6 Pieces of Advice from Educators for Remote Learning

You're not OK. But that's OK. These words echoed in your mind while you tried to remember the rules of Wordle. (You were one of the last to know.) Your university goes remote as Omicron spreads. And your coursemates wondered how to survive this challenging time.

The pandemic gave you the opportunity to get to know your neighborhood a bit more, and you were delighted that an author lived a few blocks from your parents. You didn't have second thoughts on approaching him, introducing yourself, and then asking him if his first novel was autobiographical. He was nervous while his younger brother read the draft (of his first novel). It was Eastern mysticism meet the Wild West, but he assured you that it shouldn't be compared to W. Somerset Maugham's "The Razor's Edge" (or Doctor Strange). You were eager to get some pointers that you forgot to tell him about a short story you penned several months ago. It was based on your holiday in Tokyo several years ago, where the crowded Shibuya district taught you to open up. Your best friend compared you to a clam, which would put you into a defensive. And this story gave you a piece of mind. Sort of. (You didn't tell your buddy about that story you wrote. Yet.) You were tempted to let your tutor read it, but something bothered you.

Your coursemates couldn't get over a final-year student last semester. She pinned a circular black button with "they/them" in silver letters onto her shirt. It was a scary thing to tell someone, you thought, and you didn't hesitate to let your mates know about it. (You were relieved that you weren't the only one who had that view.) This issue on gender pronouns was forgotten after one of your mates cracked a joke. (What's the difference between weather and climate? You can't weather a tree, but you can climate.) Another one noticed your left hand holding a paperback. He was able to read the title - and was surprised. You just finished Emily Henry's "People We Meet on Vacation", and you don't think that your coursemate would figure out the reason behind your reading it. (You met a French backpacker in New York last summer, who had an insatiable wanderlust. You went to Japan, with your family, but that seemed like ages. And you preferred to stay home with a book. But that fateful meeting brought you closer. Somehow closer. You've been keeping in touch on social media, planning a glorious week of vacation together.) You weren't worried about everyone in your department knowing it, as you must learn to navigate remote learning this winter.

Learn. Connect. Repeat

Follow a schedule, but be open. You're not in the same building anymore, so expect family emergencies (or a clingy dog) requiring one (or some) to leave the computer screen. You haven't let go of "People We Meet on Vacation", but it doesn't affect you. Yet. Your professors are conscious about it, but they assure you that they won't take it against you.

Let's play a game. It should encourage everyone to log in on time, and to ensure that no one would be bored (or distracted). It would be good for the morale, as it could get boring (and cold) quite quickly. Your surname is Price, so you would play "The Price is Right". You won't get tired of playing it. And your professors didn't mind at all.

Get help from others. If your mates are unaware of Schoology, then this is the time (to share it). It didn't take you long to find out that there's every (Facebook) group on every platform, but don't assume that you're the first (or last) to know. And don't forget to lean on your librarians. They're a message away.

Bring in a guest. You want to introduce this author/neighbor to your mates, but it's about timing. (You studied English literature, but not the genre that this author/neighbor specializes in.) You're thinking of seeking advice from your tutor.

Practice self-care. You're stressed when the weekend is close. Your parents are stressed as well. Your mates (and tutor) are stressed too. Do something that makes you happy. Watch the sunrise, your mother would suggest. You get up quite late lately, though. You rather chat with friends.

Find a venting partner. Letting your guard down isn't easy, as it would require trust. You're reluctant to tell your parents about everything that is going on in your department, and your old buddy doesn't have a clue about "People We Meet on Vacation". You were looking at your peculiar coursemate, who became hooked on Japanese culture after reading Ryu Murakami's "Audition". He recommended it, but the premise gave you the creeps. You asked him about DisneySea instead.

Let It Go

The grades don't matter at the moment, as you rather focus on positive feedback. And you thrive on camaraderie. Paper writing is the exception, and a deadline is approaching. Something distracted you, as you noticed that Covid turned your mother into a clean freak. And you didn't seem to like it. Let it go? You will try. Next week.