you, and I want you to take good care of yourself! If you need a break, take one! Don’t burn out! I’m rooting for you !! :3 -Monika

It can be really easy for a lot of youth to “slip in the cracks” per se due to online learning. No one could have ever predicted that this is the way that school would look, and I totally understand how easy it can be to lose motivation, or to feel like all of your work is for nothing. One of the bright sides of virtual learning however is that it is much easier to plan your assignments out at your own pace. Something that I like to do that helps me feel productive is to make a list throughout the day of everything that I have accomplished. This can look like however you want it to. Maybe you want to designate it to all of the school assignments you have completed during the day, or it can include a mixture of things. I’ve used this as a way to reflect back and tell myself that I am doing

my best, even during a pandemic. You could jot down when you make your bed, drink water, practice self-care, write an email, join a Zoom class, finish an assignment, the list is infinite! I also love the concept of planners and calendars. I am a very visual person, so being able to visually see what I have due and when it needs to be done helps me envision my weekly goals and plan out my time. I would also recommend reaching out to your instructors. Hopefully, during this time, I imagine many of them would have grace with everything students are going through. It might be helpful to reach out or attend office hours to work with your instructors on how you can get caught up with your classwork, and receive support or other resources that would help you succeed.

TeenTalk is a great resource, and many of us would also be more than willing to help you with your studies, or help you find resources to best fit your needs and help you thrive! We are always here to help you be your best self :) ~Scarlett

I’m sorry school has been so difficult, I totally understand. Before COVID I was an all A’s student and the last term I did, I failed all of my classes (this was when learning went completely online). It can be such a difficult adjustment and I even did homeschool and online school for many years before that! Try not to blame yourself, it’s unreasonable to expect the best of yourself when you aren’t feeling the best. For me, writing down the assignments I had to do for the week and breaking it up into days really helped me because I could visually see what I had to get done and when I finished an assignment, I could mark it off and I felt accomplishment even though it was something so small. Make sure not to overwork yourself, your mental health is much

more important than anything else. Pace yourself, you got this :)! - Lacy

Sometimes it’s good to be able to have some time for yourself and learn ways of self care. It’s okay to see your grades drop from time to time but understanding that they won’t stay like that forever is a good place to start. A lot of us know what it's like to watch our grades drop and feel hopeless since we feel we can’t do anything but watch but it's okay. Your feelings are valid. Sometimes it’s helpful to just let go of your stress and schoolwork and not think about it for the time being and then when you feel you can do it again go for it! I believe in you and you are strong enough to do it. Try setting a schedule for yourself to feel a little bit more motivated or organized and you’ll see how it could help you :) Many of us have gone through the same thing and just

By no means am I a great student even before quarantine. I always thought pre-March 2020 being in my own space would help make me a better student but not like this. Feeling down from the pressure of the pandemic and news around you really doesn’t help. If you ever need someone to talk to I, and everyone else here and TeenTalk would love to try and help if you need it though! -Abby

It can be hard to feel pressured, especially when it comes to our grades. School being online is very difficult! What we are used to is being together and connecting while we learn, but now that it is all over Zoom or other programs, we are lacking the connection we are accustomed to. It is okay to be feeling this way and I can absolutely relate! When we don’t meet our own expectations, we begin to assume we are doing something wrong... but you haven’t done anything wrong at all! You have been working hard, meaning you are trying your best and doing all that you can to be successful, which is all anyone can ask for. If you feel that you are struggling, I encourage you to reach out to your teachers, parents, siblings, peers, or anyone that you think can support you through

this! You can search for tutoring programs or try to set up times to meet up one on one with your teachers to get extra help. Things right now are pretty hard, but I am so proud of you for continuing forward and trying your best with all that is going on. If you need anymore support, TeenTalk will be here to assist you along and support you. -Emma

I wasn’t doing too well in any of my classes my first semester, I’m really trying for semester two but it’s hard and I want everyone to know that it’s not just hard for you, many people struggle with school let alone online learning. -Tobias

This school year has been nearly impossible for me. It’s super difficult to keep up with school, especially considering that everything as we know it has been flipped upside down. The teachers are trying and putting together class calls which are usually laggy and get no response. Meanwhile we attempt to do a regular school year's amount of work while the world is seemingly ending and we’re forced together in homes with families we’re tired of interacting with. Kids that already were struggling with mental illnesses are forced to be alone with their thoughts, and we’re not able to participate in group activities. The thing I continue to tell myself is that we’ve gone through the hardest part and the longest, it’s going to be over sooner than later.

This is a once in a lifetime situation and it is not forever. Your grades are not forever and neither are your test scores. Keep in touch with your teachers and let them know how you’re feeling, there’s a good change they will understand and accommodate to what you need. -Jessi

The transition from face-to-face school to online school is very very difficult, and you definitely are not alone. I was having a hard time in the beginning and having a hard time getting used to staring at a computer all day. But you can use the resources that the schools are doing their best to give us. You could talk to a teacher that seems cool or a counselor who is there to support us. I wish you all good luck ! -Ruthy

I’ve noticed for myself this school year has brought a lot of change. I've always wanted to do online school but I now realize it’s not the best for me. I never noticed how much I needed help from the teacher. Now that school is at home I have so much more freedom to do whatever I want. Honestly I do not have the self discipline to stay on top of things.What I noticed that have helped me the most is reaching out to other friends or students in the class to see if they can help or if they even understand what the assignments are. It feels almost impossible to catch up. In school if I got behind the teachers would push me to get my work done but now there's so many people falling behind, teachers are less persistent and not pushing you to get things done. It’s really hard when most of your

day is consumed by school and it feels so stressful. I look forward to being able to go back to school. My advice is to email differently and reach out to your teachers as soon as you get stuck and stay on top of it, don't give up. -Faith

I completely understand the struggle from online school. When things are in a remote format, it becomes difficult to stay motivated. Try your best to set yourself goals daily, weekly, and long-term. This will help you accomplish what you need to and reduce your stress levels. Hopefully we will not have to do this much longer but we are all here for you and you and are capable of doing hard things! -Taylor

Online school can definitely be tough, especially if school is normally something you enjoy. It can be harder to pay attention during online classes, so asking teachers when you need clarification, studying on your own or with friends remotely, and using any resources your school might have, such as peer tutors and office hours, can be really helpful. I think it’s important also to remember that there are many reasons you might be struggling with school right now, and not all of them are academic. I know that for me, the inability to see my friends or interact with my classmates has really impacted my mental health and made it harder to focus or engage with school. Self care is just as important as school work right now, so make

sure to make time to rest and relax. Take care of yourself! - Hugs, Ari

I actually really enjoy online school because I struggled with it in person so I don't have many tips, it was just something I wanted to do before covid. I would just say don't be afraid to ask your teacher as many questions as you need to to make sure you understand things. -Tyler

School has been especially hard because of motivation and accountability. It’s difficult to hold yourself accountable for turning stuff in on time when there’s no external motivation to get started! If possible, try getting your loved ones to check in on you and make sure you’re doing what you need to be doing to succeed- make sure to do the same for them if they’re in school too! Many schools are also offering resources like tutoring and other homework help, so looking into that can’t hurt! - Ashley

The switch from public to online school is jarring for everyone. I highly recommend attending office hours for classes that you aren’t feeling strong in. Finding the confidence and encouragement is the hardest part in asking for help, but all of us here at TeenTalk believe in you and know you are able to succeed! -Tessa

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