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Remote learning: Staying social

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“Learning is a social process. Now, more than ever, it is important that we keep connected."

Working remotely can be isolating or lonely. Make sure you keep in touch with your peers and friends. This is especially the case in the current COVID-19 pandemic which will, at times, see many students isolated in their homes.

This situation is unprecedented. Now, more than ever, it is important for us to stay connected and stay kind. If you're struggling, please get in touch with the University. Our support services are still available and have produced new guidance on how to access mental health support. 

Tools to keep connected

Make use of these chat tools and applications to connect with your friends and peers. They are a great way to check-in with each other and keep in touch. The conversation doesn't just have to be study-related. When studying remotely, it is important to keep socially connected with others. If you have never used one of these tools or applications before, signing up will help you keep in touch with others using the same platform.  

Top tip: Keep in regular contact with your peers. It is really important to still connect with one another. This will help with your studies too - learning is a social process after all!

Digital study buddy

If you can't meet up at the library or local coffee shop, then why not partner up with someone as a digital study buddy? You can start your day by setting goals, and check-in with each other regularly to monitor progress. 

Study environment

If you find it really difficult to study in silence or by yourself - you're not alone. Research from Mehta et al. (2012) shows background noise can enhance performance on creative tasks. This is why Coffitivity was created. 
 

With soundtracks including morning murmur, lunchtime lunch and university undertones, it's the perfect way to emulate the background noise of your favourite study spot.

Need study motivation?

If all else fails, you can study alongside this guy for the next hour:

Making new connections

When studying remotely, it can be hard to get social contact with others. While it is great to rely on friends and family for this, there may also be an opportunity to make new connections. Check out these online communities for opportunities to meet new people. 

Connect with other students & researchers:

These sites are great places to network and talk to other students: 

    

Connect with other people

These communities connect lots of different people and interests. They are a great place to find like-minded people:

     

Sharing your experiences

Blogging provides a fantastic place for you to display your knowledge about a particular subject area that interests you. Writing and sharing your blog also provides a great opportunity to network and meet new people. See our dedicated guide to blogging below:

Blogging

Guide to blogging

Creative Commons License  The Remote learning SkillsGuide is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. See embedded YouTube resources for their terms of distribution.