How to pay attention in your Zoom classes

Anybody else having a hard time paying attention in their Zoom classes? Just me?

I thought classes were hard, but compared to online classes, physical lectures are simply wonderful. Not only are more assignments busy work, but virtual classes are nearly impossible to pay attention to, especially when you’re distracted easily. It was nice to be able to go up to campus and attend class in an empty classroom, but now, with online classes and virtual meetings, I am distracted by my blankets, pictures, shiny objects and various ornaments I have in my bedroom. 

Since school is probably going to be online for a while, we need to learn how to pay attention in our Zoom classes. 

The quickest way to increase our awareness and learning in our Zoom classes is to turn on our cameras. Not gonna lie, I hate it. I want to be in my pajamas during my class at 8:30 a.m., but does that help me pay attention or does it make me more tired? My point is as valid as it is disappointing. According to Yessi Bello Perez, senior writer of Growth Quarters, video calls “make it easier to keep track of what’s going on … who’s talking and actually engaging with what they’re saying.” Learning demands engagement, so keeping your camera on during Zoom calls is imperative to maintaining a valuable educational experience.

This next tip is not new, but some of us need the reminder: get off your phone. Turn it off, put it in a different location, do whatever you have to do to get away from Instagram, Tik Tok and other distracting social media apps. Respect them and their hard work to help you learn and grow. Put the phone away.

Along with putting your phone away, it’s important to take notes during your class lectures. I love using Google Doc as my professor is giving me nuggets of wisdom, but paper notes might be better for retention, so feel free to get out the old notebook and pen. Regardless of how you do it, taking notes will help you pay attention and give you something to study for your exams (and if your exams are open book this semester, having notes will prove to be very helpful). 

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve had a very difficult time remembering what reading or online assignments I need to do. An easy way to combat this is to have a designated to do list notebook. That way you aren’t typing your to-do list on your phone during a lecture. 

Zoom lectures are not my favorite, but they are necessary right now. It’s important we do our best as students to pay attention and make the most of this less than ideal situation. It’s time to put our phones away, take notes and put our education first.

Emily White is a junior studying English and broadcast journalism. She is currently serving as the senior writer for the Lifestyles section of the Statesman.

—emily.white@usu.edu