By Makenna Lewis
“Anything can feel like punishment if it’s taught poorly,” wrote M. L. Rio in her literary thriller, If We Were Villains. It’s the sort of phrase that comes to mind when I think of school, where they force you to ingest information that might not even be relevant to the path you wish to take in life. As an online student, sometimes staying motivated is even more difficult because there isn’t someone leering over your shoulder as they lecture on the importance of paying attention and completing work on time. It helps to be involved in classes and clubs that you are actually interested in—for me, those are Student Blog and French class, both of which align with my personal goals and hopes for the future. They help balance out the dull repetition of my weeks.
My days start early, at about six-thirty. I found that I work best in the mornings, so I wake up before most other online students probably do. I spend around an hour getting ready, then begin on my assignments. This semester, I’m taking Freshman Seminar, French, English, Biology, Geometry, and World History. I usually work on each subject the same day of the live lesson—for example, Freshman Seminar and French on Mondays, and Geometry on Thursdays. I almost always attend my live lessons in case my teacher gives additional information on a topic. (This is especially important for foreign language classes.) I usually take an hour-long break in the middle of the day, and I try to be finished with my assignments by two or three o’clock. As a part of the Student Blog (on Wednesdays), I work on my writing posts throughout the week since it’s much less stressful than typical coursework.
My only academic goals are to complete my work on time and have grades above ninety percent. I began at ASUPD last autumn, partway through my eighth grade year, and it was very different from my previous school. It wasn’t until a few weeks into this semester that I really got a sense of what I needed to do to be successful. My environment has to be quiet, with the exception of background music. I play classical music when I need to concentrate—otherwise, it’s just music that I like listening to. It helps me stay motivated and enjoy work that may be unappealing. After spending most of last year burnt out, I learned that it’s also important for me to take breaks, whether that’s walking around my room for a few minutes, reading a chapter of my book, or writing to let out some creative energy.
One of the benefits of ASUPD is that there’s a lot of flexibility in how your weeks are laid out, which leaves time for extracurriculars and hobbies. I have time to read and write without also having to worry about not finishing my work on time, but not everyone’s schedule looks the same. Just remember—it takes time to adjust and understand what works best for you.
