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Finals Study Tips during Quarantine

May 04, 2020

With finals around the corner and all that is going on around us, finding the concentration to study can be difficult. We have put together a list of study strategies to help you find your focus.

Get in the right headspace

A lot of stress can come from finals, but preparing yourself for what is to come and focusing on the things you can control can make the difference. Consider the following actions to help you be successful during your study time.

• Find your sound. What do you like to listen to when you study? Listening to music can ease the tension of studying and help you concentrate. Whether it’s a calming playlist or your favorite lyrical jams, find what works for you. We recommend “Calm vibes” on Spotify or “Relaxing jazz for work and study” and “Mozart classical music for studying, concentration, relaxation” on YouTube.
• Cut the distractions. As much as you want to reply to that text message or give a heart to the lovely puppy picture on Instagram, find it in you to wait until you take a break. Distractions can make it difficult to focus on the task at hand. Turn off notifications when you begin studying, block websites that aren’t helpful, and put your phone on airplane mode or send a text to your friends that you’ll be temporarily unavailable so you can study.  
• Use free resources. Make an appointment with tutoring services, use virtual academic resources or connect with the Writing Center to get feedback on your writing. You can use Turnitin through Canvas to check for plagiarism and appropriate referencing for your final papers. 

Maximize your time

Time seems to be the only thing we have an overload of or none of these days, but if planned wisely, it could be used to your advantage. When it comes to studying, being strategic about how you spend your time can make all the difference. Here are some ways to maximize the time you've got. 

• Make a daily schedule for finals week. Include things like the days and times of your exams, meal times, study sessions and time for breaks.
• Plan out your study sessions. Rather than “studying from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.," plan out what you will study during each hour of your study sessions on your schedule. We put together a sample schedule to give you some ideas.

• Split your study materials into subjects from difficult to easy. Are there subjects you are really good at? Do you struggle with others? Identify them and plan how much time you need to spend on each. If math is your forte, have a shorter study session to ensure you are good-to-go. If French class is a bit of a struggle, allocate a longer study period for that course. 

Remember, the important thing is to prepare yourself for each final one at a time, to focus your energy and use time to your advantage.

Try different study strategies

Make the most of how you study with these approaches to help you ace your exams.

• Color code your notes. It might sound silly, but the power of a red pen and a highlighter can go a long way. Go back through your notes and highlight any important themes or topics your professor voiced as being important. Use different colored pens for definitions, vocabulary and other important themes.
• Try flashcards for memorization. This can be especially helpful if you are in a language course or need to memorize dates. Write down keywords, themes and definitions for subjects you need to remember. For vocabulary, write the word on one side of the flashcard and its definition/translation on the other and the same for dates. Once you have a pile of cards practice, practice, practice. You can have your family or roommates quiz you or even take them with you while you go for a walk.
• Make your own study guide. If you had one piece of paper to take into your exam for help, what would be on it? Focus on creating a guide with major themes, vocab and other relevant information. Having a short, descriptive study guide gives you the chance to easily test yourself throughout the day.

It can feel like there is so much to do and too little time, but remember to take it one exam at a time. Trying these techniques and finding what works for you can make all the difference. You are almost there, take a deep breath and go get it, Buffs!

For a list of helpful resources, upcoming virtual events and more, visit colorado.edu/finals. For technology assistance, visit the OIT website.

Original Article: https://www.colorado.edu/today/2020/04/27/study-tips-times-quarantine

Free Things to Do

Apr 01, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic is rapidly changing the daily routines of millions of Americans as many settle into their new self-isolation realities.

Some are finding ways to pass the time by streaming television shows, movies and classic sports (and, of course, listening to NPR).

Other companies — outside the traditional streaming sites such as Hulu, Netflix and Amazon — are making content available during the era of social distancing. But some companies, musicians and others are lending their services and talents for free in an effort to help all of us make it through these uncertain times with a bit more ease.

Below is a small list of what is out there.

Broadway shows and theaters

The Met, like many live performance venues, canceled upcoming shows because of the spread of the coronavirus. Earlier this week it began streaming for free encore presentations of its Live in HD series.

"During this extraordinary and difficult time, the Met hopes to brighten the lives of our audience members even while our stage is dark," the company said in a statement.

If theater is your jam, Playbill, which many theatergoers will know as those printed programs handed out before shows but is also a monthly magazine, has a treat for you. It's got a list of 15 offerings it says are "some of the best filmed Broadway shows to know about and where to find them."

