Ask questions, take notes in class

I am currently in college and struggling with online classes. I am finding them boring as I am required to study on my own. I feel shy to ask questions but that also means nobody knows I am in class as very often our cameras are off. How can I make it interesting for myself?

It is easy to start feeling like a fly on the wall as nobody really notices you or talks to you in the class. So ask questions whenever you don’t understand a concept. This way you also make sure you are listening. If you feel too uncomfortable, you could email your questions to your teacher later but, remember, others may have had the same question. Take notes. It is as important now as it was when you were physically attending college. It will stop revision from piling up. And, when you join a class, look out for others and ping anyone who has not joined yet.

You could do frequent exercises of the wrists, fingers and eyes during the classes. Rotate wrists first clockwise once and then anti-clockwise. Blink your eyes every now and then to make sure they don’t get dry and also get a few seconds of rest.

Invest in a headset

I am taking online classes but in my house I am required to change my place every now and then. It is really difficult to concentrate.

The school gives you a steady sense of environment. The moment you enter the class you feel the atmosphere is for studying. This atmosphere is difficult to recreate at home unless you have a room to yourself. But you could use visual cues so that your family members know you are in your study space. For instance, you could put up your timetable where it is clearly visible to everyone. This will ensure everybody in your family knows when you have your classes. Invest in a headset to listen to your lectures uninterrupted. Adopt a short ritual before the class starts. It could be as simple as changing out of your night clothes, washing your face, doing a few flexing exercises. A ritual alerts your brain too that it needs to get into learning mode.