Tag Archives: online learning

Let’s Stay Together

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It hasn’t taken long to realize how much we miss seeing everyone on campus every day so we know this year must be tough on you and your friends. Even though we know social distancing is important for everyone’s health and safety, it’s equally important to stay connected with your friends. Here are a few simple (maybe obvious) ways to do just that. 

Follow Each Other On Social Media 

We don’t really need to tell you this one, if you have social media you’re most likely already following your friends. But try following your new classmates too! It’s obviously a great way to get to know people and an easy way to stay in touch. 

Make A Study Group 

Get some classmates together at least once a week, jump on Teams, Google Hangouts, Zoom, Slack, etc, and study! Not only will it help you with your classes but it’s a great way to chat and engage with your schoolmates, and who knows, maybe you’ll meet some new people.

Have Movie Nights 

Movie nights may look a little different right now but you can still have them! Pop some popcorn, grab a fizzy drink, your favorite blankets, and hop on FaceTime, Zoom, or Netflix Party and have a great time. Don’t forget to invite your fully little friends if you have them!

Enjoy Music Together 

Staying connected with your friends can be as simple as sharing music and enjoying it together. Send your playlists to your friends or send some songs you think your friends would like. If you have Spotify, you can even make a collaborative playlist. 

Start A Book Club

Pick a book, not a school book, and start a book club. It’s fun to read in general but it’s even better when you get to share with friends. Video chat each week or start a group text to discuss chapters.

Be A Penpal

The digital world has made communicating simple and fast but sometimes it’s nice to do things ‘old school’. Find a friend and exchange letters. If you’re like me you might get sucked down a rabbit hole full of wax seal and stamps on Etsy.

Everyone is handling this time differently so remember to check up on your friends. Nothing can replace seeing your friends face-to-face, but thankfully technology is here to do it’s best. No matter how far you are from your friends, remember to stay connected.

A Day In The Life of A Remote-Learner: Miriam Yu

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Hi, my name is Miriam. I’m majoring in management for medical professionals, pre-occupational therapists, and minoring in communication. All of these majors might be scary but I’m actually ahead of schedule so I’m only taking 13 credits this quarter. I’m an international student from Hong Kong and I recently relocated to Southern California to stay with a friend so I’m doing my remote-learning from their place.

Besides the fact that I can’t see all my friends, I’m actually enjoying my time doing remote learning. Since school moved online, my schedule became more flexible. Most of my classes don’t have meetings, so I usually start my day at around 10 a.m. (I know you’re jealous, that’s why I really recommend summer class so you can be ahead too!) 

Here’s my daily routine: 

10 a.m. – Wake up and drink a big cup of water to replace my usual coffee. (Yes, I am addicted to coffee and I’m trying to get out of it. This is something I’m trying to accomplish through this quarantine time. I’m trying to control myself from caffeine.)

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10:30 a.m. – I’m ready, let’s get the day started! Yes, I only take 30 minutes or even less to get ready because I don’t dress up and don’t put makeup on anymore. Maybe sometimes when I’m really bored, I will put on some light makeup just to make myself feel better. But that does not happen often. My daily breakfast is toast with vegan salad on top! It is so delicious. Highly recommended! 

11 a.m. – I start doing my homework and classes. Since I’m only taking 13 credits, I usually do most of my stuff on Sunday and I will do the leftovers bit by bit every day. I know a lot of people mentioned it is not recommended to work on your bed. However, I enjoy my time on my bed and I’m lazy. I promise I can actually concentrate. if you can’t don’t follow this! 

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1 p.m. – Time for lunch. I usually eat something heavier, so I don’t have to eat that much during dinner. Today, I’m going to eat potato salad, like a lot of potato salad. 

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2 p.m. – Class time. I only have one class that meets on Tuesday. I love this class and recommend it to everyone. Professor Toledo is the best teacher ever!! 

4 p.m. – Time for a break. I usually go downstairs and play with the dog for a little bit and stay in the backyard enjoying the view. Especially this week, the sun is out, and it’s 90 degrees in Southern California. Super-hot! On Friday or Saturday, I will go for a walk near the neighborhood, or just relax.