The list includes Rent, Cats, Nicholas Nickleby and Peter Pan, which can be viewed on various streaming platforms as such as BroadwayHD (which has a seven-day free trial period), Amazon Prime Video and YouTube, among others.

How about penning a play yourself?

Renowned playwright Lauren Gunderson this week began helping aspiring artists in quarantine live out their dreams by offering a writing tutorial. It began with Wednesday's course Playwriting Class Part 1, Beginnings and Endings, which she broadcast via Facebook from her home in San Francisco. An added treat is the children screaming in the background.

Music

With live music festivals such as Bonnaroo, Eurovision and SXSW canceled or postponed because of the pandemic, orchestras like the Seattle Symphony are offering free broadcasts via YouTube and Facebook. "As our community comes together in this time of crisis, the Seattle Symphony will continue sharing performances that provide strength, comfort and joy," the symphony's website reads.

London-based concert hall Wigmore Hall is doing something similar. Wigmore, which announced it was closing its doors for nearly a month, "will be sharing exceptional performances, masterclasses, talks and more from past events at Wigmore Hall" until its planned reopening April 14, Director John Gilhooly said in a statement.

As NPR reported earlier this week, some musicians including Josh Groban; Ben Gibbard, the lead singer of band Death Cab for Cutie; rapper Fat Tony; and the Indigo Girls have opted to create their own "mini" concerts, taking them directly to fans via their social media platforms.

Education

Want to feed your brain with something other than constant coronavirus updates? The eight Ivy League schools are offering hundreds of online courses to the public for free.

Dhawal Shah, founder of the online course aggregator Class Central, compiled a list of more than 400 classes that are available in subjects as varied as Machine Learning for Data Science and Analytics from Columbia University; HOPE: Human Odyssey to Political Existentialism from Princeton University; The Science of Well-Being from Yale; and Gamification from the University of Pennsylvania.

The educational publishing company Scholastic announced it has a digital learning hub for free that's intended to "support virtual learning plans." It says the curriculum covers English language arts, STEM, social studies and social-emotional learning.

Fitness

Not interested in stimulating your brain? How about your body? Many gym chains across the country have shuttered but are offering online classes for free.

 

Coach Elie Rwirangira conducts a basketball lesson through a live-streaming session at YBDL Campus in Shanghai, China on March 12. Many people and companies are providing free online classes to stay fit.

Aly Song/Reuters

Peloton is offering new users a 90-day trial on its app. This news comes as the company announced the closing of its showrooms until at least March 29. It added that this week it began producing content from its new studios in New York, "but it will be entirely closed to the public until further notice."

Golds Gym is offering free access to its app, Goldsamp, until the end of May, where more than 600 audio and video workouts along with DJ mixes get you ready to work up a sweat. Planet Fitness is offering "Home Work-Ins" streamed live at 7 p.m. ET daily on its Facebook page.

If you are looking for something to offer strength and maybe a little stress relief, there are some paid yoga sites that are now providing some online classes for free, including Core Power Yoga and Down Dog.

Classic sports streaming

With all the major sports leagues shut down, some of the leagues are dropping their subscription fees to their paid streaming services. While sports fans may not be able to get their live-action fix, at least they can relive (or perhaps experience for the first time) some classic games and rivalries.

Starting Friday, the National Hockey League is making all games played during the suspended 2019-2020 regular season available to stream on demand. Additionally the league launched "NHL Pause Binge" on its website and YouTube channel, allowing fans to view documentaries and "full-length classic NHL games dating from the 1950s to present day."

The NBA and NFL are providing similar offerings through NBA League Pass and NFL Game Pass.

If it's sports history you crave, PBS announced that it is making the 1994 Ken Burns documentary Baseball available to be streamed for free.

Original Article: https://www.npr.org/2020/03/20/818670715/getting-bored-heres-a-list-of-free-things-that-werent-free-before-coronavirus

Spring Cleaning Tips for College Students!

Mar 02, 2020

Set Aside a Day.

I’m not kidding. If you want to clean your entire space, set aside a day for it. If you get done early, then you have the rest of the day free, but there’s nothing worse than starting a large cleaning project and having to leave it. Chances are, you’ll never find the motivation to begin again once you drop it. 

Make a Donation Pile.

