⭐️⭐️⭐️ONLINE SCHOOL TIP THREAD!!!⭐️⭐️⭐️

I've been seeing a lot of threads that ignore people without peaceful households, neurodivergence/attentive issues, and $$ to blow on expensive books -- time to fix that !!!
⭐️BACKGROUND & DISCLAIMER⭐️

I almost lost my scholarship for my college in 2019 because of my low GPA from untreated PTSD symptoms. I got diagnosed in January and have learned sooooo much since then ... especially since my summer 2020 online class grades were so good!
A lesson learned is a lesson shared, but I understand some things won't work for everyone - we're all different!

These are tips I've picked up in my exp. in battling an education system built to disadvantage people like me, but I can't 100% guarantee they will work on you.
⭐️ GENERAL TIPS ⭐️

- Get dressed!!!!

Whenever you wake up, you want to trick your mind into thinking you're actually going to school. I find it more easier to shift into gear with studying and class, and try to include wearing shoes!
I once read a study that said people who took the same test scored higher if they tested with shoes on vs. people who were barefoot. Trying it for myself really helped!
- http://Mystudylife.com  !!!

When you get your syllabi plug those bad boys (all the dates for assignments, tests, projects etc) in mystudylife. It syncs across your phone & computer and is totally free to sign up for !!!
- Google Calendar !!!

If your school uses Canvas, you can copy your entire calendar to Google Calendar in a few clicks if you don't feel like manually entering everything!

Canvas -> calendar -> bottom right "calendar feed" -> copy link -> paste into google calendar AND DONE!!!
- Khan Academy !!!!

Since my attention span is not the greatest, I find breaking up the content into smaller chunks to be more beneficial. I like how Khan Academy (at least how I've used it for science courses) typically keeps each video brief enough for me to fully absorb -
the information without zoning out like I do in lectures that are everything compounded at once. They have a lot of subjects to learn from and most of them have been parallel to the actual content I study in class.
- SLEEP CALCULATOR !!! - http://sleepyti.me 

I know we don't all have the luxury/time to get 8 hours of beauty rest, so at least use http://sleepyti.me  to calculate multiple options of times you can go to sleep and wake up at a target time in between sleep cycles -
instead of in the middle of a sleep cycle that can make you feel groggier. It really helped me on nights that I couldn't get as much sleep as I wanted to soften the blow of the fatigue in the morning !!
⭐️ ACCESSIBILITY TIPS ⭐️

I understand accommodations are really hard to ask for, coming from someone who was forced to mask autism and didn't address my severe PTSD symptoms since last year + am now medicated. However, I want to encourage anyone seeking the possibility -
of this type of assistance to register with your college's Disability Accommodations department. I finally worked up the courage to get registered back in April which only took sending my diagnosis papers + 1 phone call, and I no longer feel ashamed for needing them.
I understand sometimes getting a diagnosis can be pricey or just not be possible for other reasons, so reaching out to your college's counseling services and Disability/Accessibility Accommodations can be a lifesaver.
If there's a last resort, you can email the professor directly.

The thing is, you must be direct about what you want (ex: extra test time, assignment/essay extensions...) and you have a better chance of receiving help if you email/call in advance.
For example, most of my professors for this year responded with an enthusiastic yes for asking for extensions on assignments and 20 minutes extra test time.
(Note: My accessibility accommodations advisor registered me but in my school you have to ask each professor directly first and include that you are registered with them. it was worth it!)
- *STRATEGICALLY* work ahead

This is one piece of advice that my accessibility services gave me back in April that has helped IMMENSELY.

My PTSD is not exactly predictable when I will get into a hypervigilant fight/flight mode that will interfere with my workflow, so -
each week I would plan to work on at least *HALF* of 2 assignments that were due the next week to clear up more time for possible mental ruts.

That way, if I happened to be mentally out of commission for a day, I wouldn't fall further into guilt and despair about school -
because I had already prepared for this in the time that I was emotionally stable.
- Focusing on online lectures with attention span issues !!