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5 p.m. – Time to work. I’m still working as a TA, therefore, I still need to input grades, upload files, and answer students’ questions.  

6:30 p.m. – Time for dinner. As I said before, I usually have a light dinner, so my dinner will be SALAD!!!!!! 

8 p.m. – I don’t do much after dinner. I usually facetime with my friends or family to catch up on what’s happening in their life. I encourage everyone to do this. I’m an introvert, but this shelter-in-place really has me anxious. Not because I’m worried about my health, but I need to socialize to keep myself alive. Facetiming helps me to stay positive.  

That’s it! I hope you enjoy this and I wish to see everyone again soon. I miss our student life on campus. Be sure to follow all the updates through the PUC email because I know the school is still planning activities for us. Stay healthy, positive, and most importantly, stay safe. 

  

 

 

Tips For Successful Remote Learning

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A couple weeks ago we sent our students home, asked our faculty to quickly figure out how to give their finals online, and began the process of switching to remote instruction for the foreseeable future. We are living in strange times and we are so thankful for our Pioneers family who has embraced these changes with hardly a complaint. 

Whether you’re a current PUC student or thinking about becoming one, you’re likely in the same boat, setting up your remote classroom and getting ready to learn in a whole new way. We thought it would be appropriate to share tips for successful online/remote learning.

Fun fact: PUC staff and faculty are also working from home so hopefully this will be beneficial to all of us! 

Remote learning comes in lots of forms. Some classes are taught using a platform like Zoom with regular class time, some have pre-recorded lectures with discussion boards, some will give you lecture notes and deadlines for homework and allowances to work at your own pace. No matter how your professors are choosing to conduct their classes, these tips should help! 

Set up a dedicated space to complete your work

First of all, set up a dedicated “classroom”. It’s important for you to give yourself a workplace where you can learn without distractions. Let your family or roommates know this is your classroom and you need to be allowed the opportunity to work without interruptions. 

Note: Try to add a few things that will brighten your space up! 

Make a schedule and treat your day like a normal school day 

It’s important to set a routine to follow so you don’t end up sleeping the day away even though that sounds very appealing! If you are not having regularly set lectures, use the time when your class normally meets to work on classwork. 

Eliminate distractions

As someone who got distracted by the internet about seven times just while writing this post, I’m no stranger to the need to eliminate distractions while trying to focus. While you’re “in class” turn your phone off and make sure you’re not on social media. Ask your family or roommates to allow you to have some quiet time so you can get the most out of your time. 

Give yourself dedicated homework time

Don’t let yourself fall into bad habits. Make sure you schedule a time to study and do your homework like you normally would. 

Take notes

If you’re a note-taker, keep taking them! If you’re listening to an online lecture, a pre-recorded one, or even if you’re just reading, try keeping track of important information or topics you’ll want to learn more about later on. 

Ask questions

Asking questions is always important but it’s even more important when you’re learning remotely. Don’t hesitate to reach out and ask for clarification or further explanation. 

Stay connected to your classmates  

Keep in touch with your classmates. Whether on discussion boards, or group texts, it’s important to stay connected. You know a great way to do that? Our next tip! 

Create a study group

You don’t have to be together physically to have study groups. Technology has given us so many great ways to connect together, use them! Band together and navigate this new challenge together. Who knows, you might make some incredible friendships while you’re at it. 

Stay in contact with your professor

Not everyone learns the same so make sure you stay in touch with your professors, they will be more than willing to work with you and help you figure out a solution. If you have questions, email or call them. If you don’t have questions, still email or call them. Check-in! They will appreciate it. 

Take frequent breaks

Make sure you take breaks, both mental and physical. Get some exercise, read something fun, watch Netflix, call a friend. Life is extremely stressful right now and you need to make sure you’re taking care of yourself. 

While we miss having our students wandering campus, in the classrooms, and popping in and out of our offices, we know eventually life will get back to normal and we look forward to the day we can welcome the Pioneers back to campus. In the meantime, we just want to say thank you for everyone’s hard work and dedication to weathering this storm together.