Written by Lucy Collins
COVID-19 has affected the lives of everyone on this planet. Some people who have been drastically affected are professors and students. Following the decision made by President Maxey and many other colleges/universities, students and professors have been presented the option to resume classes fully online. With this decision comes the responsibility of students to begin learning in an entirely new, and sometimes intimidating, format.
After having several discussions with friends, I have realized that many of my peers have underlying anxiety about participating and speaking during Zoom calls. Some individuals have found it hard to get a word into a discussion based on bad connection or the problem of speaking over other students or even the professor.
I am here to provide our readers with some helpful tips on how to cope with the anxiety that can come along with Zoom video chats.
One thing that I have begun doing is turning off my camera when I am not talking. This allows me to focus on the professor and the class discussion. When I feel comfortable chiming in, I turn my camera back on and begin speaking. Some people don’t like to even see themselves on camera, so this helps with that.
If the professor requires your camera to be on during the Zoom call, you can always pin your professor on the screen; that way, yourself or your classmates can’t distract you. Another helpful tip is to be prepared for the class. You should have all your work done and your assignments turned in on time or prior to the due date. Prepare for the questions that may be asked by the professor by becoming familiar with the work that is assigned. Being prepared before a Zoom call can help ease the anxiety that builds up.
My last tip would be to familiarize yourself with your peers. Although this can be hard since some of us will not have in person classes, reach out by email or social media and get to know your classmates so you are comfortable when speaking out loud on the call.
The time in which we live now is very uncertain and stressful, but everyone is doing their best to keep people safe and happy. Zoom video chats are one of the ways that we are helping protect ourselves and others from the virus. I hope that these tips will come in handy for the rest of online school. Stay safe Maroons!