As you begin to clean, you’ll definitely find items that you haven’t used or worn in months, maybe even years. If you haven’t used something in a year, it’s time for it to go. Setting up a donation pile even before you clean is a great reminder that you don’t have to hold onto all this stuff. And, the less stuff we have, the less we have to clean; so, donating is always a great idea.

Make a Shopping List.

The other thing to set up before you begin is a shopping list. This may seem odd, but as you clean, I’m sure you’ll find instances of “Oh, wow, I’ve been using paper napkins from the dining hall to blow my nose for the past three months... Maybe it’s time to buy some Kleenex,” or “I’ve been washing my face with body wash for a while now... It’s time to get some face wash.” Keep this list to essential things; this isn’t a shopping list for all the non-essentials. Additionally, if you don’t have any basic cleaning supplies, it might be important to get any supplies you may need to wash dishes, do laundry, clean windows, and dust surfaces.

Pump the Jams!

Cleaning always goes by quicker with music, and I find it to be more enjoyable that way. So, turn on your tunes, and blast them loud. 

Tidy Your Room

If you haven’t already gotten the mounds of dirty clothes off your floor, now would be the time. The easiest way to tidy a room is to make sure everything has a place. Once everything has a place to go, tidying your room will be a breeze. Dirty laundry goes in the laundry hamper, extra pens and pencils go in the container on the desk, snack bags go on the shelf in the pantry, and so on.

Start with Laundry

The first order of business is always to start loads of laundry. Gather all your dirty clothes, and don’t forget to grab your bath towels, hand towels, bathrobe, and bedsheets. College students often forget to wash these, but they should be washed at least once a month. Start your first load of laundry once your room is clean but before you start anything else. If you live in an apartment complex or a dorm, washers are often shared, which means starting laundry early will help you get ahead. Don’t forget to set a timer to remind you when it’s done!

Top to Bottom

When I was taught to deep clean, I was always taught to start from the top and move towards the bottom. Especially when you’re dusting, the dust will fall of shelves and you don’t want to vacuum three times. So, start in one space and then commit to cleaning it, top to bottom. Take everything off the surface that you’re cleaning, clean the surface, wipe down all the things you’re putting back on the surface, and then set them all back in their place. As you clean, I’m sure you’ll find other mini-cleaning projects – don’t be afraid to tackle them in the process! Just remember to always come back to the top to bottom cleaning.

Deep cleaning is the only time you’ll move things, so move some furniture! Take everything out from under your bed and wipe it all down. Reorganize hidden spaces like this. Vacuum under the furniture while it’s moved but leave the big vacuuming for the end.

Washing Windows and Mirrors

People often forget about the windows and mirrors in their space, but these need to be cleaned, too. Windex works the best for that non-streaky finish. Get all the fingerprints off!

Daunting Dishes

Dishes can happen whenever works for you in this process. If you’ve picked the space of your kitchen area doing dishes will be a major part of that. Hopefully, when you tidied your space, you found all the dirty dishes you need to do. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself with a pile at the end.

Vacuuming and Area Rugs

Vacuuming your floor and cleaning your rugs should be one of the last steps. Hopefully, you’ve cleaned everything else and you’re feeling great. Before you begin, check to see if your vacuum needs a new bag and that all the bristles are clean underneath the vacuum. If the bag is full and the bristles are stuck together with hair and debris, your vacuum won’t work as well. Once you check that, vacuum in a distinct pattern so you don’t miss any spots. A lot of people would take the easy way out and leave the rugs on the ground, but I say take the rugs outside!! Hang them up somewhere and beat the hell out of them with a broom, a baseball bat, or whatever works for you. Rugs hold tons of dirt and even vacuuming doesn’t do the same job as a good beat down. While the rug is hanging, vacuum under where it would be, and then bring it back in, reposition it, and vacuum it again. This will get rid of any last dirt that hung onto your rug.

Enjoy the Fruits of Your Labor

You’ve done it! You’ve spring cleaned better than you’ve ever spring cleaned before. Once you’re done, open a window, shower off all the grime you’ve just accumulated on your body, and relax knowing that everything around you is so clean. College students don’t often take the time to clean their space, and spring break gives you that extra bit of time to tackle it. Now that your room is clean, you can enjoy your break more fully and be better equipped to finish off your year strong. Happy Spring Cleaning, everyone!

Original Article: https://www.hercampus.com/school/du/guide-spring-cleaning-college-students