Wearing face masks in class is uncomfortable and even (if you’re honest) a little annoying. You have a hard time breathing, thinking, and more. While you’re excited to finally be in your freshman year, you might feel a little disappointed by the reality of in-person classes.

Though learning with a face mask can be difficult, necessary precautions are required to prevent the spread of the virus. Wearing a face mask, however, doesn’t make learning easy for an incoming college freshman.

Are you doomed to have a weird year filled with obstacles to your success? No, but this year will require more of you than past years did of former freshmen.

Incorporate these 3 good habits if you want to thrive amidst a pandemic!

Habit #1: Give good nonverbal cues.

What is a nonverbal cue? Nonverbal language includes any communication that is not spoken through words. This includes posture, gestures, tone of voice, eye contact, etc.

What does it look like to give good nonverbal cues? You may or may not naturally provide good listening cues when listening to others. By offering “hmm” and “uh-huh” sounds, you can signal to the person speaking that you are following. By nodding your head slightly and giving direct eye contact, you can also communicate you are engaged. 

If you are feeling confused or lost during a class lecture, you naturally demonstrate this feeling in your posture, facial expressions, and more. While wearing a face mask, these cues are likely difficult for your instructor to see. A head tilt to the side or another nonverbal cue may give your instructor a clue, but you are probably best to raise your hand and ask a question. (Keep reading…)

Habit #2: Ask questions in class.

If you are confused or lost other students in your class likely are too. Sometimes students can feel too shy, worried about how they will look, hesitant to speak, or unsure of how to express themselves that they don’t ever get help. This means that the students that often need help the most don’t get it, merely because they don’t speak up.

If you are one of these students who feels too shy or embarrassed, consider the alternative: you never understand a key concept or project. This doesn’t help you succeed in the class.

While raising your hand to ask a question in class can be nerve-wrecking, you can voice your question intelligently by following these steps:

1. Look back at your notes. Did the instructor answer this question earlier? Can you answer your own question with the information already given to you? Read back over your notes to check for your answer. If the answer still isn’t there, move to the next step.

2. Listen closely. Sometimes your professor offers several helpful examples or thought-provoking questions that will lead you and your class to the answer. If, however, your teacher is moving on to a different point or concept, go to the next step.

3. Narrow down what you don’t understand. What specifically is really confusing you? Identifying the key point you are confused about or unclear on can help you find the words for your question. (Continue to the next step.)

4. Write down your question. If you struggle coming up words on the spot, consider jotting down a quick note of what you’d like to ask. This gives you some practice asking the question before you speak in front of the whole class.

5. Raise your hand and speak up. If you go for asking the question, go all in. Be sure you project, speaking loudly enough that your instructor and classmates can clearly hear your question. And speak with confidence, because you have a valid question to ask.

While this process sounds very involved and time-consuming, it takes very little time in the moment.

**Additionally, one positive note to wearing a face mask is that others are unlikely to recognize you, so you are less likely to look ridiculous for asking a “dumb” question. (Dumb questions do exist, but they are rarely from students who have a genuine desire to learn.)

Habit #3: Take initiative.

As stated earlier, taking initiative or advocating for yourself is one of the keys to adjusting to college. Learning to speak up on your own behalf is critical if you want to get good grades, make friends, and more in college.

If you find yourself confused about a grade or course concept, consider taking these steps to find the answer.

• Check your online course page. Your grades breakdown, presentation slides, and handouts are likely all on this online resource. Before asking the teacher your question, see if you can find what you’re looking for here.

• Check your course syllabus. Questions about how your grade is calculated, when assignments are due, and more can be easily answered in one read over your course syllabus. Check this resource for many helpful details about your class.

• Check your email. College instructors often send important information via email. While keeping up with your college email can be overwhelming, check your inbox before asking a question already answered over an email.

• Check instruction sheets and graded assignments. While your teacher is happy to clarify instructions or comments given on graded assignments, asking for details already provided on instruction sheets or other places can make a student look lazy. Carefully read through these sources of information before asking a question.

• Check with a reliable classmate. While this classmate may not be a close friend, you can more easily ask them a question than you can ask your teacher. Be sure this person is truly reliable, because getting a wrong detail (e.g. a wrong due date) can mean the difference between you getting a good grade and a bad grade.

Once you’ve checked these resources, consider taking the initiative to email your professor or talk with your professor before or after class.

While sitting in a class with a face mask restricting your breathing is uncomfortable, you can conquer this semester by forming simple habits. Provide good nonverbal cues, ask questions, and take initiative. These skills are necessary for you now and in the near future.