It's that time of year: students are gearing up for another school year, except 2020 has not exactly gone as planned. Concerns over the ability to provide in-person educational opportunities during COVID-19 has proven to be a massive, pounding headache for schools and universities.

As an incoming freshman at Penn State, Zoom University is an all-too-real phenomenon. Despite these inconvenient and often confusing changes to society, there are ways to succeed as a student during these circumstances.

Here are the studying tips that I utilize to combat the COVID study slump and stay productive while learning remotely!

Aromatherapy

Studying requires focus and concentration, and aromatherapy can help ease a busy mind and prepare to absorb more material. Citrus scents such as tropical mango or tart lemon stimulate the senses while calming lilac and linen scents tend to alleviate stress or anxiety. Just be mindful of family members or roommates who may not enjoy your candles and how long candles are burned in a room. NOTE: College dormitories usually do not allow real candles, so consider using plug-in air fresheners, faux flame candles such as the Luminara brand, and scent diffusers to cozy up your home away from home.

"Conveyor Belt" Method

Desk space organization is key to a student's success and productivity, and the "Conveyor Belt" Method encourages you to design your priorities for the day. If your first task is to read forms such as course syllabi, put them into a pile right in front of your chair and label it on a sticky note. Then, if you need to finish some worksheets, place those next to the syllabi and so forth. The piles soon form an assembly line in front of you. Once you complete a pile, put it away and grab the next one. Not only does it force you to clear unnecessary clutter from your workspace, but it also acts as a motivator to dwindle the piles until you don't have anymore.

I found this method to be incredibly useful on days where the loose papers, class notes, and presentation cards formed a mountain in front of me. For my fellow writers out there, this method comes in handy if you like to outline as a first planning step for academic papers or creative writing.

When in Doubt, Use a Post-it!

Having to study from home makes me appreciate this sticky note brand a little more. Not only are Post-it Notes great reminder and annotation tools for the classroom, but they also work great for creating daily agendas. If you like making lists and getting those check-marks like me, create a box beside each task you write down and keep track of what you accomplish throughout the day. It's surprising how much your mood improves seeing a bright visual representation of your completed responsibilities as well as those fun moments set aside.

Don't Shy Away from the "Split-Screen"

Typing class notes has become a major studying staple, and COVID has forced students to utilize technology to keep learning. If you are a Macbook user, Apple created a "split-screen" feature on their computers where you can simultaneously view an internet browser and another application such as Word or Pages. This works perfectly for listening to a teacher on Zoom and typing your notes in real-time while minimizing clicks between browser windows.

Take Frequent Breaks

All of our brains need breaks - they are essential to our overall health and well-being and can stimulate brain function. With our heads constantly in screens, our eyes can be strained from a computer's or cell phone's blue light emission, which can severely tamper with sleep schedules. Sleep deprivation can snowball into other issues, so be sure to plan for mealtimes, rest, and exercise. If you love taking naps, schedule time for them! Power naps that last 15-20 minutes don't allow your body to transition into REM sleep, so you'll wake up feeling refreshed instead of groggy.

No matter where you're tackling this upcoming academic year, feel confident in these study habits and don't be afraid to try others. Study routines are unique to every student, so find out what works best and stick with it!