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M<\/span>ass communications students have been facing challenges with online learning during the\u00a0 Covid-19 panedmic.<\/p>\n C<\/span>algary student Rukkayyah Iman has struggled with distractions while studying online.<\/p>\n Iman, a student from Base University in Abuja, Nigeria says the struggles for her entail \u201cstaying focused because you have so many different things that take your attention while you\u2019re in class.\u201d<\/p>\n Social media can also be a distraction as students are not within school premises for lecture. It can be a lot easier to shuffle within apps and have divided attention as you\u2019re left unsupervised.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re not even mentally or physically in the class so it\u2019s really hard to stay focused and then you have your phone in your hand. You can be watching a show, you can be looking at stuff on Twitter or Instagram. It\u2019s really hard to just get that focus really,\u201d said Iman.<\/p>\n Career courses as practical as mass communication require a lot of face-to- face interaction and that can affect the grade and performance level of the student.<\/p>\n Iman said she was shocked as she recently got her grades and it wasn\u2019t what she was expecting because she believed she could succeed in the comfort of her home.<\/p>\n \u201cRecently, I got my results and I found that they weren\u2019t as good as I thought and that made me quite disheartened, because I thought I was actually doing a lot better.<\/p>\n “I wasn\u2019t happy with my recent grades they were a lot better when they weren\u2019t online,\u201d Iman said.<\/p>\n Online classes come with its advantages as well.<\/p>\n You are able to spend more time on yourself and get your mental health in check.<\/p>\n It is important that we adapt to the situation and try and make the best of the new normal which is online class.<\/p>\n \u201cEverything has a good side and a bad side. There is an advantage with the fact that you have more time for yourself and you can easily be doing other things. Its more flexible,\u201d said Iman.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, Iman says \u201cI just miss the physical aspect because I\u2019ve learned better when I\u2019m in a classroom rather than online.<\/p>\n With the new change, it is very important to come up with a coping mechanism and figure out a way to adjust to online learning as this is the new normal.<\/p>\n This is where being disciplined comes into play.<\/p>\n Setting up a to-do list and scheduling your time properly to prepare yourself for classes is a great way to succeed in this trying time.<\/p>\n \u201cI need to remember that the fact that I am in class and this is what I\u2019m doing and try paying more attention and just have more self-discipline, because with online class I feel like you require more self-discipline.\u201d said Iman.<\/p>\n Taking classes online in a country like Nigeria where there isn\u2019t constant electricity can be frustrating because the wi-fi only works when there is power.<\/p>\n Iman said it\u2019s also expensive buying data and that has caused her to spend much more money on Wi-Fi.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really unfortunate because now I\u2019m spending money either buying mobile data or I have to get a whole Wi-Fi.<\/p>\n “Even with those two, you never know when the network can decide to crash or not be working, and especially now, we have been having quite a lot of conflict in the country and network hasn\u2019t been good,\u201d said Iman.<\/p>\n A word of encouragement is being passed on by Iman as she addresses those who feel like they are still struggling with classes.<\/p>\n \u201cJust get used to the idea and know how to plan your day properly so you can feel like you\u2019ve gotten more out of the day,” she said,<\/p>\n “Make sure you\u2019re more disciplined and you know what you\u2019re doing and know what you\u2019re not supposed to do.<\/p>\n “You know you have this time for school and time for social media and all other things. Don\u2019t mix it up and just keep hanging on, we are going to get through this.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/saitjournalism.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/20201109-S3-Murals-Feature-Mary-Okokon-MO-192-scaled.jpg\")