I usually need constant physical stimulation to remain engaged in a video lecture on Zoom, so I have a fidget toy I position underneath the camera's view. To prevent the noise from being picked up when I'm not muted, -
I turn the microphone sensitivity down.

Right-click microphone bar -> select Properties -> levels tab -> microphone boost tool

Move the dial all the way down on the Microphone boost!
go to "enhancements" tab -> tick the following boxes: "Noise Suppression" + "Acoustic Echo Cancellation" -> Press OK.

Doodling on a piece of paper while listening to the lecture also helps me be more engaged + remember things too !!
- Make a study group with someone who has the same inattentiveness symptoms as you !!!

For chemistry 1 I think the only reason I got a decent grade was because me and my friend who as ADHD (similar inattentive symptoms to PTSD bc it affects the same area of your brain) kept -
me in check because he empathized with my symptoms and understood exactly what needed to be controlled, and I did the same for him! It really helps when someone understands to that extent and you can mutually keep each other on-task.
- COMBINE TASKS ROUTINELY!!!!

This helped me with my executive dysfunction so much!!!

Whenever I would do my Southern Politics reading for the weekend, I would combine it with doing my laundry. Whenever I would take out the trash, I would draw my checklist for the week -
on my whiteboard. Grouping those tasks together in small chunks helped me care for myself and stay on top of school!
⭐️ TIPS FOR BROKE BITCHES ⭐️

- DO NOT BUY FROM YOUR COLLEGE'S BOOKSTORE!!!!

Those greedy chumps in colleges typically only care about your money is2g. I advise just getting the serial numbers/titles from your syllabus and entering them in http://libgen.is  for free -
OR searching it through https://www.slugbooks.com/  so you can compare and get the best price possible!!!
- COLLEGE STUDENT PERKS/DISCOUNTS!!!! (save that $$!!)

GOOGLE DRIVE: Free Unlimited Storage
APPLE MUSIC & SPOTIFY: 4.99
AMAZON: 6 months free Prime

Also you can sign up on http://UNIDAYS.com  to get 10-40% off so many brands using ur student discount!!
⭐️ CONCENTRATING WHEN YOU DO NOT HAVE A PEACEFUL HOME ENVIRONMENT AND ARE TRAPPED IN QUARANTINE ⭐️

- Learn & write down the routines of your family members !!

In my experience it's best to know their schedules so you can plan around the most optimal time for working. -
My mom is psychologically abusive but she typically takes out her stress on me on the weekends since she works. My plan from that is to do work, due on Monday, almost all on the Friday prior, so if my emotional state is poor on the weekend, I won't compromise my workflow -
and can give myself a break from piling on responsibility.
- If you can't find a quiet place to work in the house, drown out the noises with headphones + music !!!

You can't exactly cancel all the noise in your house from family members, so I find it better just to drown it out. Try not to listen to songs with lyrics while working,
but you can still listen to that specific song if you want, just search [Insert Name] Instrumental. The stimulation from instrumentals helps me focus better and keeps me from zoning out.

Video game soundtracks are especially good at keeping up stimulation & motivation and proven
- If you can't find a study space in your chaotic house, make it !

Sometimes I study outside when my house gets chaotic, though I understand the weather isn't suitable for everyone.

Another option is to invest in a makeshift curtain divider or a cheap folding screen -
to at least create a space in your home dedicated to your own personal study time.

Using a curtain divider on perhaps a clothing rack and a corner of a room can help keep your space quiet too, because fabric absorbs sound!
ALRIGHT that's it did you like this thread? I hope this helps people!! And you can also drop your own tips below ^__^
oh ALSO !!! i had to test with a camera proctor (called proctorio) on for my summer classes and what I did to minimize my paranoia is that I put a piece of clear tape on my computer and just said my computer's camera is not good and super blurry and my profs were like "ok"
so i could shuffle my notes around easier even if the tests were supposed to be closed note hahahaha
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