In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Iowa State students have transitioned to all online classes and meetings. As an ag bus major, what are your thoughts on your new learning situation?
Things that are going well:
- All of my professors have been very accommodating to the changes taking place. They have been very clear on their expectations for the rest of the semester and have made great outlines of weekly assignment due dates and changes in the schedules.
- None of my classes are meeting via zoom or WebEx. However, they have done a great job of creating video lectures that are easy to follow along with that pertain to the material we are covering that week.
- I have found that setting specific times for myself to focus on my work has been the most beneficial for me. I have set up a temporary desk in the living room of my house that has been an excellent place for me to gather my thoughts and complete my work. I have been consistently working from here from about 10 am-4 pm daily.
- The pass/no pass policy is good to have, especially knowing that we don’t have to decide until the end of the semester. Even though there are some limitations to this process, it has decreased some of the stress of trying to adjust to the new way of learning.
Things that are challenging:
- Something that I am missing about on-campus classes is having those personal interactions with professors and classmates every day. The most challenging part about trying to teach myself has been not having that teacher to go up to after class to clarify on a subject, or ask about a specific question to the homework. Even though they have done their absolute best at replying to emails ASAP, that easy access to help and guidance was something that I have definitely taken for granted.
- I am going to have to take a new approach for studying for my exams. Even though I will be able to take them from the comfort of my home, I have to remind myself that I can not get too relaxed with my studying and that I will still have limitations, such as time, to make the exams challenging. The first exam I have will be next week, so I can comment more on those after I take them.