Since everyone is at home right now in an attempt to slow the spread of the Coronavirus, managing one’s time should be easy. Since many schools are currently on remote learning schedules, students don’t have to wake up early in order to commute to school, but time management can still be difficult, if not harder.

When the pandemic started, teachers assigned more work than usual, making it harder for students to keep up with their assignments. “Remote learning has made it difficult for me to focus on my schoolwork. I find it hard to keep staring at my computer for 6-7 hours a day,” says Alexandrium Flores, ‘22. Some students may have had other obligations outside of school. On top of school and other obligations, everyone was stressed and worried about the global situation. Sometimes, the stress became so great that some students experienced burnout and even headaches. On many days, getting out of bed required motivation that many students didn’t have. “It disconnected me from my friends and when we first started I instantly lost motivation to do it,” says Senna Jekenu, ‘23. “I’m a new student so it also made it nearly impossible for me to make new friends my first year,” says Angel Worthy, ‘24. During remote learning, many students have been disconnected from their friends, making them feel lonely and unmotivated.

The College Board asked students across the country to share tips that help them stay focused while at home. Tips included creating a daily schedule, allotting time for waking up and preparing for the day, setting realistic goals of what to accomplish throughout the day, keeping in touch with friends and practicing self-care. Since everything is on Google Classroom this year, keeping track of assignments should be easier. Simply click on the ‘to-do’ tab to see which assignments are due when.

Some Whitney Young students also have tips for time management. “I keep setting reminders for homework and class periods to remind me throughout the day,” says Alexandrium Flores, ‘22. “I turn off the Wi-Fi on my phone and iPad, and set them to ‘do not disturb’. They are my biggest distractions and I’ve seen that this really helps,” says Susana Calderon, ‘23.

Learning how to manage one’s time isn’t easy. But these tips help in the long run.