I loved all my classes before we shifted online, and now I can’t focus or get myself to do the work. It’s not the same because all these classes require active participation and discussions. Our syllabus has been shifted around, certain things are no longer counted, and attendance is not mandatory anymore. I’m just not motivated to do anything. It’s not the same when you can’t discuss in person, and when you don’t have a room of your own to go to for class or work.
I have no motivation now and don’t have the same support nets as before to get help on engineering projects. My motivation is like 5% of what it was before.Thinking about doing the work makes me want to cry and hurt myself. Can’t focus, work routine disrupted, can’t go to normal study places.
It’s really difficult to stay focused on the material when there are so many other distractions in the house. Also, casual communication with my professor and classmates is almost impossible (everything is a formal email or a video call), and so instead of being exciting the work becomes a slog of trying to do the normal course load digitally. I lose focus so easily. I take notes with a pen and paper specifically so that I don’t have the distractions of my computer, and now I can’t avoid going to class.
My favorite class is much worse. I’m an Honors student and most of my classes are discussion-based, and discussion boards definitely do not generate the same level or depth of discussion. Also professors who were rather hands-on before the transition online are now taking a more hands-off approach which equals students being forced to teach themselves subjects instead. Ultimately, it typically becomes just a lecture after 20 minutes since students either aren’t as inclined to participate online or because they cannot due to environmental noise. It’s emotionally draining in a way that going to class isn’t. Honestly, Zoom calls go on for way too long and very little gets accomplished or talked about. It’s a waste of time and energy.
My professor has been going on fewer tangents during class. I don’t have to have my Zoom video on, so I can fidget as much as necessary during class without feeling like a distraction to others. Also, if the material starts to become dull, I can run to my kitchen to get a snack for some energy, or just stand up by my laptop to try to wake my system up.
