This school year is far from what any of us hoped it would be, but we have to stay focused and get through the semester.

As we go through a couple of weeks of online classes, we should take note of what we learned when quarantine started in the spring. Online courses are not easy, but with focus, dedication and grace we can get through them for a successful semester.

When you’re at home eating leftover turkey and hanging out with your family, remember that online classes are still classes and your grade still matters. The university gave us the luxury of allowing our spring classes to be pass/fail, but now all of our grades will count toward our GPA. For this reason, it is more important than ever that you keep up with due dates, study for finals and put time and effort into your assignments.

It’s easy to look at your to-do list and spend minimal effort on assignments, hang out with family instead of studying and skip class when it’s over Zoom, but since all classes count towards your GPA this year, we have to put more effort into everything we do.

Getting a planner or using an online calendar for classwork and assignments while we are online is a great first step to making sure that you don’t miss deadlines, Zoom classes or forget to study for finals. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask your professors. They are here to help you and want you to succeed.

When you are finishing your exams and final assignments, remember to give yourself grace. This year is unprecedented, and everyone is making the best of it. Don’t get down on yourself if you aren’t achieving all that you thought you were.

Most of all, remember to take care of your mental health. Take breaks in between studying and working on assignments, try and stay active and make sure that you are staying healthy by socially distancing and wearing masks any time you are around anyone who isn’t your family.

This is going to be a crazy season, but we can get through it if we support each other, focus on the end and take care of ourselves.