Navigating College During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Being a college student is hectic enough, and a global pandemic is sure to make things feel even more foreign. Adjusting to college during COVID-19 or perhaps even navigating college for the first time during a pandemic is sure to bring on a range of different emotions and experiences. The way you go about your life in and out of the classroom might be different from before or different from your expectations.

While every school will be different in terms of how they handle coronavirus, there are a few changes you can anticipate as you navigate your new learning environment. Here’s what to focus on as you navigate college during coronavirus:

1. Prioritizing your mental health

While it's always important to prioritize your mental health—especially in college—the challenges of going to university during the coronavirus pandemic will most likely shift some of your priorities, ideas and experiences. Your workload might look different and your social outlets will change. Support from your friends will take different forms, and that could have an impact on you and your mental health.

So what should you do? Making sure you have a regular practice of self-care can keep you on top of your game in and out of the classroom.

2. Keeping your social connections

Campus social life isn't all parties and club meetings anymore. It's not even dining hall trips with your roommate and late-night library cram sessions. COVID-19 has presented new challenges for staying social, and it's important to keep a safe distance while still engaging with this part of college.

Maybe this means hosting virtual club meetings, spending your social time outdoors and connecting through phone calls and video chat.

3. Staying safe

If you happen to be on campus—even when spending time in a blended schedule—staying safe and healthy needs to be a key priority. Make sure you're regularly washing your hands, following social distancing protocols, and following the rules your school has in place to protect students. It's important to take COVID-19 seriously so you and your peers can stay on the campus you love.

4. Managing stress and your workload

Whether you're kicking back in your dorm room or going virtual from your own home this semester, college can prove to be a lot of work for just about anyone. Even professors are struggling right now, which unfortunately means that some classes and universities are serving up more work than ever before.

Why? Less time spent in the physical classroom can sometimes lead to a bigger workload at home. It's important to stay organized and build in breaks to keep yourself on track. Having a morning routine and setting a schedule for yourself can help keep your momentum going so you can focus on school and care for yourself.

5. Adjusting to new classrooms

The college experience during coronavirus will surely be different, and that includes the classroom portion of your education. While you may be used to lecture halls and labs, you may be looking at an entirely different format of learning now. While virtual learning will probably be a factor in your life, you might also find yourself having class outside or in much smaller classes than you were ever used to before.

While these classes may not be exactly what you're used to, adjusting to them and figuring out how you learn best in those settings will be instrumental in your educational experience. Make sure to set aside a dedicated space for distance learning and schoolwork, use time-blocking to organize your remote schedule, and try to stay in contact with your classmates to build a sense of community—even from afar.

Ultimately, going to college during COVID-19 will be different from college experiences of years before, but you can still make the most of your education. Whether you're Zooming in from home or meeting up on the campus quad with your mask on, college will still be an experience to remember.

Alyssa Abel is a college and career writer who writes about student lifestyle, distance learning and more. Read more of her work on her blog, Syllabusy.