Another year has passed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot of things has changed and people has adapted to new ways of doing things. Companies have adapted a work from home option, and students were also forced to adapt to a new way of learning. This opened to a lot of options for parents and students, such as Synchronous and Asynchronous learning. Synchronous learning is interactive, two-way online or distance education that happens in real time with a teacher, whereas asynchronous learning occurs virtually online and through prepared resources, without real-time teacher-led interaction. I admit, it takes a lot of getting used to it at first, but it’s really not much different from traditional schooling. There’s some pros and cons to it, but with the pandemic far from being over, we are on our 2nd year of doing online class.
Since school year 2021-2022 is about to start, I would like to share our Top 10 online essentials list for online learning, every students need.
10 Online class essentials every students need
- TABLET, COMPUTER OR LAPTOP
Of course, you can’t attend online classes without a device, right? First on our essentials list is any electronic device like an iPad, Cellphone, Laptop or Desktop Computer with a stable connection to the internet so that you won’t have to worry about disconnecting or having connection issues to your online class. Personally, I find that using a PC is much easier than using a tablet because of the way I can do my schoolwork even without having to switch devices. Some use phones, some prefer a laptop. It’s up to you which device is easier to use!
I am currently using a hand me down desktop PC which has a videocard. This lets me play my favorite games during my free time :). You can see some options of brand new and new units here.
2. HEADPHONES
Headphones are strongly recommended for online classes so that you can focus more on the lecture. Noise-cancelling headphones are especially recommended if you don’t want to hear outside noise at all. Don’t forget to buy headphones with a microphone though! Questions in the chatbox usually go unnoticed, so it might be better to be vocal with your inquiries instead of expressing them in text.
After using several headsets in the past, I’ve opted to switch to a Corsair HS50 PRO Gaming Headset. It has superb sound and a fully detachable unidirectional microphone which reduces ambient noise. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of other budget-friendly headphones out there, that also offers good sound and price.
3. BASIC SCHOOL SUPPLIES
Even though most of the supplies from physical learning aren’t necessary for online school anymore, there are still basic supplies you’ll need in order to study well such as pencils, pens, paper, and scissors.
a. Pencil
For pencils, I personally recommend using a mechanical pencil rather than the average pencil. It might be a little more pricey compared to regular pencils, but it would be really tiring having to sharpen your pencil all the time and buy a new one when it runs out. With a mechanical pencil, you’ll only have to worry about buying more pencil lead and a good eraser to go along with it. Here’s what I use.
b. Sticky notes
If a planner won’t be enough for you to remember the tasks you need to do, then maybe a sticky note in a visible spot will work. Personally, a sticky note always works in reminding me in what I need to get finished by the end of the day.
c. Highlighter
It’s useful to take notes in class. But when you have to resort to taking references from the book, what’s more useful than a highlighter to highlight the important lines from your lessons? What’s more is that highlighters come in a variety of colors. So if you want to have better-looking notes or be able to study from the book more efficiently, highlighters are the answer for you.
d. Notebooks
You can’t take notes without a notebook, can you? Notebooks are a given in must have essentials in any type of schooling. Taking notes is very important if you need to study for a test or an exam.
e. Calculator
Most schools permit their students to use their own calculators in order for them not to have too much of a hard time trying to calculate complicated problems. Although a calculator can be used not only for school, but also for yourself in certain situations! Sure, we have calculators on our phones, but during school time, teachers won’t really let students just use their phones. Even if you think you can get away with using a phone during class, there’s still the risk of getting caught. So it’s definitely better to get a physical calculator just to keep it safe!
f. Whiteboard
A lot of activities held in online classes require the students to write their answers down on a whiteboard for the teacher to see the students’ answers more easily rather than typing the answer in the chatbox. Make sure to keep a sufficient supply of whiteboard markers in case one ever runs out of ink!
4. PLANNER
A planner would be useful in listing down tasks that you’ll need to do for each day. It would also be useful for remembering important deadlines for certain tasks and it can help with motivation so you’d have a normal routine of doing school work and taking breaks.
You can get one at online bookstores or you can custom made your own. Your limit is your imagination!
5. PRINTER
In the past when we still had physical learning, we didn’t really have a lot of use for the printer since physical copies of our worksheets and homework would often be provided by the school (except for printing projects). But now that we’ve resorted to online learning, we are of course required to print our own physical copies of homework and documents. So make sure to have a good supply of printer ink to use for the year. We opted to buy an Epson CISS Printer with dye ink. It lets us print colored documents. We bought ours here.
There are a lot of newer models and brands that now have a wifi capacity. It lets you print via bluetooth, making it more convenience to use.
6. WEBCAM
If you aren’t using a tablet in attending online classes, you’re going to need a webcam so you can have a photoshoot for yourself. Kidding! A webcam is going to be needed for online school as it is important for the teacher to see you so they know you’re actually in class instead of actually being in your bed, sleeping. It’s also going to be important for class activities with your classmates! You wouldn’t want to be left out by being the only one without their camera on, would you?
A 1080p camera with a built-in noise isolating microphone, need not be expensive. We’re currently using this.
7. A PROPER WORKPLACE
With a proper work area, you’re going to be able to focus more on your studies and avoid getting distracted by unrelated matters from the lecture. Make sure it’s a quiet area that’s comfortable for you to do your school work in. It doesn’t have to be a separate room. It can be a place in the living area or dining area, where you won’t get distracted.
8. DESK LAMP
Having a desk lamp is essential in any scenario. Reading a book? Have a desk lamp. Studying? Have a desk lamp. Attending online classes with your webcam on? Have a bright desk lamp! Without desk lamps, you won’t be able to clearly read your notes or any book at all. Your classmates and teacher wouldn’t be able to see your bright face either!
Some use a ring light (which is also being used by youtubers). Others just use a basic study lamp they have on their table and use when reading, etc.
9. ORGANIZATION BASICS
a. DESK MAT
If you’re aiming for an organized and neat desk, then a desk mat is what you need! Better yet, it helps you prevent from messing up the desk easily and damaging it. Personally, I use a wide desk mat that can cover the entire area of my PC so that it would have its own space. And the remaining space on my desk is reserved for other school things, of course
b. PEN HOLDER
To keep your desk and stuff organized, you definitely should have a pen holder to keep your pens separate from other items. Personally, I use about 3 pen holders since I keep my coloring pens and markers separate from the pencils and ballpens. But it’s up to you how many you need for your online classes!
c. PHONE HOLDER
If you’re using a phone or a tablet for class, then a phone or tablet holder will be useful so that you don’t have to find something sturdy to lean your device against. It’s so tiring having to worry about whether your device would slip from its support or not, but with a phone/tablet holder, you’ll be worry-free.
10. AN ERGONOMIC COMPUTER CHAIR
Because we spend a lot of time sitting down, it’s good to have an ergonomic chair that helps support your back while having your online class. It can be any chair where you’re comfortable with. Some just use a monobloc chair and put some pillows. Others buy a computer chair with a mesh backing, to let you sit comfortably.
ANYTHING ELSE?
For this part, I suggest you get yourself anything you think will be helpful in your studies. I use a mechanical keyboard since I find that the clacking sounds help me have a little more fun in typing essays. But of course, you can use any keyboard you prefer! It’s up to you what else you want that helps you concentrate more.
About the Author:
Writer is an incoming Senior High student who loves to play video games in her spare time.
