SCAD’s declassified school survival guide: online edition
Written by Kendall McKinnon, Illustrations by Emily Wachter
SCAD bees, you know what time it is. Our last days of summer are ticking away. As usual, we hurry to find free PDFs of our textbooks, we pretend prequarter assignments don’t exist, and we savor our last bits of leisure time before 8 am studios dominate our schedules. Even the hurricanes came right on time. But this year is different.
After unexpectedly spending spring quarter online, fall is following suit, and by now we all know that online art school is a lot to handle. Whether you have moved back to Savannah or are spending fall quarter learning from home, here are a few ways we can make our new normal just a bit more bearable.
1. Create a welcoming workspace
You likely heard this one when we first started staying at home, but did you actually do it? If the desk in your bedroom is where you’ll be spending most of your time, you may as well make it inviting. Having a designated workspace is guaranteed to put your brain in work mode, whether or not that’s the mode you’re in the mood for. And please remember not to work in your bed—that’s for sleeping.
2. Stick to a schedule
I know the Virgos and Capricorns hear me loud and clear. Working from home makes it difficult to separate work time from downtime, which is why scheduling your time could serve you well. Block out your classes, designate time for work, and don’t forget to schedule time for yourself too. Try your best to put your work up at the end of the day, whenever that is for you, and spend the evening away from your computer. Strive for a healthy work-life balance.
3. Get away from the internet
Think about your poor eyes. Give them a break from staring at a screen. They’re begging you. Plus, taking time to indulge in playful hobbies and traditional mediums isn’t just good for your eyes, it’s good for your brain. Pick up a book, break out the oil pastels, make a charm bracelet, bake banana bread—whatever suits you, use your breaks to do something low-pressure and still gain a sense of accomplishment.
4. Stay connected
Online does not have to mean isolated. If you’re at home, schedule Facetime study dates, meet with your favorite club over Zoom, or tune into SCAD’s Guests and Gusto. If you’re back in Savannah, meet a friend to sketch in Forsyth, take a socially distanced walk for coffee, or take a pal to the farmer’s market. We still need people, and we can still find ways to see them safely. Get creative.
5. Take advantage of the newness
As companies and schools have adapted to the pandemic, remote work has become a viable option for the future of our careers. Now we can audit classes from our living room, meet with our advisers without booking it to Bradley, and even complete full internships from home. Our fields are changing too, and we must remain willing to adapt as they happen. Some are afraid in the face of change, but SCAD teaches us that new is exciting. Maybe it’s a good thing that the professional world is changing; we’re exactly what they need.
