It’s the beginning of the semester, but it somehow feels like it’s week four and midterms are about to come around the corner. Classes on Zoom somehow seem more tiring than they did in the spring, and the hours drag by between each lecture as you sit blankly at your desk, waiting for the next thing to do. Does any of this sound like you? Never to fear, because the Clog has your back — here are some tips and tricks to help the time pass by more quickly and qualitatively.

Go for a walk

Instead of just sitting in your room, staring at your clock until your next class, go for a walk! The day can seem incredibly long if it’s monotonous. It doesn’t have to be a long walk, but a quick stroll around the block for some fresh air can break up seemingly long periods in front of a screen at home.

Make yourself a drink and grab a snack

Studying hard can be tiring work, but what’s worse is that it can make you really hungry. Make sure you stay on your A-game by staying hydrated and fed! Switch things up a bit by trying some new food and drinks — here’s the Clog’s list of snacks we recommend.

Get yourself set up for your next class

Instead of dilly-dallying and waiting for the next class to start, set yourself up so you don’t have to scramble for the right notebook two minutes before your lecture is supposed to begin. Take out the right stationery and textbook, and scan through the last lecture’s notes so you’re up to date! Being in the right mindset for the class is just as important as attending it.

Practice a skill

Academic or not, there are thousands of skills that you can master. Maybe you can pick up a new hobby — from doodling to coding, it only takes 20 hours to learn the basics. The time between classes doesn’t have to be productive in the academic sense, but learning something for fun is incredibly beneficial to mental health.

Call some pals!

During quarantine, it’s hard to stay in touch with your friends. Shoot them a message, or call them up. It might be a a bit awkward after months of little contact, but it’ll be worth it. However, be mindful of time zones — it can be midnight for some people even though it’s the middle of the day for you.

Quarantine can seem like a monotonous drag of sitting within the same four walls and staring at screens, but it isn’t so hard to switch things up a bit. Roll on, you Bears!